I've heard conflicting advice on getting the best crown on a muffin. Some say chilling improves crowning and others advise having the batter at room temp. for better rise, as for cake batter. Is it dependent on the mixing method--muffin vs. creaming method?

Thanks.

By CountryBaker on Sunday, May 07, 2000 - 11:27 pm: Edit

I have better luck with the muffin method and batter at room temp. The creaming method produces more of a cake type muffin for me. I have used chilled batter and it turned out fine. I just don't normally do it. I think it depends on which you personally prefer to do. I cann't tell that much difference in the crown. Some recipes make a better crown than others.

By W.DeBord on Monday, May 08, 2000 - 08:49 am: Edit

My experience is that it's the recipe. I don't use the cooler, I bake right away. It's not logical that the cooling makes for a bigger crown. Cooling does nothing to affect rise, rise comes from other factors.

I tend to think it reguires a more cake like recipe to crown big. You can't make a banana muffin with a bread like dense batter rise more by cooling it. It will have the came crown that you would have gotten if you had baked imediately.

By momoreg on Monday, May 08, 2000 - 09:50 am: Edit

I get a higher muffin in a convection, and a more spread out crown in a deck oven, for the most part.

By Gerard (Gerard) on Monday, May 08, 2000 - 06:57 pm: Edit

When I baked muffins straight from the mixer they melted all over the mold and ran onto the tray, chilled batter produced huge heads(convection oven).

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, May 09, 2000 - 07:48 am: Edit

I use a convection, sorry I didn't mention that. But to the best of my memory I don't recall there being any visual differences in a reg. oven compared to the convection unless of course your useing the fan on high. Is that what your doing momoreg? Then you must be turning your temp. down abit?

Your temp. also can affect your crown. I

By momoreg on Tuesday, May 09, 2000 - 03:53 pm: Edit

The fan on my convection is not adjustable. It's either ON or OFF. One problem that I encounter with a few (but not all) muffin formulas, is that the fan blows the crown over, which isn't very attractive. I don't know what causes this. I usually use a temp. of around 360 convection. I think a lower temp might allow them to spread a bit more.

By d. on Tuesday, May 09, 2000 - 06:17 pm: Edit

The fan usually blows the muffin crown into a lopsided-looking mushroom if the muffin batter is too fluid/thin. That's why chilled batters usually produce a higher crown, since the cold batter is thick and will have less chance to spread around the mold. And it depends on what type of muffin formula you are using(a lighter one with less fat and more liquid or a cake-like one). From my experiments with muffin batters, the creaming method does produce a more cake-like muffin with more aeration. But I choose to use the muffin method since the crumb comes out more moist and tender and it's really easy to put together.

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, May 10, 2000 - 08:08 am: Edit

On the subject of muffins I have a question. How do you measure your paper cups? I can't believe that some measure from the top and some companies measure from the bottom, there isn't one right way. Only one company I found gives you two measurements, which is the most logical since pans flare at the top.

This has become a small problem because we have forgotten who we ordered our small/mini muffin cups from and now can't find a cup that fits. Do you know of any company who has a good selection of paper cups?

I'm looking for a 2" cup (I think), I also would like to find them in gold or silver.

By d. on Wednesday, May 10, 2000 - 04:15 pm: Edit

W., I use the lined gold cups, both big and small and mini candy cups for most our pastries. I think the company that we order from is called Sunset Paper products and they are located in CA. Will look up the phone number for you. The paper cups are usually measured by the diameter when you flatten out the cup.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, May 11, 2000 - 07:34 am: Edit

I understand how you mean to measure but when we do that a 2" cup would be 2 5/8" across or so? Candy cups are widely available but a mini muffin size is not so easy to find. Kind of an obvious thought I don't know why we haven't looked at paper companies.

By CountryBaker on Thursday, May 11, 2000 - 07:16 pm: Edit

W.DeBord,
I get all of my paper products from a local paper company. I find that they are usually cheaper. If I need something they don't have they will track it down for me. It works for me. I have gone to Wal-Mart when I got in a tight. They carry 3 sizes of muffin liners. They cost a little more than buying in bulk, but when you have to have them at once it doesn't matter.

By Matt (Matt) on Tuesday, May 16, 2000 - 04:32 pm: Edit

I have to bake muffins in a hearth oven and have excellent better results when I chill the batter first. Especally the corn muff recipe I use.

Matt

By d. on Tuesday, May 16, 2000 - 04:45 pm: Edit

W., got the info. Sunset paper products in Vernon, CA. They do all kinds of colored/ custom made cups. 1-800-228-7882. We get the gold and silver ones. For standard muffins and mini ones we get them from Rykoff, our food service rep. The measurement on the box for standard mini muffins says 3 1/4" disc(meaning the cup is flattened out and measured at its diameter) x
1 3/8" bottom. Made by a company called Scott Paper Co. in Philadelphia, PA. # 1-800-327-9774. Hope this helps.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, May 18, 2000 - 08:26 am: Edit

Thank-You!!!!

By Laibel on Saturday, May 20, 2000 - 07:05 pm: Edit

I am looking to produce a commercial daire free lowfat sugar free muffin

By CountryBaker on Saturday, May 20, 2000 - 10:52 pm: Edit

I will look through my books and see what I can find for you. It might take me a couple of days as I am going to be gone tomorrow. Look for it Monday or Tuesday.