Almond Peach Muffins
If you're looking for a good brown bag treat, try these. I also make them for breakfast and at-home snacks. Usually, I'll bake a double batch so we can eat some hot from the oven and pop the others in the refrigerator to heat later. My husband and I have a son who's 4 and a baby daughter who's 9 months.
If you're looking for a good brown bag treat, try these. I also make them for breakfast and at-home snacks. Usually, I'll bake a double batch so we can eat some hot from the oven and pop the others in the refrigerator to heat later. My husband and I have a son who's 4 and a baby daughter who's 9 months.
- Carbohydrate 0.950284791666667 g
- Cholesterol 51.3554166666667 mg
- Fat 19.6903962578899 g
- Fiber 0.484020825783412 g
- Protein 1.843475 g
- Saturated Fat 5.92096479224776 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (42g)
- Sodium 4715.76778420108 mg
- Sugar 0.466263965883255 g
- Trans Fat 0.881024583429356 g
- Calories 184 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs, oil and extracts; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
- Fold in peaches and almonds.
- Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.
- Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
- Serve warm.
- A 14-1/2-ounce can of peaches, drained and chopped, may be substituted for the fresh peaches.
Fresh peaches introduce a significant amount of free water into a batter, which requires careful flour management to prevent a dense crumb. All-purpose flour contains roughly ten to twelve percent protein, establishing the gluten network necessary to trap expanding carbon dioxide from the baking soda. Overmixing this flour-and-liquid phase promotes excessive gluten strands, turning a tender muffin into a rubbery one. Stirring the wet ingredients into the dry components only until moistened leaves pockets of flour visible, keeping the final crumb soft and open.
Fat distribution dictates how moisture is retained during the twenty to twenty-five minute bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Canola oil coats the flour proteins and starch granules, physically interrupting gluten formation and ensuring the baked crumb remains tender days later. Chopped almonds introduce mechanical resistance against the soft batter, creating localized density contrasts that break up the uniformity of the crumb. Peaches release their internal cellular juices as they heat, creating micro-pockets of steam that help leaven the batter alongside the chemical reaction between the alkaline baking soda and natural fruit acids.
Extracts of vanilla and almond rely on volatile compounds that behave differently under thermal stress. Almond extract contains benzaldehyde, a compound that bridges the nutty fat notes of the chopped nuts and the stone-fruit aromatics of the fresh peaches. Adding these extracts directly to the liquid ingredients guarantees even dispersion through the oil phase before coming into contact with the dry starches.
Allowing the baked goods to sit undisturbed in the pan for ten minutes gives the internal starches time to set structurally before transfer to a wire rack. Moving them prematurely risks tearing the delicate exterior crust along the paper liner. Once cooled completely, storing them in a sealed container preserves the moisture balance between the peach inclusions and the surrounding crumb.
