Eat Your Bran! - Homemade Bran Muffins

Eat your bran, that's the scream of the day.  It's healthy, it has a ton of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, it plays a big part in helping with your digestive health, so it's all good for you.  Eat healthier, do this for your health, do that for your health, studies show that eating more fiber is better for your health.  Every time you turn the TV on, see or read the news, everything is bad for you so eat more of this or take that.  It's annoying, especially if you like all the bad stuff, like me.  I try to eat healthy, it doesn't always work out, I have a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other.  I do give it my best shot when I walk into the kitchen though.  But I have to say, I may not be eating that bad, all my health reports come back great, so I must be doing something good, right?

This recipe is one of those foods I make to keep me on track.  Many years ago, a woman I worked with, would bake and bring into the office these bran muffins that were to die for.  I was skeptical to try them at first, eeewww! bran muffins, who eats those? Gross, dry, no taste bran muffins.  Give me some chocolate chip or blueberry muffins or something all sugared up, that's the muffin I want!  Well let me tell you, they are the best bran muffins around and you can't eat just one.  I begged for her recipe, she relented and finally gave it to me.  I pulled it out again the other day and made a batch.  They're like a dessert, heavy so they fill you up, but moist.  They are full of raisins, nuts if you want them in there, and flavorful my friends.  They are that good!  OK, I already ate two of them right from the oven, I need to stop!

  Recipe below.

To print recipe, click on it, highlight and print.

These are my ingredients, as always I pull them out first.

  This recipe has a few tricks up it's sleeve, you have to mix the baking soda with hot water, but be careful, it's like a science experiment, do it over the sink for sure! I didn't and it bubbled up all over the place and down the kitchen cabinets!  BE CAREFUL, DO IT OVER OR IN THE SINK.  Then set it aside and let it cool.

Toss together the bran flakes and buds, set aside.

Coat raisins with flour, set aside

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs. 

 Flour and buttermilk.

 Alternately add the flour and buttermilk and mix, the recipe calls for a whole quart of buttermilk, then add the water and mix to combine.

Add bran then the raisins.  Mix it all up with a spatula, the batter will be somewhat thin, until the next day.  The bran will soak it up.

  I divided the batter into 2 bowls, it does expand overnight.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

This recipe makes a lot of muffins, but I only baked 12.  I lined my muffin pan with foil liners.  If you are brave just grease the pan, I'm not!

 Baked and out of the oven!

Chock full of  yummy-ness.  They are good for you and you don't even know it because they are so delicious.  Add butter, jam, marmalade or just all by themselves, a darn good muffin!

 HOMEMADE BRAN MUFFINS

THIS MIX HAS TO SIT FOR 24 HOURS IN THE REFRIGERATOR BEFORE USING

Ingredients

2 cups boiling water

5 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups bran flakes
4 cups all bran original or buds (buds have more RDA of fiber in them)
1 1/2 cups raisins
2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 quart buttermilk

5 cups unbleached flour

(walnuts, pecans, optional, toss with flour if you add them in)

Directions

Mix the 2 cups of hot water with the 5 teaspoons of baking soda.  Do this over the sink, it will bubble up and you may get burned!  Once bubbling stops, whisk together to combine.  Set aside and let it cool. In a large bowl, mix the bran flakes and all bran/buds together, set aside.  In a small bowl, toss the raisins with the 2 tablespoons of flour, set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and sugar together.  Add the eggs, one at a time and beat after each. Alternately add the flour and buttermilk, ending with flour.  Mix well scraping the sides of the bowl as you mix. Add the water mixture and blend well.  Turn the mixer off and fold in the bran with a spatula or wooden spoon, until all is combined.  Add the raisins by folding them in.  Don't work the batter to much it will make for tough muffins.  Divide the batter into 2 mixing bowls, it will expand overnight.  Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin tin or line with foil liners.  Stir the batter lightly with a spatula.  Spoon batter into muffin cups, or use an ice cream scoop for more even filled muffin cups.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out with a few crumbs on it.  Do not over bake, it will make the muffins dry! Although these won't last long because they're that good, the batter will keep in the refrigerator for 6 weeks, keep it tightly covered. The buttermilk acts as the preservative, so you can bake a few muffins or as many muffins as you want. Makes 36 muffins.