Mastering the Balance of Flavor and Texture in Muffins

Good news, I received the new set of samples yesterday. There were two versions to taste. This typically happens. When the recipe developer is testing out her ideas, they might not always work out as planned so she needs to make additional tweaks.

Because I'm so particular about the nutrition, she'll send me the multiple versions she created so we can discuss the affects of the changes on taste, texture, and nutrition. 

As I pulled the first version out of the bag, I was already disappointed. The muffin was in a weird shape and it looked like it was going to break easily. 

I took a bite and it tasted good, but as anticipated, it was a bit crumbly. A little crumbly is fine since you want softness to the muffins. But, they need to maintain some structure. 

Then I opened the second bag. The muffin I grabbed was the perfect shape and you could see the sprinkling of blueberries throughout. With this solid blueberry to muffin ratio, I had higher hopes than the first version I tried. 

There was a clean break with this bite. I recognized the taste and mouthfeel as the industry experts call it. It tasted more like the previous version that I loved. The ever-so-faint flavor from the coconut oil was back. And it was jam packed with blueberries, as it should be. The whole muffin tasting experience was a great moment. 

We are back in business!!! 

Before I commit to the final formula, there are two questions that I have for the recipe developer. The ingredients statement I received included one ingredient that we didn’t discuss. So, I need to conduct my due diligence on it. And, I need to make sure that the ingredient amounts did not change from the prior versions. The texture was slightly different from before. 

Regardless, we are in a great spot. I hope so badly that we can confirm this ingredient and mark this version final!