Effect of extent of mixing on texture and appearance. With
just enough mixing to barely blend the ingredients, 30 strokes or less, the
batter breaks and separates easily when lifted with the spoon, is lumpy and
not smooth in appearance. The top of the baked mufHn is rough, though
it browns well and is a little shiny and has a glaze. The volume of the
muffins is good, its cells rather large and uniform in size, and its cell
walls of medium thickness. The muffin is tender. This amount of mixing,
usually about 25 strokes, which can be partially determined by the ap-
pearance of the batter, is the optimum amount of mixing. It is the amount
that is required to just blend the dry flour with the liquid ingredients.
See Figs. 46 to 48, muflfins number 1.
When the mixing of the batter is continued beyond the optimum amount,
the appearance of the batter gradually changes, becoming smoother and
less lumpy. It flows more readily, and as it falls from the spoon it tends
to cling to the spoon, forming long ribbon-like strands. The muffins also
change in appearance, texture, and volume with longer mixing. See muffins
2 and 3, Figs. 46 to 48. The top of the muflSn is less rounded and may
come to a sharp point or peak. Its crust is smoother, browns less readily,
and becomes duller in appearance with less glaze. Up through the center
of the muffin are found long holes, which are called tunnels, that end
just below the point at the top. Large holes are often found in muffins and
cakes, caused by addition of air in mixing, but tunnels are long and rather
narrow. When tunnels develop the muffins are less tender. The grain of
the muffin becomes finer with longer mixing, the cell walls thinner, the
tunnels more numerous, and the muffin is more compact. With extremely
long mixing, and particularly with phosphate or tartrate baking powders,
the texture of the muffin may be very soggy, the volume small, with few
tunnels, the top flat and very smooth in appearance. See muffins 4, Figs.
46 to 48.
Tunnels. Tunnels usually start at the bottom of the muffin and con-
verge near the center at the top. They are formed from expansion of
gas in the dough. Part of this gas is from steam, for if one watches the
baking of muffins through a glass oven door, occasional small jets of steam
may be seen to escape from muffins that have been stirred sufficiently so
that tunnels develop. With thin batters like popovers, or doughs like baking
powder biscuits, tunnels do not develop. When the batter contains the
466
BATTERS AND DOUGHS
Fig. 46. — Muffins. Showing effect on texture, volume, and shape when the extent
of mixing is varied and a tartrate baking powder is used. Experiment (82,A,1).
Approximately ys of the batter, 60 grams removed after mixing,
1. 30 strokes.
2. 60 strokes.
3. 100 strokes.
4. 300 strokes.
TUNNELS
467
Fig. 47. — Muffins. Showing the effect on texture, volume, and shape when the
extent of mixing is varied and a phosphate baking powder is used. Experiment
(82,A,2).
Approximately % of the batter, 60 grams removed after mixing,
1. 30 strokes.
2. 60 strokes.
3. 100 strokes.
4. 300 strokes.
Fig. 48. — Muffins. Showing the effect on texture, volume and shape when the
extent of mixing is varied and a sulfate-phosphate baking powder is used. Experi-
ment (82,A,3).
Approximately ^ of the batter, 60 grams removed after mixing,
1. 30 strokes.
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Effect of extent of mixing on texture and appearance. With
just enough mixing to barely blend the ingredients, 30 strokes or less, the
batter breaks and separates easily when lifted with the spoon, is lumpy and
not smooth in appearance. The top of the baked mufHn is rough, though
it browns well and is a little shiny and has a glaze. The volume of the
muffins is good, its cells rather large and uniform in size, and its cell
walls of medium thickness. The muffin is tender. This amount of mixing,
usually about 25 strokes, which can be partially determined by the ap-
pearance of the batter, is the optimum amount of mixing. It is the amount
that is required to just blend the dry flour with the liquid ingredients.
See Figs. 46 to 48, muflfins number 1.
When the mixing of the batter is continued beyond the optimum amount,
the appearance of the batter gradually changes, becoming smoother and
less lumpy. It flows more readily, and as it falls from the spoon it tends
to cling to the spoon, forming long ribbon-like strands. The muffins also
change in appearance, texture, and volume with longer mixing. See muffins
2 and 3, Figs. 46 to 48. The top of the muflSn is less rounded and may
come to a sharp point or peak. Its crust is smoother, browns less readily,
and becomes duller in appearance with less glaze. Up through the center
of the muffin are found long holes, which are called tunnels, that end
just below the point at the top. Large holes are often found in muffins and
cakes, caused by addition of air in mixing, but tunnels are long and rather
narrow. When tunnels develop the muffins are less tender. The grain of
the muffin becomes finer with longer mixing, the cell walls thinner, the
tunnels more numerous, and the muffin is more compact. With extremely
long mixing, and particularly with phosphate or tartrate baking powders,
the texture of the muffin may be very soggy, the volume small, with few
tunnels, the top flat and very smooth in appearance. See muffins 4, Figs.
46 to 48.
Tunnels. Tunnels usually start at the bottom of the muffin and con-
verge near the center at the top. They are formed from expansion of
gas in the dough. Part of this gas is from steam, for if one watches the
baking of muffins through a glass oven door, occasional small jets of steam
may be seen to escape from muffins that have been stirred sufficiently so
that tunnels develop. With thin batters like popovers, or doughs like baking
powder biscuits, tunnels do not develop. When the batter contains the
466
BATTERS AND DOUGHS
Fig. 46. — Muffins. Showing effect on texture, volume, and shape when the extent
of mixing is varied and a tartrate baking powder is used. Experiment (82,A,1).
Approximately ys of the batter, 60 grams removed after mixing,
1. 30 strokes.
2. 60 strokes.
3. 100 strokes.
4. 300 strokes.
TUNNELS
467
Fig. 47. — Muffins. Showing the effect on texture, volume, and shape when the
extent of mixing is varied and a phosphate baking powder is used. Experiment
(82,A,2).
Approximately % of the batter, 60 grams removed after mixing,
1. 30 strokes.
2. 60 strokes.
3. 100 strokes.
4. 300 strokes.
Fig. 48. — Muffins. Showing the effect on texture, volume and shape when the
extent of mixing is varied and a sulfate-phosphate baking powder is used. Experi-
ment (82,A,3).
Approximately ^ of the batter, 60 grams removed after mixing,
1. 30 strokes.