How to re-heat muffins? (and lend me your ears!)

[DreamWeaver]

Hi mums,

I'm preparing for the backyard party next Sunday, and thank goodness I tried the recipes first! We have vegan frens coming but I normally bake with eggs, so on Friday I tried a egg-free chocolate-walnut muffin recipe. dh didn't like it! He thot the conventional blueberry ones I usu made were better, and the best basically. sigh. I guess I will use the old recipe and go buy a box of Ener-G egg replacer.

Also, I tried an overnight biscuit recipe (make the batter, let sit in fridge, roll and bake next morning), but it just didn't work! It really makes me miserable when a recipe doesn't work becoz of all the time and cost of ingreds! ~whine~
So... I guess I have to go with a recipe I used that worked and make ahead the muffins and somehow reheat them Sunday morning-- we are starting at 830, so imagine at what ungodly hour I need to get up if I make everything fresh!!

What are your experiences with making muffins ahead and heating them???

I know it's a simple question but I made this so long, sorry!!
Please help!!

[Jane]

Don't cook the muffins!

I make up muffin batter, but put it in to paper cups in the muffin pan and put the muffin pan in the freezer. When the batter is frozen, I take out the batter to get my pan back and put the frozen muffins in containers.
To cook, put the frozen muffins back in the pan and cook at the same temp +5 minutes. You don't even have to defrost. I got the directions directly from Joy of Cooking (the new one) and it works great. Otherwise I make up 12 muffins and they all get eaten by the two of us in one day.

My favorite muffin recipe (not vegan, but high in fiber)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup white flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped apple, with peels on

5 tbs melted butter or oil
1/2 chopped pecans, optional

Mix the dry ingredients and set aside. Mix the eggs and sugar and stir the apples into the mix. Let apple-sugar-egg mix sit for 10 minutes, then stir into the dry ingredients, don't overmix. Add in the pecans (or walnuts). Makes 12 muffins. Cook at 400 F for 14 - 16 minutes or 19 - 21 minutes if frozen first.

[veganmamma]

Good idea jane! I was gonna say nuke 'em for 15 seconds after you fill a bowl with h2o and heat in the microwave until it's steamy. THat's how I reheat them. But I would do what Jane says. Keep my idea on hand when you have a really yummy muffin to reheat.
Lauren
edited to add
I use unsweetened applesauce in a lot of my baking recipes for eggs. I think it's 1/3 cup to one egg. Hmmm. Maybe I better go look it up... I also use the blender and use silken tofu and soymilk to the consistency of a milkshake for eggs. EnerG is alright sometimes, but it takes some trial and error.
L

[tessamami]

I would reheat muffins

in the oven at 200 degrees or in a toaster oven.j

There are some good suggestions here - good luck!

[DreamWeaver]

oh, I shd try freezing the batter, Jane! hmph, sounds like a terrific idea too, for anytime!!

Thanks for offering your recipes too, I love trying out new stuff, yum!

oh, and tessamami, if I re-heat muffins in an oven, do they not dry out? I think I'm gonna try half freeze, half re-heat...

Thank you again so much!!

[Jane]

earth-
I'm glad to help, I love muffins. There is nothing better than waking up on saturday morning and popping in a blueberry one for my husband and an apple one for me and having breakfast in 20 minutes. I hope your party goes well!
veganmama-
I'll try out the applesauce next time instead of eggs. Organic eggs are way too expensive. I might even have some tofu about.