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Extremely Orange, Orange Muffins


RodneyCk

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The coffee house around the corner from where I live use to provide (they are supplied by many bakers) the best orange muffins with intense orange flavor. About a year ago, they stopped carrying them, yet to this day, I still think of them often, so sad.

They maintained the qualities of a "muffin" but were light, not densely tough like so many, yet not falling into the cake category. I remember an oily orange texture throughout, that was not overly oily to the point of disgusting, but just right.

My first thought was maybe they used some sort of moistening syrup, giving them a good dousing after baking. The moisture was evenly distributed from top to bottom, so this may rule out the moistening syrup, unless they were soaked several times, which I doubt is the case. It may just be from the amount of fat (assuming oil, not butter) in the recipe.

So, after weeding through many, many orange muffin recipes, I pieced together my very own that should in theory satisfy my quest. I will test it soon and tweak, but I thought I would share and see if anyone else has a recipe, thoughts or suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

Extremely Orange, Orange Muffins

Muffins:

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup cooking oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon orange extract or orange flavoring

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

Glaze:

1 teaspoon grated fresh orange zest

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice (can use undiluted orange concentrate for a more intense flavor)

Do not use a hand mixer or commercial mixer for muffins. The key is not to over-mix, so combine by hand.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt and baking soda.

In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, extracts, juice and zest.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until just barely combined. You should be able to see streaks or sprays of flour in the batter.

Pour into a greased muffin pan. Bake at 350° F for 10 to 15 minutes.

While the muffins are baking, mix the zest and 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl, set aside. Bring remaining sugar and juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir to dissolve the sugar and simmer until the mixture is thick and syrupy. It should reduce to about 4 tablespoons.

After the baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, brush the tops with the glaze; then, working one at a time, dip the tops in the orange sugar. Serve.

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Extremely Orange, Orange Muffins

Muffins:

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup cooking oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon orange extract or orange flavoring

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

I have 2 suggestions:

The first is to reduce the amount of orange extract to only 1/4 tsp. Combined with all that orange zest I really do think that "background pith taste" in the extract would be overpowering.

The second is to use a good quality frozen concentrated orange juice, pulpless and undiluted, in place of the fresh juice, and increase that to 2/3 cup.

And orange flower water would be a nice inclusion to your glaze if you used regular orange juice...... :smile:

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I have 2 suggestions:

The first is to reduce the amount of orange extract to only 1/4 tsp. Combined with all that orange zest I really do think that "background pith taste" in the extract would be overpowering.

The second is to use a good quality frozen concentrated orange juice, pulpless and undiluted, in place of the fresh juice, and increase that to 2/3 cup.

And orange flower water would be a nice inclusion to your glaze if you used regular orange juice......  :smile:

So you think the extact is overpowering? Good to know. I like the orange concentrate or orange flower water suggestion, never thought of the later. Thanks!!!

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So you think the extact is overpowering?  Good to know.

I personally think so, yes. I've developed a few recipes using orange and I find anything more than that amount with those proportions of ingredients does seems to dominate. But it's all a matter of personal taste of course.

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I have a recipe for an orange muffin (I think it's Gale Gand's) that uses the entire orange. That's pith and all, cut up, put in a blender. No, it doesn't taste bitter because of the pith (a surprise to me) and it's really good. It's a completely different texture though then what you're going to be getting with your recipe which sounds great especially with the modifications suggested. Think I'll give it a try since I'm a huge fan of anything orange.

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I used to work somwhere where the orange muffins were had seville orange marmalade in them. Gives a good, strong orange flavour and a nice tang. You may consider replacing some of the orange juice with marmalade?

Good Luck

Now that's an idea, and it would give it that tang I remember. I am testing my original recipe this evening and if it is not up to par, I will keep this in mind. Thanks!!!

Jean Blanchard, thanks and I would have replied thinking it had a pithy taste if you had not commented it did not. So, what is the texture like in your recipe? I assume it would be a bit thicker, mealy.

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Dates and nuts??!!!???

I almost threw up in my mouth. lol.

Actually, kidding aside, that sounds great, but of course not what I remember.

However, in lieu of the marmalade, which I have not ruled out yet, I was thinking that maybe it had a more mandarin orange flavor, again a more spirited tang. I was using those cans of mandarin underneath my couch to prevent it from moving, now they have another purpose. I have so much testing to do on these.

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The second is to use a good quality frozen concentrated orange juice, pulpless and undiluted, in place of the fresh juice, and increase that to 2/3 cup.

I second this--there's a fabulous orange cake that i make from Cooks Illustrated that uses this method and it's very intense in flavor

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So you think the extact is overpowering?  Good to know.

I personally think so, yes. I've developed a few recipes using orange and I find anything more than that amount with those proportions of ingredients does seems to dominate. But it's all a matter of personal taste of course.

How about using orange oil instead of extract? Just a few drops. Not sure how this would compare with extract, but I think of it as a higher quality product.

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How about using orange oil instead of extract?  Just a few drops.  Not sure how this would compare with extract, but I think of it as a higher quality product.

Extract has quite a strong bite to it. I think you could be more generous with the oil. Just taste it first and make sure it's not bitter; the quality of course will depend on the manufacturer.

Edited to add: Rodney I think your canned mandarin slices would be better left under the sofa. They taste very little like oranges and very much like the can they're packed in.

Edited by Sugarella (log)
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Ok everyone, it looks like there is a lot of work to be done, lol.

Here is my first attempt, recipe as above, except for replacing the orange juice with orange concentrate. I also replaced the orange juice in the glaze with orange concentrate.

Not good, no. First of all, the texture was not at all what I was after. It turned out very brown on the outside. This could be due to the dark, non-stick muffin pan I used. I only have regular pans in the smaller muffin size, so looks like a trip to the store. The texture on the very outside, the crust, was like a corn dog crust. The inside was more like a hush puppy texture (digging from the South here.)

It also sunk in the middle, leaving a big air pocket/hole in about half the muffins. You can see this in the photos. This tells me that there is either to much leavening, or not enough moisture to balance the weight of the sugar.

The smell and flavor was a little off, which was my first clue I would be putting my celebratory dancing shoes back in the closet. I think the orange concentrate is to powerful, almost sour in smell and flavor. The zest, using 2 T, did not even come through, like in the original which steers me towards the marmalade theory, because I distinctly remember seeing and tasting zest in the muffin.

The orange sugar I like, but I need to switch the sugar to a larger crystal sugar and/or use less of it, or omit. I don't remember it being on the muffins at the coffee house, so I think it will go, but saved for another dessert or kind of a muffin down the road. The glaze I like, in texture, but not using the orange concentrate, again sour.

So, I need to rework the recipe. The coffee shop's was near cake-like, lighter crumb, lighter in color, almost the color of a darker variety orange (or at least the way the supermarkets color it) and moist. This muffin, as you can see, was brownish and middle of the road moist with a dry, toothy crumb. *sigh*

omuffin1.jpg

omuffin2.jpg

omuffin3.jpg

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That's disappointing, I hate it when my first try isn't anywhere near the mark.

I'm going to throw in a recipe for a lemon-poppyseed cake that I make that has a texture similar to what you were striving for. Perhaps it might help with your proportions.

2 extra large eggs

1 cup oil

1 cup yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

4 tbsp poppy seeds

2 cups AP flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Glaze

Grated rind of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

3/4 cup sugar

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That crumb in the last photo looks just about right to me. You and I obviously had different textures in mind then.

I'm not at all sure how the orange juice could have come across as sour; orange juice isn't. Did the concentrate you bought have any sort of additives? Concentrated orange juice is just partially evaporated orange juice....the flavour shouldn't be altered in any way, just more intense.

As for the muffins sinking I agree it could be a mixing issue. The amount of leavening looks right and there isn't too much liquid in there.

Sorry if you feel like I steered you down the wrong path...... :unsure:

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Sorry if you feel like I steered you down the wrong path......  :unsure:

Not in the least, you were a big help. I think we are after different results. I am changing my tune to a cake-like muffin, either using a creaming method or the pastry method of mixing. The learning experience is the best part about it, although frustrating at times.

As far as the orange juice concentrate, I think it produced an ok flavor, just not the flavor I had in mind. It was intense on a medium to low note on the flavor scale. I am looking for something on the higher end, sweet with piercing pronounced orange, probably like those in the extracts and marmalade, which is where I am headed later in the recipe construction.

First though I am going to work on texture and getting that down, I think finding the right "orange" flavor will be the easiest thing, famous last words, lol

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Here is the new and improved recipe, hopefully. I reworked the recipe and changed the method, adding in food coloring, because I believe they colored the muffins to give them an all over orange appearance. These should rise in a more cake-like fashion. I also added an option for zest/light corn oil or marmalade, either should work nicely.

I should get around to testing the recipe in the next few days.

Extremely Orange, Orange Muffins

Muffins:

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup orange zest**

2 tablespoons light corn syrup**

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups water

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 1/4 teaspoons orange extract

1/8 teaspoon orange food coloring

1/8 teaspoon yellow food coloring

Glaze:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

**Note: Alternatively, you can replace zest and corn syrup for 1/4 cup of marmalade.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

In another bowl combine the corn syrup, eggs, water, evaporated milk, extract and colorings; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat sugar on medium-low and slowly add vegetable oil and zest; mix until well combined.

On low speed, alternate dry and liquid ingredients by adding 2/3 of the flour mixture, then half the liquid, half of the remaining flour, the rest of the liquid, and ending with the flour. Beat until just combined, do not over beat.

Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

While the muffins are baking, prepare the glaze by bring sugar and juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir to dissolve the sugar and simmer until the mixture is thick and syrupy. It should reduce to about 4 tablespoons.

After the baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, brush the tops with the glaze; then serve.

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I have a recipe for Orange muffins which uses a whole orange (without dates etc :smile: ). They have a lovely strong orange flavour. Recipe is here. They are quick and easy to make using a food processor.

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I have a recipe for Orange muffins which uses a whole orange (without dates etc  :smile: ).  They have a lovely strong orange flavour.  Recipe is here.  They are quick and easy to make using a food processor.

OMG...thanks Cadbury, this will help a lot. I will try this recipe. I know Jean Blanchard above mentioned Gale Gand doing the same thing. I am assuming from the eggs and flour ratio that they are cake-like muffins, which is good. Is this correct?

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I used to work somwhere where the orange muffins were had seville orange marmalade in them. Gives a good, strong orange flavour and a nice tang. You may consider replacing some of the orange juice with marmalade?

The marmalade suggestion reminded me of a Nigella Lawson recipe for chocolate cake enhanced with orange marmalade. I know you are trying to make orange muffins, not chocolate cake, but the idea I wanted to convey is that I believe the marmalade adds moisture to the cake and would probably do the same for the muffins. I love cooking savory dishes but am often intimidated by baking, but I like this recipe, because it is easy and the cake comes out moist. I think adding marmalade might be one of those special chemical tricks, like when people use use Jell-O in baking. Good luck with the muffins!

Pantry-Shelf Chocolate-Orange Cake

1/2 cup unsalted butter

4 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

1 1/3 cups good marmalade

1/2 cup sugar

pinch of salt

2 large eggs, beaten

1 cup self-rising flour

8-inch springform pan, buttered and floured

Preheat the oven to 350F

Put the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a low heat to melt. When it's nearly completely melted, stir in the chocolate. Leave for a moment to begin softening, then take the pan off the heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the butter and chocolate are smooth and melted. Now add the marmalade, sugar, salt and eggs. Shir with your wooden spoon and when all is pretty well amalgamated, beat in the four bit by bit. Put into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes before turning out. Enjoy!

can't believe it's not butter? i can.

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Muffin update...this just in.

Well, the next step was closer; at least I am on the green now. I used the recipe version 2 above using the marmalade instead of the zest and corn syrup. I also used 1/3 cup instead of 1/4.

They baked up nicely, not to high, not to low. The texture was not right though, but getting there, at least closer than the first batch. It had sponginess to it. You can probably see this in the dissected muffin. If I had a pointer, I would point to it.

I am not sure if that is because of the creaming method or the all-purpose flour, or both. I remember the coffee house muffin having a course (but not corn meal course) texture that was very even throughout, so maybe bread flour or self rising flour would do the trick. Then again, I don't think the creaming method would play nicely with the bread flour. I need to research this or maybe someone in the baking field could help.

The flavor was not strong enough, although it was not sour, present, but week, just needs a boost. I don't think the marmalade is going to cut it for this recipe, not what I remember and may in fact be causing the spongy texture in this particular recipe, not sure.

I think the original 4 T of zest would work better. I like the amount of extract, not bitter at all. I did not put enough food coloring (used the liquid kind) so next time I will boost it using gel colors to get that dark orange color. At least this recipe I can color, the last one was just brown crust, lol.

So, back to the drawing board I go. I want to make the recipe above Cadbury suggested using the whole orange to see if I can strip elements from it or use it as a base.

Any suggestions would be great. As always, thanks for listening, lol.

o2muffin1.jpg

o2muffin2.jpg

02muffin3.jpg

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OMG...thanks Cadbury, this will help a lot.  I will try this recipe.  I know Jean Blanchard above mentioned Gale Gand doing the same thing.  I am assuming from the eggs and flour ratio that they are cake-like muffins, which is good.  Is this correct?

They are cake-like in texture but the use of the food processor does make them a little more coarse. I hope you like them.

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It sounds like you're looking for more of a cupcake than a muffin. Here's a recipe that was well reviewed - the cupcakes have a light fluffy texture, but a mild orange flavor, so you might want to increase the zest and replace some of the milk with orange juice.

http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipes/coo...e_cupcakes.html

There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE.
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