Savoury Muffins/Loaf – Core Recipe
These light and fluffy muffins are the savoury version of my Sweet Muffins – Core Recipe – one bowl, quick, highly versatile and adaptable to your personal preferences, seasonal ingredients and store cupboard staples. You can whip these up in no time. This wonderful recipe is a blank canvas for your imagination – let it run riot! The pictures attached are from my Wild Garlic, Tomato and Cheddar Muffin Recipe but the possibilities are infinitesimal!
Like my Sweet Muffin and Banana Muffin – Core Recipes, this recipe can be made in a loaf tin or as individual muffins. Muffins/Loaves are always best eaten on the day they are made. This recipe makes 6 muffins or a 1lb loaf. It doubles easily if you want to make 12 or a 2lb loaf. If making a 2 lb loaf cook for an extra 10 minutes. Should you have any leftover, cover in an airtight container and ideally store in the fridge. Bring back to room temperature to eat though, or gently warm in the microwave. The loaf is wonderful toasted the next day.
A variety of recipes based on Savoury Muffin/Loaf – Core Recipe
Keep an eye out for these dishes:
Recipes already posted:
- Wild Garlic, Tomato and Cheddar Muffins
- Red Leicester and Feta Cheese Muffins with Semi-dried Tomatoes and Olives
Recipes I plan to post:
- Black Bean and Mature Cheddar Muffins with Tomatoes
- Leek and Tomato Muffins with Mature Cheddar Cheese and Wild Garlic Pesto
- Mature Cheddar Muffins with Tomatoes and Spring Onion
- Bacon and Egg Muffins with Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Cheese
- Muffins with Chorizo, Sweetcorn, Red Pepper and Black Beans
- Leek and Caerphilly Cheese Muffins with Bacon
- Cauliflower and Broccoli Muffins with Mature Cheddar Cheese
- Red Onion and Bacon Muffins with Gruyere Cheese
- Sausage and Mushroom Muffins with Cheshire Cheese
- Red Pepper and Courgette Muffins with Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese
How to make Savoury Muffins/Loaf – Core Recipe
Quick, easy and all made in one bowl. Collect all your ingredients together:
Basic wet ingredients:
- unsalted butter
- milk
- white wine vinegar
- egg
Basic dry ingredients:
- flour
- baking powder
- bicarbonate/baking soda
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Additional ingredients:
- additional ingredients such as cheese, fresh vegetables, herbs, beans, bacon, sausage, seeds, nuts (or a combination of the above)
- dried herbs and spice mixes
- additional seeds, cheese/vegetables for the top of the muffins/loaf
To make the muffins, simply melt the butter in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl. (If you do not have a microwave, you can melt the butter in a large saucepan and then use the saucepan as your mixing bowl – if you are using a metal balloon whisk, make sure your saucepan is not non-stick!) Mix the milk and vinegar and then add to the butter with the egg. When you add the vinegar to the milk, it will curdle. This is OK! Your vinegar is basically turning your milk into buttermilk. Mix thoroughly with a balloon whisk.
Put a sieve over the bowl and measure in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, (plus any spices you care to use.) Sieve into the mixing bowl and fold until 80% mixed. Tip in your additional ingredients and fold in. Do not over mix – it is ok to have a few lumps. Divide into your muffin cases or tip into a lined loaf tin.
Scatter over any additional cheese, vegetables or seeds/nuts on the top of the muffins/loaf. This is optional but I think it greatly enhances the look of the muffins/loaf whilst also ensuring that any muffins with fewer additions (which is often the case for the last muffin scraped out of the bowl) have a few more added. Cook at a high heat for 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature. This kickstarts the raising agents and helps ensure a good rise.
Regardless of what additional ingredients you have included in your muffins, they are best served warm. I like them with a little salted butter but this is not necessary particularly when loaded with cheese. If I’ve made a loaf and toasting it the next day, then it is really delicious served with the salted butter. What a divine breakfast, brunch or even lunch with some fresh salad!
Savoury Muffins – Core Recipe
These light and fluffy ‘one bowl’ savoury muffins are quick, highly versatile and adaptable to your personal preferences, seasonal ingredients and store cupboard staples. You can whip these up in no time. This wonderful recipe is a blank canvas for your imagination – let it run riot!
Ingredients
Wet ingredients:
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 85ml milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Dry Ingredients:
- 125g plain/all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Additional ingredients:
- 100g – 150g prepared vegetables/beans (*See Recipe Notes)
- 100g – 150g chopped bacon or sausage (*See Recipe Notes)
- 125g grated cheese
- ½ – 1 teaspoon herbs/spice
- 1 tablespoon seeds
- 25g – 40g nuts
Toppings:
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Extra grated cheese
Instructions
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Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
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Preheat oven to Fan Oven 200°C /220°C/425°F/Gas 7
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Additional ingredients: grate the cheese if using and prepare the remaining additional ingredients
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Wet ingredients: melt the butter in a large bowl in the microwave. Allow to cool a little.
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Add the vinegar to the milk – it will curdle. It is supposed to do this!
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Add the milk and vinegar to the butter, mix well and beat in the egg.
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Dry Ingredients: put a sieve over your mixing bowl and weigh in the dry ingredients. Shake through the sieve. (The black pepper may not go through the sieve – just tip into your mixture!)
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Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix lightly – until around 80% combined.
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Now add the cheese and the additional ingredients and fold in carefully; be careful not to over-mix at this stage
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Either:
A. using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter equally between the muffin cases. Scatter over any toppings top of the muffins. OR
B. Fill a 1lb lined loaf tin, level the surface and scatter over any toppings
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Put into the oven on the middle shelf for 5 minutes.
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After 5 minutes, turn the oven down to Fan Oven 160°C /180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and cook for a further:
A. 15 – 20 minutes for the muffins, OR
B. 45 – 55 minutes for the loaf
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Remove from the oven when cooked, leave to sit for 5 – 10 minutes and then transfer the muffins/loaf to a wire cooling rack.
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Eat warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Equipment:
- kitchen scales and measuring spoons
- measuring jug
- mixing bowl
- chopping board and knife
- grater
- 6 hole muffin tin and paper cases
Storage:
In the fridge: these muffins are best eaten on the day they are made. However, they will store well in an airtight container for 2 -3 days in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature or warm in the microwave or the oven before eating.
In the freezer: these muffins freeze well in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months.
Additional ingredients:
Additional ingredients which need cooking before adding to the muffin batter:
- bacon, chopped
- sausages, chopped
- onion, chopped
- mushrooms, chopped
- leeks, chopped
Additional ingredients which do not cooked before adding to the muffin batter:
- spring onion, finely chopped
- shredded spinach
- chopped herbs
- tomatoes or semi dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- grated or finely chopped carrot
- grated or finely chopped courgette
- peppers or roast peppers, finely chopped
- grated cheese
- seeds
- chopped nuts