Cornmeal Raisin Muffins

Submitted by Megohm

"From Harrowsmith Cookbook- not too sweet, but not bland either."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 12 muffins

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup raisins
• boiling water
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
• 1 1⁄3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1⁄2 cup oil
• 1⁄2 cup honey

directions

1. Scald raisins with boiling water and drain well.
2. Combine cornmeal and 2/3 of the butter milk and set aside.
3. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
4. Beat eggs and add oil, honey and remaining buttermilk.
5. Add to cornmeal-buttermilk mixture and then to flour mixture. Add raisins.
6. Place in greased muffin tins and bake at 400 for twenty minutes.

Reviews

[mianbao]

These are very nice muffins, but a few things are preventing them from being perfect muffins. First, IMO, they need more salt to bring out the flavor of the corn, an additional 1/4 teaspoon or even 1/2 teaspoon would be good, I think. I also feel that there is too much oil in them. I would decrease the oil to 1/3 cup. I think the honey could also be decreased to 1/3 cup with no harm done. Also, modern raisins do not need scalding or soaking, unless you are trying to add a particular flavor, which is not the case here. I made these muffins twice, because the first time I used dry buttermilk powder (mixed with the flour) and water, and got (naturally) a very watery batter, in which the raisins (which I had scalded) sunk like stones. I did get reasonable muffins, though the raisins were all on the bottom, but didn't think writing a review from that experience would be fair. So, I tried again, this time with plain yogurt, buttermilk being unavailable here. This time, I got a fairly thick batter, which held up the raisins, and my only problems are the points mentioned above. Thank you for posting this recipe.