Lakes Region Foodie – Apple pecan bran muffins

These delicious muffins have a deep mahogany exterior color created by the molasses. That may give you the impression that they are heavy and dense, but it's quite the opposite. They are light, tender and with the wonderful flavors from the apple chunks that release their juices in the center, with the toasted pecans on top. For me these additional flavors transform the taste from ordinary to almost addictive. Unlike many bran muffin recipes which tend to dry out the next day, these retain their moisture.

What keeps them moist is hydrating the bran with the hot milk for an hour before mixing the batter. Bran and whole grains are very slow to absorb liquids, although the finer the bran, the faster the absorption. Even finely milled it’s still slower to absorb than white flour. You may have heard about Italian “00” flour for pizza, the “00” stands for milled extra fine. German bakers have long hydrated the rye flour for authentic pumpernickel bread with boiling water. Still today many artisanal bakers use this method of hydrating the whole grains in their breads.

With the butter at room temperature and after the bran has soaked and the apple is cut, this is a quick and easy mix. Even after hydrating the bran this is a wet and loose batter. The wet batter and 400°F baking temperature is what causes the muffins to rise quickly to create the top dome.

The only time I use muffin cups now is when I make blueberry muffins and that's because I use so many blueberries that if I didn’t they would stick to the pan. Otherwise if the wells of your muffin pan are smooth, without scratches and you butter them, then they should release after 10 minutes of cooling and shrinking. If you decide to use paper muffin cups, don’t bother pushing them down into the pans as they are easier to fill when they just nest on top with the opening spread wider. Once filled, the weight will drop them into the pan. Since the papers are an extra layer you can bake the muffins on the bottom rack.

Soon fresh cranberries will be available. You can substitute the apple with 1-1/4 cups of cranberries and replace the pecans with chopped walnuts. Sometimes I replace the apples with diced dried apricots or with raisins or currents for traditional bran muffins. If you do use dried fruit, I suggest blending them with the bran before adding the hot milk so they plump up and soften.

Yields 12 muffins

1-1/3 cups organic wheat bran flakes

1-1/2 cups whole or 2% milk

1-1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking soda

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 extra large eggs

1 large apple, which will yield about 1 cup diced

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Measure the bran into a medium size bowl, then warm the milk to 120°F or until hot when you submerge 3/4 inch of a finger into the milk. Pour the hot milk over the bran and stir until the bran is completely moistened. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.

In a second bowl blend together the flour, salt and baking soda until evenly blended. Set aside until needed.

Peel and core the apple. Cut into about 1/4 inch chunks or cubes and set aside until needed.

Adjust the oven rack to the lower third level and preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of 12 wells in a muffin pan or pans.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer with beaters, cream together on medium speed the butter and sugar until pale yellow and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the molasses and continue mixing at the same speed until blended.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, allowing each to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Stop the mixing and scrape down the paddle or beaters and the sides of the bowl to loosen any lumps. Continue mixing until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.

Add the bran and milk mixture and mix on low speed to incorporate. Add the flour mixture and mix until blended. Then add the cut apples and mix until the apples are evenly distributed.

Using a 1/2 cup measure with a handle or a 2 ounce ice cream scoop with a full loop release bar, fill the wells evenly with the batter. They should be about 80% full. Cover tops evenly with the chopped pecans.

Place on the center of the adjusted rack and bake.

After 10 minutes rotate the pan from back to front for an even coloring. Continue baking for about 8-10 minutes or until the top center of the muffins when touched are set and spring back slightly.

Remove from the oven and place the pan on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Next, gently remove the muffins from the pan by first pressing the edges slightly inward so they release from the pan, then lift them out and place them on a rack to continue cooling for about another 45 minutes. If they are too hot to handle, wait a few more minutes or hold a thin tea or bar towel in your hand to insulate it from the heat. The muffins are ready to serve, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 4 days. They also freeze very well in a zip-lock freezer bag for up to 6 weeks.