Graham Muffins

A healthy and pleasing variety of muffins is produced by using graham flour. Whole-wheat flour may be substituted for the graham flour in case it is preferred, but the resulting baked goods' textures will differ from that of examples where graham flour was used.

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups graham flour
1 cup white flour
3/4 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour milk
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter


Preparation:

  • Slightly grease nonstick muffin pan (or place paper muffin cups in muffin tin) and set aside.
  • Preheat owen to moderate (375º F or about 190º C).
  • Mix and sift the graham and the white flour, the soda, and the salt. Put the bran that sifts out back into the mixture.
  • Add the milk, molasses, and well-beaten egg to the dry ingredients, and then stir in the melted fat.
  • Fill prepared muffin pans two-thirds full and bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes.
  • Cool on wire rack and serve warm or cold.


Makes 6 large muffins.


NOTE: Sour milk is used in the recipe here given, but if there is no sour milk in supply, regular milk and baking powder may be used instead.



Real Cooking
Did You Know?
Graham flour is a type of whole wheat flour named after the American Presbyterian minister Rev. Sylvester Graham (1794-1851), an early advocate for dietary reform. According to the Larousse Gastronomique, Graham despised processed white flour and believed that bran was the cure-all for the bad eating habits of his compatriots.

Rather than simply grinding the whole grain wheat kernel (bran, germ, and endosperm), in graham flour the components are ground separately. The endosperm is ground finely, initially creating white flour. The bran and germ are ground coarsely. The two parts are then mixed back together, creating a coarse-textured flour that bakes and keeps well. Graham flour is used to make graham crackers and pie crusts, among other things.

Graham flour is not available in all countries. A fully correct substitute for it would be a mix of white flour, wheat bran, and wheat germ in the ratio found in whole wheat. Wheat comprises approximately 83% endosperm, 14.5% bran, and 2.5% germ by mass. For sifted all-purpose white flour, wheat bran, and wheat germ having densities of 125, 50, and 80 grams/cup, respectively, one cup of graham flour is approximately equivalent to 84 g (~2/3 cup) white flour, 15 g (slightly less than 1/3 cup) wheat bran, and 2.5 g (1.5 teaspoons) wheat germ.