Is a muffin an additive or a special kind of product?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

In Russian, there are words that have several meanings. It all depends on what exactly the proposal is about. For example, muffin - it can be either a separate type of bakery product or a set of products that gives it certain properties.

Culinary Literacy

In different dictionaries of the Russian language, there is more than one meaning of the word "bun". This is, firstly, a product made from dough prepared according to a specific recipe. This definition is well known to many. In fact, this is a term that replaces the phrase "bread bun." Even a child understands what this can mean. Hearing such a phrase, every person in the head pops up the image of a delicious product with a golden crust and a pronounced aroma.

It turns out that muffin is just a delicious bun. In principle, this is how most people perceive this word. Without going into details of the technological process, they use this term as a generalized name for small-piece products made from a special type of dough. No one is interested in the composition of the semi-finished product, but everyoneit is clear that it has some significant difference. But it turns out that this word has another, narrower meaning. Experts in the field of baking can say that muffin is a set of certain products that ultimately affect the quality of the finished product. As a rule, in this case, we mean: sugar, eggs, fats and various dairy products. Indeed, in the technological process there is such a stage, which is called "removal". It occurs at the stage of fermentation. Products are added to the main composition, which will have to change the properties of the dough and the taste of the product that will be made from it as a result of baking. It turns out that baking is not a finished product, but only part of the recipe. However, both of these meanings make sense and apply depending on the circumstances.

External difference

Many culinary specialists claim that the belonging of a bakery product to one or another type is always first of all noticeable in its appearance. It becomes clear later that the recipe and the method of preparation play a rather large role here. So what, based on conventional wisdom, should a muffin look like? Photos of such products clearly demonstrate the very difference.

Firstly, the products themselves are very fluffy and delicate. It seems as if the pastry is just floating in the air and only a thin golden crust is holding it back. It is clear that this is achieved mainly by special techniques that are used to prepare the dough. This is aboutthe use of the sponge method with the obligatory use of a release. Secondly, looking at the image of the muffin, one gets the impression that its unusual smell comes right from the picture. This indicates the presence of those components without which it is difficult to imagine a characteristic aroma. Taken together, these properties characterize the fundamental difference between muffin and other bakery products.

Simplified preparation of semi-finished product

Experts say that cooking muffins at home is not at all difficult. There are ways that allow you to do this quickly, without much effort. For example, kefir muffin is very good. To verify this, we must try to prepare the dough, which can then be used to bake various pies, cheesecakes and buns. To work, you will need the following ingredients:

for 900 grams of flour, half a liter of kefir, 20 grams of yeast (fresh), half a teaspoon of s alt, 50 milliliters of warm water, as well as 150 grams of sugar, 75 grams of butter, 1 egg and a packet of vanilla sugar.

The process technology is as follows:

1. First, dissolve the yeast in water. Add a teaspoon of sugar and leave the mixture for 20 minutes to start working.
2. At this time, separately combine kefir, egg, all sugar and slightly warmed butter, and then beat the resulting mass well.
3. Add yeast and mix again.
4. Put the finished mass in a deep container, cover with a napkin and leave for 2 hours to ripen. During this 60 minutes laterit can be additionally kneaded.

After the time has passed, any products can be formed from the finished semi-finished product.

Different options

The technology for preparing muffins both in production and at home is almost the same. This process can be single-phase and multi-phase. In the first case, two methods can also be used:

1. Safe.
2. Accelerated. It is based on the use of various acidifiers or complex improvers.

The second option can also be done in two ways:

1. Dip.
2. With the use of special semi-finished products. And they, in turn, are of three types:

• liquid dispersed phase (LDP);
• fermented emulsion;
• concentrated lactic sourdough starter (CLSC).

Any of the suggested methods is suitable for making dough for tender and fragrant muffins.

Of course, at home, housewives often resort to simplified options using fermented milk components. But, if you are not afraid of difficulties, then over time you can learn any of the proposed methods, and do your job no worse than many professionals.