This pastEaster, I had brunch with my family in New York at Maialino. I think we are all on the same wavelength about brunch (and about facing other people early in the morning) because we sat down at the civilized hour of 2pm.
After we all ordered what we wanted and we also addeda basket of pastries for us to share. Before the waiter walked away, someone said, “Let’s get an olive oil muffin, too.”
Rippinginto that muffin and taking bites of it, we eachstopped what we were doing and said, “Wow, that’s good!” If I had been by myself (and paying), I probably would have ordered another one. But instead, I kept my mouth shut and finished brunch along with everyone else.
But I had those muffins in my head (just like I can’t get the music from Hamiltonout of my head, which I also saw when I was in New York – a friend of mine told me she had to stop listening to the soundtrack because she couldn’t get anything else done in her life either) and when I got home, I found the restaurant’s recipe for Olive Oil Cake on Food52. The recipemade a 9-inch (23cm) cake and I decided to adapt it to muffins. I retooled the quantities of ingredients, reducing some and increasing others, scaling them down to fit nicely into eight muffin cups.
A couple of notes: The quality of the olive oil is important to these muffins. An inside source told me thepastry chef at the restaurant uses a Barbera olive oil, while I’ve heard othersay the olive oil they use is fromLiguria. Hmmmm….So I’d recommend using a fruity, full-flavored oil olive that’s available to you.
Another important player in these muffins is the Grand Marnier. The liqueur adds a dynamic, slightly bitterorange flavor to the cake that contrasts nicely with the olive oil.
Olive Oil Muffins
Recipe adapted fromOlive Oil CakeatFood52by Rachel Binder and Gerri Sarnataro fromMaialinorestaurant
The Grand Marnier plays a big role in the flavor of these muffins. If you don’t want to use alcohol, you could try the muffins with orange juice with a spoonful of orange extract added but they won’t have the same dynamic flavor the originals have. (I haven’t tried it personally, so if you do, let us know in the comments what you did and how it worked out.) One reader in the comments mentioned she’d added some orange marmalade (which is made with bitter oranges) which got me thinking that maybe you could swap out the 1/3 cup orange juice/Grand Marnier with 1/3 cup of orange marmalade, chopped fine if it has large shreds of orange peel in it.You could add a few drops of vanilla or almond extract to the batter if you wish, either way, although my French taster said not to touch them or do anything else – that they were perfect.The muffin cups I used are called mini-Panettone molds and can be found in some cookware shops and
. They were 2 1/2 x 1 3/4-inches. (About 6 x 4.5cm.) You could use other size muffin cups and fill them about 2/3rds to 3/4s full.
- 1 1/3 cups (185g) flour
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup (180ml) fruity extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole or lowfat milk
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
- 1/3 cup (80ml) mixed: half fresh orange juice, half Grand Marnier
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Set eight paper mini-Panettone or free-standing muffin cups on a baking sheet. (Or set regular muffin cup liners in a muffin tin with eight indentations.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, milk, eggs, orange zest, and orange juice/Grand Marnier mixture.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the olive oil mixture. Stir the ingredients together with a flexible spatula until they are just combined but do not overmix. There may be some minor lumps in the batter, which are fine. (Overmixing will cause the muffins to be tough.)
Fill the muffin molds 2/3rds to 3/4s full of batter and bake until they just feel set in the center and the tops are golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool a bit before serving.
Notes
Storage: The muffins can be baked two or three days ahead and kept at room temperature in an airtight container. Although they will lose their crusty top the flavor will be more pronounced the next day as the crumb gets saturated with the olive oil and Grand Marnier flavors. They can also be frozen for up to two months.
FAQs
Olive oil is an extremely versatile type of cooking oil and can be used for anything from baking to frying to sautéing. When recipes call for the use of either butter or any other type of refined oil, such as vegetable oil, we highly recommend substituting this for olive oil instead.
Is it better to use oil or butter in muffins? ›
Structure - although oil makes baked goods very moist and longer lasting than butter, for high rising baked goods that need more structure, like muffins, butter is a better choice. Butter is wonderful for incorporating air into baked goods.
What is the secret to moist muffins? ›
How to Make Homemade Muffins Moist: Our Top Tips
- Tips to Make Homemade Muffins Moist.
- Keep Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately.
- Add All Flavorings Last.
- Consider Paper Liners.
- Don't Overfill the Muffin Cups.
- Check the Temperature of Your Oven.
- Test if Muffins Are Fully Cooked.
- Top Your Muffins with Flavor.
If substituting olive oil for vegetable oil (or another cooking oil) in your baking recipe, you can use a 1:1 ratio. Because of olive oil's distinct flavor, it might affect the flavor of the baked product.
What is the healthiest oil to use for baking muffins? ›
Grapeseed oil is great to use in recipes that require emulsification of ingredients and low-temperature cooking. It is one of the best baking oils for health because it is a great source of vitamin E and oleic acid.
Which oil is best for baking muffins? ›
Vegetable oil is ideal because its mild flavour doesn't compete with the main flavour of the muffin. My recipes generally specify 100ml vegetable oil per batch of 12, which is only 1½ teaspoons per muffin.
Can you use extra virgin olive oil for baking muffins? ›
The good news is that yes, you can use olive oil for baking. You may have to be cautious with the type of olive oil you use, as it may give the recipe a stronger olive flavour than you'd prefer.
Can I substitute olive oil for butter in muffins? ›
How do I substitute olive oil for butter in cakes and other baked good? As a general rule of thumb, substitute three-quarters of the butter in a recipe with olive oil. In other words: If a baking recipe calls for a stick of butter (8 tablespoons), for example, use 6 tablespoons of olive oil.
Should I use olive oil or vegetable oil for muffins? ›
Olive oil is perfect for strongly flavored desserts like olive oil cake, but vegetable oil's neutral flavor makes it ideal for providing baked goods with the fat they need without affecting the recipe's flavor. That said, if you're in a pinch, olive oil will work in baked goods.
How to get domed muffins? ›
According to O. Corriher, the way to get a perfectly puffed up dome on your muffins is to increase your oven heat. She says that 400° should do it, no matter what the recipe says. The higher baking temperature means that the the outside edges of the muffin will set while the middle is still liquidy.
Rest the Muffin Batter
The first, most hands-off way to make your muffins pop (literally) is to let the batter rest. Make the batter, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the batter rest at room temperature for about 1 hour. If you're short on time, just 30 minutes can make a difference.
Why shouldn't you cook with extra virgin olive oil? ›
All cooking oils have what is called a "smoke point," the temperature at which the oil starts to break down and smoke. And where there's smoke, there will soon be fire. This is why extra virgin olive oil, which has a low smoke point of 350°F to 410°F, shouldn't be used for high heat cooking, especially frying.
What is the healthiest oil for baking cakes? ›
If you're a health-conscious person, using canola oil will be the best option because it only contains 7% saturated fat (bad fats) and contains the highest omega-3 content among oils, except flaxseed oil. Canola oil doesn't contain any cholesterol too.
Which olive oil is best for baking? ›
Late Season: Buttery and mild, late season olive oil lends itself well to general baking and won't over power other flavors.
Is extra virgin olive oil good for muffins? ›
You'll want a fruity, extra virgin olive oil for best results. You can use a virgin olive oil or even a more neutral oil, like canola, if you'd like. The olive oil gives these muffins a lot of flavor, so I like using an olive oil that I enjoy the taste of, but it doesn't need to be expensive.
What is a good substitute for vegetable oil in muffins? ›
Canola, corn, grapeseed, safflower and sunflower oils
Chances are you have at least one of these in your pantry. All of these oils are considered “neutral,” meaning they don't have a distinct flavor. They're the most seamless substitutes for vegetable oil, which is also considered to be a neutral oil.
