It appears that baking is not my forte. While I love it, and the result is always edible, I seem singly unable to bake something that doesn't stick to the pan. Check out my brownies for an example. This occurred again this week, despite greasing the (non-stick my behind) pans as instructed. If anyone has any tips, I'd be eternally grateful! Even tips for getting stuck muffins out of the pans in as large a piece as possible would be well received!
That's as whole as it gets.
I started back at work this week after a wonderful break, and thought a muffin for breakfast would be a nice high energy kick-start to my working day. AWW Bake produced the Berry and Yogurt Muffins recipe, which with rolled oats, berries and yogurt, how much more breakfasty can a muffin get? Also, I still haven't replaced the mixer that I broke at Christmas, so a recipe that I only needed sifting and stirring was welcome.
Unfortunately, these were so broken that it was far too embarrassing to share them at work, so they were hidden away for private consumption.
This is what they're supposed to look like
Berry and yogurt muffins
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
3 eggs
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup yogurt
1/3 cup vegetable
180g fresh/frozen berries
(I used fresh strawberries as they were STILL on sale at my supermarket - WIN!)
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Grease (and grease, and grease) your muffin pan.
Sift flour into a bowl, then add the remaining ingredients. Do not overmix.
Spoon into pan holes.
Bake muffins for about 25 minutes. Stand in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack, and turning top side up to cool.
Innocent little pools of muffin batter. They give no indication of the trouble they're about to cause.
Aren't muffins simple? Until you go to turn them out and they just won't budge. GRRRR.... and I tried so hard to make them look pretty, baking them with peach and apple fans, sprinkled with demerara sugar. I should have focused on keeping them whole!
It's still good, it's still good
These are very sweet, and you really can't tell that there's rolled oats in them. Also, strawberries don't seem to bake well. While very nice prior to cooking, they were somewhat bland in the muffins. I don't think I'd make these again, only if they were a specific request, or fit a theme particularly well, because I'm sure AWW Bake can produce much better options than these. It was a bit of a disappointing first outing for the book, but we'll see if we can't make a winner of it yet.
If anyone's getting stuck for what to cook for the challenge, or you just don't have the time to browse for a recipe, check out http://www.mycookbooksonline.com/. I can't remember where I came across this, I think Vicious Ange left a comment on someone else's blog, and I was hooked. Thanks Ange! There's a good sample of my cookbook shelf there, and I expect that as more people join, more books will be available to search.
There you go. That's something by Kate.
Posts
Hmm, not sure why you're having so much problems with getting your baking out in one piece! If I have muffins etc that seem a bit stuck, I insert a plastic knife around the edge of the muffin and the tin, and that normally gets them out. If the bottom is terribly, terribly stuck, sometimes I get in with a plastic spoon after I've done the knife and try and scoop it out without breaking it as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteYou might also want to try only filling your tins 3/4 way up, it'll make it easier to get a knife in there and loosen it.
Failing all that - CUPCAKE LINERS. ;)
filling tins 3/4 is a good idea. I don't know why it works, but only greasing 3/4 up also helps (sorry to challenge the grease, grease, grease theory). Apparently it helps them to climb up the tins.
ReplyDeleteAnd how about using muffin cups? I am not much of a baker myself. Not detailed and patient enough.
ReplyDeleteThat's weird that your baked goods keep getting stuck. What are you using to grease your pans? And is everything getting stuck or just certain things? Like Agnes said, if all else fails, use cupcake liners and baking paper when making brownies.
ReplyDeleteHopefully your next recipe out of AWW Bake will be better!
What a shame as they look wonderful before they made their way into the oven.
ReplyDeleteNot a great baker myself so always rely on muffin liners and baking paper - takes away the worry! Leigh