Carrot Bran Muffins

I have succeeded in making edible bran muffins. Actually, they're better than edible, they are the best muffins I've ever made. They smell nice, look nice and most of all... taste freaking nice. One of my super awesome work friends gave me a popover pan just before Christmas after I admired some glorious blueberry muffins she made in hers. Since then, I have dedicated myself to creating a recipe worthy of the pan.

These muffins are packed full of fiber and have a decent amount of protein as well. In other words, they will keep you full for hours. Now, I made 6 giant muffins with the recipe because I get upset when muffins don't have nice tops,  but it can easily be stretched to make 9 or 10 regular sized muffins.



Carrot Bran Muffins
makes 6 giants, 9-10 regulars

200 g flour (1 1/2 cups)
60 g wheat bran (1 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg and cloves
60 g butter, melted (1/4 cup)
100 g brown sugar (1/2 cup)
1 egg
3/4 cup yogurt
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
200 g grated carrot (about 3 medium or 2 cups)

1 Preheat the oven to 400 F and butter your muffin pan
2 Mix the dry ingredients from flour to the spices in a small bowl
3 Mix the melted butter and sugar thoroughly in a large bowl, then add the egg and mix until smooth
4 Add the yogurt, milk, vanilla and carrots to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth
5 Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until everything is incorporated, don't overmix!
6 Portion into the muffin tins (about 1/2 cup each if you do the big ones!) and put in the oven, lowering the temperature to 350 F
7 Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. They are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cooking times may be slightly shorter or longer depending on the size you make them.
8 Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack and resist eating right away

The key to these muffins is leaving them a day before you eat them. Somehow this allows any bitterness in the bran to dissipate and all the flavours to blend together. A note on the flour I used: I used white because I find it gives the muffins more rise, even with the added bran. Somehow when I use whole wheat flour, they end up denser even though they probably have less bran overall. You can use whole wheat or part whole wheat if you wish. Anyhow, over all these were super healthy, super fun, super muffins.