Boston Brown Bread Muffins

Canned brown bread.  I loved that stuff.  It was such a treat when I was growing up.  I have made it at home more than once.  I don't think I will ever need to make it that way again.  These Boston Brown Bread muffins are so fantastic!  Super moist and tender, and exactly the right smell and flavor.  If I want the crisp edges of my toasted brown bread childhood, I can slice one in half and grill it in a fry pan with butter.  As a child, I preferred the plain can to the kind with raisins, but the wonderful Marion Cunningham added raisins to this recipe and I swapped them out for my beloved medjool dates.  Feel free to use either or leave them out as you prefer.  I made myself a half batch but these turned out so delicious, I will probably make a full batch and freeze them for myself.  I will make the rounds and see if the family will accept these muffins, but honestly, I won't be hurt if they pass!

(Results: kids said meh, hubby said "those are damn good!")  My poor children did not grow up with brown bread.  My own fault I guess.  Oh darn... more for me.

 Boston Brown Bread Muffins
makes 1 dozen
adapted from Marion Cunningham

½ cup (53g) rye flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal (or millet meal) (69g)
½ cup whole wheat flour (56g) (I used fresh ground hard white wheat)
¾ tsp sea salt
1½ tsp baking soda
1 egg (50g)
⅓ cup molasses (113g)
2 tbsp golden syrup (50g) (optional if you want a sweeter, treat muffin)
⅓ cup packed light brown muscovado sugar (71g)
⅓ cup avocado oil (67g)
1 cup buttermilk (227g)
1 cup chopped dates or golden raisins (149g) (about 8 medjool dates, seeded, chopped) (You can toss the dates with a tsp or two of flour to help suspend them)

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and grease a muffin tin with butter.  (Optional - place an oven dish of water on a lower rack to steam while baking.)

In a large bowl, mix together the rye flour, cornmeal or millet meal, wheat flour, salt, and baking soda.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, optional golden syrup, muscovado sugar, oil, and buttermilk until well blended.  Stir the wet mixture into the flour mixture and mix well.  Add dates or raisins and stir to mix.

Portion the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the wells ½ to ⅔ full.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the muffins test done with a cake tester or toothpick.  Do not overbake, serve warm with butter if desired.

Here are some more muffins for your Monday:

• Blackberry Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Boston Brown Bread Muffins from A Messy Kitchen
• Chocolate Chip Pecan Banana Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Lemon Blueberry Muffins from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins from Food Lust People Love