Recipe - The Best Bran Muffins

1 One fourth cup Allpurpose flour; bleached
One fourth cup Whole wheat flour
1 One fourth teaspoon Baking powder
One half teaspoon Baking soda
Three fourths teaspoon Salt
1 One fourth teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Three fourths teaspoon Ground allspice
One half teaspoon Ground nutmeg; freshly
ground
7 tablespoon Unsalted butter; softened
One half cup Dark brown sugar; plus
2 tablespoon Dark brown sugar
2 lg Eggs
2 One half teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 tablespoon Molasses; unsulphured
One fourth cup Sour cream
1 cup Lowfat buttermilk; plus
3 tablespoon Lowfat buttermilk
1 One half cup Wheat bran
1 cup Raisins

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix
flour through nutmeg in medium bowl; set aside.

Beat butter in large bowl of electric mixer or with handheld mixer at
medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add brown sugar,
increase speed to mediumhigh, and beat until combined and fluffy, about 1
minute longer. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly before adding the
next. Beat in vanilla, molasses, and sour cream until thoroughly combined
and creamy, about 1 minute longer. Reduce speed to low; beat in buttermilk
and half the flour mixture until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in
remaining flour mixture until incorporated and slightly curdled looking,
about 1 minute longer, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Stir in bran
and raisins.

Spray a twelve mold muffin tin (each mold measuring One half cup) or a six mold
muffin tin (each mold measuring one cup) with cooking spray or coat lightly
with butter; divide batter evenly among molds using spoon or ice cream
scoop. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center withdraws cleanly or
with a few moist particles adhering to it, about 25 minutes. Set on wire
rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and serve
warm.

Cook's Notes: Wheat bran is available at health foods stores or in boxes,
labeled Quaker Unprocessed Bran, in supermarkets.

Formatted to MasterCook on 2/7/98 by TSL. Tested, too!!!

Recipe by: Lisa Yockelson in Cook's Illustrated, Jan./Feb. 1998

Posted to recipeludigest by Badams adamsfmle@sprintmail.com on Feb 25,
1998