Bran muffins can be tender and moist

Genevieve Ko

Bran muffins are vilified both as a form of good-for-you breakfast torture and as a Trojan horse for unhealthy heaps of sugar.
They can, of course, be both. But they can also be exceptional, a morning underdog to blueberry’s obvious appeal and banana’s brazen charm. Done right, they beat them all. Not only do they taste more complex, they feel like fortitude because, well, they are, slowly doling out energy for hours.
These mahogany treats deliver the toasted nuttiness and hearty chew of wheat bran and avoid whole wheat’s common afflictions of heaviness and bitterness in baked goods. The depth of dates and molasses highlight bran’s natural sweetness, and oil and buttermilk lend a touch of richness.
But the key technique that makes these muffins special, glossy with a floral aroma and fresh burst of citrus, is infusing them with an orange-honey blend right out of the oven. This trick of poking toothpick holes in baked goods, then brushing them with syrup while warm is usually applied to cakes, and it transforms bran muffins, ensuring they stay soft and moist for days.
Another insurance against a cardboard finish is simply adding liquid — a lot of it — to the batter. Soaking the bran before baking not only keeps the muffins from drying out, it also ensures that they end up tender.
Wheat bran is primarily insoluble fiber with a little protein, fat and phenolic compounds. Those compounds give bran its tannic edge, its signature complexity with the dark roast notes of coffee and the deep purple of red wine. In excess, that tannic flavour can lead to the sandpaper mouth feel you get when you drink oversteeped black tea or the dregs of a wine bottle. Acidic liquids can tame that bitterness. In these muffins, orange juice does just that, while the fruit’s zest perfumes the batter.

Unlike all-purpose flour, bran can absorb two to three times its weight in liquid. Some recipes call for soaking bran in boiling or hot water to speed the grain’s softening, but liquid at any temperature works as well. A good proportion of water is ideal for thoroughly hydrating the bran.
In this recipe, orange juice also douses the bran before and after baking. It makes these muffins just sweet enough to balance robust tannins and just special enough so their healthy fiber content is secondary to how great they taste.
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Recipe: Honey Date Bran Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Total time: 1 hour
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Ingredients:
2 to 3 large navel oranges
2 cups/160 grams wheat bran
1/2 cup/70 grams dates, pitted if needed and chopped
1/2 cup/116 grams buttermilk
Nonstick cooking spray or oil, for the pan
3/4 cup/100 grams whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup/74 grams canola or other neutral-flavored oil
1/3 cup/100 grams molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 cup/148 grams honey, divided
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Preparation:
1. Zest 2 of the oranges into a large bowl. Into a liquid measuring cup, squeeze the juice from 1 orange (reserve the remaining oranges) and add enough water for 3/4 cup total liquid. Pour over the zest. Add the wheat bran, dates and buttermilk, and stir until well mixed, breaking up any clumps of dates. Let the bran soften while you prepare the other ingredients, at least 5 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease the top of a muffin tin with cooking spray or oil and line the cups with paper or foil liners.
3. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
4. Stir the eggs, oil, molasses and 1/4 cup/74 grams honey into the soaked bran until well blended. Add the flour mixture and stir until no streaks of flour remain. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, which will end up almost full.
5. Bake until domed and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean but moist, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. While the muffins bake, squeeze 1/2 cup/113 grams juice from the reserved oranges into a small saucepan. Add the remaining 1/4 cup/74 grams honey and bring to a simmer over medium, stirring occasionally. Simmer until thickened to a syrup, 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then poke about 8 holes in each muffin from top to bottom using the cake tester or toothpick. Gradually brush all of the honey glaze over the tops, letting each addition soak in before brushing on more.
8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and serve warm or at room temperature. The muffins keep for up to 4 days at room temperature in an airtight container or for up to 2 months in the freezer.
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Tip
Any variety of date tastes great here, and it’s best to start with whole ones and chop them yourself. Store-bought chopped dates work, but disappear into the batter after baking. You also can mix in raisins or dried cranberries or a combination instead. The New York Times