TIPS ON MIXING & MAKE-UP OF MUFFINS, LOAF-BREADS, BISCUITS & SCONES

Close your eyes and think of the most incredible blueberry muffin you have ever seen. Picture that perfectly golden-brown dome with little bits of blueberry peeking through. Inhale deeply, and conjure the sweet aroma of butter, sugar, and baked fruit. Now imagine yourself taking your first bite. You pop off the top and sink your teeth into it while it’s still warm. It’s light, tender, and delicious, right? You ask yourself, why is this seemingly ubiquitous blueberry muffin so outstanding? What sorcery has caused this muffin to achieve such a state of undeniable perfection? Well, my friend, it comes down to the mixing. 

Gluten development is one of the key factors for determining what type of product you end up with when baking with wheat flour. A crusty sourdough bread, for example, will need a lot of gluten development to give it that wonderful, chewy texture. But, a muffin, on the other hand, is one of the more delicate breads that require very little gluten development to achieve a light and tender texture.

GLUTEN DEVELOPMENT

Professional bakers and cooks alike refer to recipes as formulas. I love this characterization because it makes me feel like a scientist in a lab. That’s the fun thing about baking. It is, in part, science! And how you mix something is one of the more science-y aspects. You see, mixing isn’t about the force or friction of churning ingredients together, it’s about hydration. There is a chemical reaction that takes place when the two proteins in wheat, glutenin, and gliadin, get introduced to water. These proteins form a web of interconnected molecules; the more hydrated they get, the better they are at holding in gas bubbles. 

When yeast is doing its thing, it is expelling lots of carbon dioxide, which helps the dough to rise. You need a strong gluten structure to capture all of that gas. Like bubble gum, you can’t blow an epic bubble before the gum is ready. As gum polymers get stronger, they become more elongated and better able to stretch and hold air. That’s why the longer you chew, the better the bubble!

3 MIXING METHODS FOR QUICK BREADS

Quick breads use chemical leaveners and steam, rather than yeast, to get their lift. They are simple and quick to throw together and bake, hence the distinction quick. There are three different methods for mixing quick breads, and each method will result in a slightly different final texture. When considering which method to use, start by deciding what the texture should be after baking. If you are aiming for something flaky, you’ll want to use the biscuit method. For something drier, more like bread, go for the muffin method, and for something that is more cake-like and fine-textured, the creaming method is your best bet.

1. Muffin Method

HOW IT’S DONE: Batter is mixed just until the dry ingredients are moistened. This method is the fastest, less than 2 minutes, and produces a drier, more bread-like texture.

SEE IT IN ACTION: This video shows the muffin mixing method for my Spiced Apple Walnut Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel. The video has been edited for viewing. The total process from mixing to panning is about 5 minutes.

Mixing time for the muffin method should be short, ideally less than a couple Minutes. You should stop mixing as soon as you can see that your dry ingredients are moistened and no large clumps of flour are visible.

2. CREAMING METHOD

HOW IT’S DONE: Fat and sugar are mixed until light and fluffy (before egg is added). Flour and other liquid ingredients are typically added in alternating steps and mixed just until incorporated. This method is slightly more time consuming but produces a rich, more cake-like, fine texture.

SEE IT IN ACTION: This video shows the creaming mixing method for cupcakes. It has been edited for viewing. The total process from mixing to panning is about 7 minutes. Check out my Lemon Filled Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream & Pistachio Praline to test out the method for yourself!

Mixing time for the creaming method will be longer, about 3 to 4 minutes for Mixing the butter and sugar. You will know it’s time to stop creaming when the mixture is pale and very fluffy.

3. BISCUIT METHOD

HOW IT’S DONE: Sometimes called the pastry method, the dough is formed by rubbing or “cutting in” butter (or shortening) to flour until the pieces are small and coarse like cornmeal, or larger, like the size of small peas. Pea-sized pieces will produce a flakier biscuit or scone.

SEE IT IN ACTION: This video shows the biscuit mixing method, done by hand, for my Strawberry Cocoa Nib Scones. The video has been edited for viewing. The total process from mixing to panning is about 15 minutes.

Mixing time for the BISCUIT method will VARY DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU ARE DOING IT BY HAND OR WITH A FOOD PROCESSOR. IT WILL Take longer BY HAND, about 7 MINUTES, BUT WILL ALLOW YOU TO HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER HOW WELL THE BUTTER IS RUBBED IN. USING A FOOD PROCESSOR IS SUPER QUICK, ABOUT 30 SECONDS, BUT IT CAN BE EASIER TO OVER-PROCESS THE MIXTURE AND REDUCE FLAKieNESS OF THE FINAL PRODUCT IF THE BUTTERED FLOUR PIECES ARE VERY SMALL.

choosing your method

Most recipes you find on the Internet will indicate, in some fashion, the method used to mix the ingredients. For example, some will specify how long to mix something while others will instruct you to stop mixing when your dough or batter is a certain consistency or texture. Mastering the three mixing methods frees you from being overly fixated on what the recipe tells you to do. You can look at a formula, identify the method needed, and proceed with confidence because you know what to expect. With an almost unlimited number of flavor combinations, you can start experimenting beyond recipes to create your unique quick-breads.