Blueberry muffin



Blueberry muffins are a pastry common in many parts of the world. Blueberry muffins come in many sizes, and from many different recipes.

Structure

The typical blueberry muffin is about 2 to 3 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches in height, the top 3/4 of an inch being the "crown". The scalloped ventral side is slightly tapered, approximately 10 to 30° inwards from vertical. Ideally, a muffin will be circular (viewed from the dorsal side), with a shallow dorsal dome. Depending on the muffin-preparer's preference the dome may be larger than the top of the tapered ventral side, leaving an overhang. This overhang is usually not larger than .75 inches from the top of the taper to the outer edge of the dome, horizontally.

Making blueberry muffins

In most cases, for mass production or ease of cooking, a paper cup, the size of the muffin pan (to be discussed later), is used as a non-stick surface and shaping tool in the pan. This paper can be any multitude of colors and patterns (even foil covered), and is a fine matte paper, fairly thin. Paper muffin cups can be found in the baking isle of most supermarkets, sold preformed and stacked.

The muffin is made in a special pan. They are usually stainless steel, iron, or aluminum (silicone pans are now also avialable). The pan has a rectangular array of cups stamped into the pan, which determine the size of the muffin. A consumer pan can consist of 2 to 36 cups. Also, individual cups are manufactured, if single servings are to be made.

The process of making blueberry muffins is usually simple. The North American Blueberry Council suggests the following:

The oven is preheated to around 400° Fahrenheit first, so that the oven will be ready to cook the muffins immediately after the dough is ready.

In a clean mixing bowl combine the ingredients.

Flour is mixed thoroughly with baking powder (a leavening agent, [NaHCO3, KHC4H4O6 or Ca3(PO4)2 and NaAl(SO4)2] creates small bubbles in the dough to give the muffin a fluffy texture), table salt (NaCl), and possibly a dry spice or flavoring.

With a wire whisk, eggs are quickly beaten into the mixture.

Next, milk is mixed in, along with white granulated sugar and vegetable oil.

Then slowly mix blueberries into the dough. These blueberries can be frozen or fresh.

The muffin pan is prepared by placing paper muffin cups in the pan's indentations and/or greasing the interior surfaces on the top.

The muffin dough is then spooned into the cups, filling them to the right level to ensure proper muffin sizing.

Next, the pan is placed into the preheated oven and left there for around 15 minutes. After that time, the muffins are removed and checked for thoroughness of cooking. If the muffins are not cooked enough, they are promptly returned to the oven for additional cooking. However, if the muffins are cooked, the pan is set on a heat resistant surface to cool to a temperature where they can be consumed or packaged.

Quality Determination

The traits to look for in a blueberry muffin are density of blueberries, type of blueberry, additional spices/flavorings, fluffiness (how much the dough has risen, the measurement of the small gas bubbles in the dough), texture, freshness, aroma, temperature, coloring, appearance, and of course, flavor.

After cooking, the blueberry will have lost volume. A typical fresh blueberry may be .5 inches in diameter. After cooking and/or processing the muffin will have shrunken to half that size. Therefore, the density of blueberries in the dough has to be fairly high. However, if the density of the blueberries in the dough is too high, the dough will not hold together after cooking, and the general impact of the muffin will be compromised. A density of 3 to 10 blueberries per cubic inch is suggested, depending on blueberry size.

In the final analysis, though, the main determinant in what makes a good blueberry muffin is the reaction of the taster. If the taster finds the muffin displeasing, then the muffin is generally regarded as a failure. But when the taster is pleased with the muffin, the chef or cook can be confident that a good blueberry muffin has been attained. In conclusion, this author is confident in saying that he likes blueberry muffins.