Most of us experience busy mornings. Baking for breakfast is just out of the question. But how would you like to have healthy, out-of-the-oven bran muffins for breakfast while investing little of your busiest time? With these Refrigerator Bran Muffins, you can have hot muffins in less time than it takes to stop by the bakery. And with all natural ingredients, bran, and whole wheat flour, you'll know that you are starting your day right.
With this recipe, you can save time and effort on those hurried occasions by making up the batter ahead. Better yet, make double or triple batches and always have batter on hand. Store it the refrigerator in a covered container for up to three weeks, then fill the muffin tins that you need and return the rest to the refrigerator for another day. Let the muffins bake while you do your other tasks.
If you prefer, you can make these muffins without refrigeration and still store any leftover batter until you are ready to bake more muffins.
The following recipe makes about 18 large muffins. The recipe can be doubled or tripled to make plenty of batter for later occasions.
Refrigerator Bran Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
3 cups all-bran cereal such as All Bran or Bran Buds
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup very hot water
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup stone ground wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
1. In a medium bowl, add the cereal and raisins and then the very hot water. Stir in the melted butter. Set it aside to soak.
2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and stir in the buttermilk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flours, salt, and baking soda together until well combined.
4. Make a crater in the dry ingredients. Pour in the egg mixture and the cereal mixture and then stir with a spatula until combined.
5. If you choose to make muffins now, fill well-greased tins two-thirds full. Refrigerate the remaining batter in a covered container in the refrigerator.
6. Bake the muffins for 14 to 18 minutes or until they test done. Let them sit in the tins for several minutes and then remove them to wire racks to cool. Freeze any leftovers.
This is a great recipe to use in your RV. Simply mix the muffins in the kitchen at home and pack the batter in the RV. You can bake up as many muffins as you need anytime that you need them.
Copyright 2003-2007, The Prepared Pantry (http://www.prepraredpantry.com ). Published by permission
Dennis Weaver is a baker, a recipe designer, and a writer. He has written many baking guides and How to Bake, a comprehensive baking and reference e-book--available free at The Prepared Pantry which sells baking and cooking supplies and has a free online baking library.
