subject: How to Make Muffin Tops [print this page] How to Make Muffin Tops How to Make Muffin Tops
The muffin tops are the best part of the muffin. It's the crunchy, light part of the muffin not the part that has sweated in the pan. No wonder everyone loves the tops.With a muffin top pan, you can make only the tops. A muffin top pan has indented cavities about 3/8-inch deep and 4-inches in diameter. You load these cavities with batter. With a stiff batter, you can make high domed tops and because these are jumbo-sized tops, six will equal a batch of a dozen regular muffins.Product Testing in Our Test KitchenWe have a test kitchen at our facility in Rigby, Idaho, where we test products and develop mixes and recipes. We tested the nonstick muffin top pan from Norpro using both recipes and mixes, experimenting to learn what works and what doesn't. Here are our findings along with a recipe that we enjoyed.- You can create high-domes in muffin top pans as well as conventional pans. Many muffin recipes call for high heat at the beginning of the baking period to create the rise necessary for attractive domes. You can do the same with a muffin top pan but because they don't rise as far, it is not necessary. If your batter is stiff enough that you can mound it, you can create high domes.- Because the batter is not as deep, it takes less time to bake muffin tops. Reduce the baking time by about a third. For most recipes and mixes, baking at 375 degrees for 15 to 16 minutes was about right.- With a thin batter, less can be put in a muffin top pan. The domes will not be as high and you'll have more muffin tops.- If you are making high-domed muffin tops they will be larger than muffins. A 12-muffin mix or recipe yields six large, high-domed tops. A flatter muffin top is equal to a standard muffin.- Because you have shallow indentations on the pan, the muffins remove very easily. If they stick at all, let them sit for a couple minutes.Banana Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin TopsThis recipe is adapted from our Banana Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe and yes, it's a good as it sounds. Again, tops are the way to go.This is sweet enough; it's almost like a cake. In fact, you can serve it with whipped cream or ice cream and little fudge topping for a special treat.Ingredients1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 brown sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about two smaller bananas)
1 teaspoon banana flavor
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chipsDirectionsPreheat the oven to 375 degrees.1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
2. In another bowl, mash the bananas. Whisk two large eggs and add those to the bananas. Add the oil, milk, flavor, brown sugar, and sour cream. Blend well. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.
3. With a spatula, mix the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture. Stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into greased muffin top tins.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Let the muffins sit in the tins for a few minutes and then remove them to wire racks to cool. Makes 8 to 10 muffin tops.
