Better to eat bread in peace, then cake amid turmoil.
~ Slovak Proverb
Hi Rosy, this blog is for you!
Rosy blogged on making Sally Lunn’s Muffin here. Her pictures looked so nice that Ben asked that I try to make it using her recipe. Her muffins looks better — tall, nice and even have a blop on the top.
Sally Lunn’s muffins are bread said to have originated from Bath, England. There is actually a museum in Bath that is said to have been the home of Sally Lunn. If you want to find out more, here is their website.
This is what mine looks like. Kind of burned on the sides and also flat. Arkensen’s friend, Henry, pop over and had the muffins — he likes it very much. My own boys just took it for granted. Grrr …
So Rosy, where did I go wrong?
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup light cream (half & half)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
- 3 eggs, beaten
Instructions
 First, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. I also grease 2 muffin tins with a vegetable spray. Rosy used the popover tins — I did not have that and used the normal muffin tins instead. The popover tins makes the muffin taller.
This recipe makes 24 muffins. |
 In a medium bowl, I sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set the flour mixture aside. |
 In another larger bowl, I mix the butter and sugar until light. |
 I then add to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with the milk and creams. Next I added in the beaten eggs. |
 Lastly, I added in the flour mixture and mix it well. |
 The mixture will look a bit lumpy with bits of butter. (Question for Rosy: is this right? Is the lumpiness due to cold milk and cream?) |
 I scooped the mixture into the greased muffin tins — about 2 tablespoons for each tin.
They bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. I wish you could smell it as my house is filled with buttery aroma when the muffins are baking. Rachel came over just as it was just done baking. She told me she can smell the nice aroma even from the outside. |
 The muffins are golden brown when baked. I let the muffins to cool in the pans for at least 10 minutes before removing them. |
So, here is my version of the Sally Lunn muffin. Perhaps a bit too short … a bit burnt on the side … does not have a lump on the top … but at least it smells wonderful and I get ONE appreciation from dear Henry. 🙂 Thanks Rosy!
Hi Suanne! Just got back and had to see what I’ve missed on your blog. I’m so excited you tried the Sally Lunn’s. Sorry you weren’t happy with them. To tell you the truth, the ones I cooked in the muffin tins (vs. the popover tins) didn’t turn out as big and tall. I also used an electric mixer (don’t know if that makes a difference). And I used heavy whipping cream and whipping cream (again, don’t know if that makes a difference). Did they taste good though? They don’t look all that bad to me! I’ve seen and made worse!!
P.S. I may have had everything room temp. I don’t remember, but this is what I usually do. The butter was probably very soft.
Hi Rosy,
Checked your blog and saw that you had a great time at the beach. The prawns look awesome.
Ok, thanks for the comments. Watch out for Sally Lunn version 2.0! 🙂
Suanne
There you go! Never give up. I always keep trying ’til it’s right too!
Just spotted this blog. I’ve been to the Sally Lunn’s tearoom with my family whilst I was visiting Bath during the summer. I was disappointed with their level of cleanliness and service for which the manager had apologised when I emailed a complaint. However, their (tiny) museum, food and atmosphere were quite good. We’ve even bought a box of (very strong) tea and five boxes of their famous buns – those buns were massive and I’m not exaggerating! I really recommend visiting Bath, England.
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Hi, happened to stumble upon your blog..
I kind of did an experiment few weeks ago with muffins. And I realised that if I totally omit milk or cream, my muffins stand a bit taller (as in puff-ier). I suspect it’s the heavy cream you use that might have caused the batter to be denser? I’m just guessing 🙂
This was the one with milk http://littlegastronomy.blogspot.com/2008/08/ristretto-choc-chips-muffins.html
I just found this so my reply is a couple of years late. The recipe looks interesting – I’ve not seen a Sally Lunn’s without yeast. It’s been 5 years since I’ve been in the UK and I am sure the Sally Lunn bun I had was yeast raised.
This is the recipe I use it’s from Elisabeth Ayrton’s English Provincial Cooking – Published by Harper & Row 1980 and she refers too them as Bath Buns. I hope I’m giving Elisabeth great PR for her book rather than causing a copyright infringement. You can find the book on the used book market – I found 3 first edition/first printing editions!
From the book:
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The original eighteenth-century recipe contained caraway comfits instead of sultanas. These are now unobtainable and, in any case, the flavour of caraway seeds is disliked by many people today. This recipe also suggests flavouring with rosewater and sherry, but this gives the delicious, buttery rich buns a rather unexpected and slightly musty flavour.
Mix one-third of the flour with the beaten eggs, yeast and vanilla in a bowl. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, rub the butter into the remaining flour and work in the castor sugar, so that a stiff paste is formed.
When the yeast mixture has risen, work it into the butter paste, adding the sultanas as you do so.
Butter baking sheets and shake flour over them. Put tablespoonfuls of the bun mixture well apart on the baking sheets. Brush each bun over with the unbeaten white of egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Leave to prove for 30 to 40 minutes or until the buns have puffed up. Bake at 400F (200C, Gas Mark 6) for 20 minutes. The buns should be well spread, risen and a light golden brown.
1 ½ cups (360g) flour
4 egg yolks, well beaten with 3 whites, remaining white reserved
1 oz (30g) fresh yeast, dissolved in a little warm water
¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
2 sticks (240g) butter
½ cup (120g) castor sugar
2/3 cup(120g) sultanas
2 tablespoons (30g) granulated sugar
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Happy cooking!
Hugh