HONEY-GRAHAM MUFFINS

Honey-Graham Muffins image

Provided by Ed Farrey

Yield Makes twelve 2 3/4 inch muffins

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 1/2 cups graham flour
3/4 cup wheat germ, toasted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons low-fat butermilk
1/4 cup canola or corn oil
1 large egg
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a muffin tin with spray, oil, or butter and set aside.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until evenly blended, using as few strokes as possible.
5. Fill each muffin cup with batter. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops begin to brown. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack. For optimal taste, let cool completely before serving.
Variations:
Multigrain Muffins:
Substitute whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour for the graham flour. Increase the ground ginger to 1/4 teaspoon and omit the cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats to the wet ingredients. Increase the buttermilk to 1 1/4 cups and omit the maple syrup and vanilla. Mix as instructed and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops begin to brown.
Orange-Raisin Bran Muffins:
Substitute whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached white flour for the graham flour. Substitute 3/4 cup bran for the wheat germ, omit the cinnamon and ginger, and add 1/2 cup raisins to the dry ingredients. Add 1 tablespoon grated orange zest and 1 teaspoon orange extract to the wet ingredients. Decrease the honey to 2 tablespoons, increase the molasses to 2 teaspoons, and omit the maple syrup and vanilla. Mix as instructed and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden.