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From sushi rice to apple pie, these relaxed riffs offer maximum crisp and crunch in every self-contained cup.
In a world increasingly filled with expensive appliances promising enlightenment through steam settings and Bluetooth connectivity, the muffin tin remains gloriously analogue. It asks for nothing. No charging cable. No app. Just a little grease and a willingness to see what happens if you put mashed potato in it. Because, the truth is, muffins are arguably the least interesting thing a muffin tin can make.
Muffin tins are about texture. The edges get crisp. The tops get golden. Every self-contained serving has continuous corners, and corners are where flavour lives (nobody has ever fought over the pale centre of a lasagne). People want the crunchy bits. Muffin tins understand this at a spiritual level. This vessel is a portal for deliciousness and here are five mighty ways to give that muffin tin new life.
The following recipes are based on a 12-hole muffin tin.
Morty D breakfast bites
I know. We may have reached peak.
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Generously layer a few slices of mortadella in the holes of your muffin tin, overlapping where you can. Pop in the oven to crisp up for 5 minutes while you whisk 6 eggs, 1 cup thickened cream, ½ cup grated parmesan and ¾ cup finely diced herbs in a jug, then pour into the crisp morty D cups − you may have a little mixture left over for a run of a few more. Return the tray to the oven for 10 minutes or until just cooked through. Top with chopped brioche cubes and pop back in the oven for another 5 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Remove and drizzle with a saucy mix of 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard and 2 teaspoons of tomato sauce. Season generously and serve.
Spicy tuna sushi cups
Spicy tuna rolls take on a new life in a muffin tin. They take all the best parts from the creamy heat, the sticky rice, the hit of soy and sesame and become far less stressful to make. No rolling, no wrapping. More shoving and heating, which feels better for a midweek (or midnight) snack.
Cut seaweed sheets into quarters and line a muffin tin much as you would with paper muffin cases. Top each with about ¼ cup cooked sushi rice and squish gently with the back of a spoon. Drizzle over a ½ teaspoon of mirin and pop in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the rice is warmed through and crisp at the edges.
In a bowl, add your protein of choice (tinned tuna, fresh salmon, cooked chicken) to a dash of sesame oil, mayo, soy, togarashi – whatever your pantry provides. Add to the cups then top them with cucumber, sesame seeds and enough sriracha to clear your sinuses. They become the ultimate party food: part sushi train, part late-night snack, part tiny crunchy salad bowl of dreams.
They’re excellent warm, cold or eaten standing at the fridge at midnight, which is arguably the highest compliment any recipe can receive.
High-low tater tot and caviar cups
Yes, snacks with drinks just improved dramatically and this is taking the concept of high-low to new heights, just in individual portions.
Grab a bag of frozen potato gems. Let them defrost a little then, press them into a greased muffin tin holes. Use the back of a spoon to press them firmly into the base and up the sides of the tin. Pop in a 180C fan-forced oven (200C conventional) for 20 minutes or until crisp and firm.
Let them cool then gently scoop out of the moulds. (If not using immediately, I place them on a roasting tray and reheat until super golden and crisp.) Season with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
Mix half a tub of creme fraiche, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of grated horseradish (fresh or jarred) and a heft of finely chopped dill in a bowl. Scoop a heaped teaspoon into each little mound of potato goodness and top with a dollop of salmon caviar. Proof the muffin tin is a vessel for reinvention.
Individual burnt Basques
Because some of us need portion control when it comes to dessert.
Turn up your oven as hot as it will go, and generously line the muffin holes with squares of baking paper. In a blender, add 500g of room-temperature cream cheese and 250ml of thickened cream and blitz to combine. Add 125g of caster sugar, a healthy dollop of vanilla bean paste and a small pinch of salt. Blitz again. Add 2 eggs and a few generous drops of orange blossom extract (yuzu juice also works well). Blitz until incorporated, then stir through about 1 tablespoon of plain flour.
Divide the mixture among the lined muffin holes. Place the tray on the centre rack of the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are browned. Start checking from 15 minutes, and keep a close eye on them; you want burnt on top with a wobble in the middle. Allow to cool.
These make top-shelf lunch snacks, the ultimate portable dessert, and if you have willpower, they freeze well enough to pull out on a whim when dessert is the order of the day.
Mad-dash kind-of apple pies
Unlike a large cake, which collapses your self-esteem along with its middle, muffin-tin cooking offers resilience. Tiny edible resilience in the form of this cobbler-meets-apple-pie situation.
Combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt. Whisk in ¾ cup milk, 115g melted butter and a few generous teaspoons of cinnamon.
In another bowl, combine 1 can of diced apple with more cinnamon and coat in a few tablespoons of brown sugar.
Preheat your oven to 175C fan-forced (195C conventional). Put 1 teaspoon of melted butter in each muffin hole, followed by 2 tablespoons of batter. Then put 1 tablespoon of the diced fruit on top of the batter. Generously sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 12 minutes. Let them cool almost completely before taking them out of the tin. Don’t forget ice-cream or a dollop of cream.
