It has always been my belief that, at the end of the day, what most people want in the way of home cooked food is something consoling and uncomplicated. Enter the muffin, the most democratic of baked goods. Muffins are amenable to both state-of-the-art and cubby-hole kitchens. Cooks who have studied cooking for years find as much joy in whipping up a batch of muffins as completely green cooks, and fussy toddlers, cranky teenagers and weary adults are comforted by them.\nMost muffin recipes are variations of a four-step process: combine the wet ingredients, combine the dry ingredients, combine the wet with the dry, and bake. In 20 to 30 minutes, magic. Muffins as we know them are believed to have originated in the mid-1800s when a pan made of iron or tin cups, fastened together by a rack, was created. The special baking pan was called a "gem cup" tray and explains why muffins are still called "gems" in some areas of the country.\nBesides being fast and easy, muffins are almost infinitely variable -- there is not a single quick bread recipe that cannot be baked as muffins and vice versa. Baking at home gives you control over fat content and quality of ingredients and introduces you to one of life's great luxuries: fresh-from-the-oven-muffins. Once you have tried them you will be reluctant to turn back to the store-bought kind ever again.\nMuffins are quick breads, meaning that they are leavened with baking powder (and sometimes baking soda), allowing them to rise instantly. The goal for muffins is usually a delicate, cake-like crumb, moist interior, and nicely browned but still tender crust. To achieve such a texture they must contain a little fat, which contributes to the flavor and tenderness.\nOne thing to remember with muffins is that overmixing the batter will make them tough. While in most yeast breads you want to develop the gluten in the flour in order to get a tough crust and chewy crumb, with muffins (and other quick breads) you want to retard gluten development to keep the bread light. So resist taking out any pent-up aggression on your batter and combine the wet and dry ingredients quickly, with as little mixing or stirring as possible. As soon as there are no more dry bits, stop stirring.\nAnother potential, but easily avoidable, pitfall, is an over-hot oven. I suspect that this may be the leading cause of kitchen angst. You follow the cookie, cake or muffin directions to the letter but consistently get flat, burned baked goods. Remedy the problem for good by heading to the local supermarket and buying an oven thermometer. It will be the best five dollars you ever spend for your kitchen. Many ovens (my own included) run anywhere from 25 to 50 degrees hotter than the dial reads. The thermometer will indicate just how much hotter your oven is, allowing for you to adjust it accordingly. \nAs a young girl with a "more-is-always-more" zeal, I would invariably fill muffin cups to overflowing. I liked the way all of the muffin tops glommed together into a united mass; the rest of my family was less enthusiastic. So unless otherwise stated, fill muffin cups only two-thirds to three-fourths full with batter to prevent muffin lava. Begin checking if done at the minimum time given in the recipe. The muffins are done when the center springs back when lightly touched and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.\nIf you were limited to but one muffin recipe, you would likely choose these lemony gingerbread muffins. To savor them on a chilly Saturday morning is to celebrate all that is fall. Unfortunately, they are wonderful, which means it will be difficult to eat just one.
LEMONY GINGERBREAD MUFFINS\n2 cups all purpose flour\n1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder\n3/4 teaspoon baking soda\n2 and 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger\n3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon\n1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg\n1/2 teaspoon salt\n6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature\n1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar\n2 large eggs\n2/3 cup molasses\n1 cup water\n1 1/2 cups powdered sugar\n1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray 12 muffin cups. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a large bowl, beat unsalted butter and sugar with electric beaters until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating to blend. Beat in molasses. Add half of dry ingredients, beating to blend. Beat in remaining dry ingredients. Gradually add water; beat until blended. Divide batter equally in prepared muffin cups. Bake muffins until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 10 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and place on rack over sheet of waxed paper. In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice in small until smooth. Spoon lemon glaze over tops of warm muffins. Serve muffins war or cooled. Makes 12 muffins.
