For many people, English muffins are a breakfast staple. The English muffin is a major attraction for consumers across the US, with fewer calories than many options in most bakeries and unrivaled versatility. However, as with many bakery applications, consistency is key in securing a steady consumer following. Caravan Ingredients provides bases and concentrates to guarantee porous muffins every time that will separate your bakery from the competition in your customers’ eyes.

"The number one problem that a bakery might have would be weighing about ten different minor ingredients without making a mistake. A base reduces the number of ingredients to about four or five – which also allows bakeries to purchase fewer raw materials," says Werner Simon, Global Bakery Consultant at Caravan Ingredients. Consistent texture and quality depend heavily on acidity. "You’ve got to have the same strength of acids across the board. Caravan’s bases contain citric, fumeric, lactic, and acetic acids, as well as monocalcium and phosphate." Using a base or concentrate for your English muffin needs eliminates the guesswork involved with trial and error, saving you crucial time to spend face-to-face with your clients.

"The English muffin weighs less than a bagel and of course has fewer calories," says Simon, pointing out the muffin’s nutritional selling points. Whole wheat muffins are particularly popular in the current marketplace because of increased consumer health consciousness. "Our bases are neutral, so whole wheat flour can be substituted for white flour at the bowl. Any flavorings can be added at that point as well," explains Simon. These muffins can be used for anything from mini pizzas to breakfast sandwiches.

Consumers can spot a flawed English muffin a mile away. "The most important property in an English muffin is porosity. The inner structure should have many ‘rough’ areas where butter can soak into the muffin," says Simon. To achieve the ‘perfect’ English muffin, Caravan offers a team of specialists to assist their customers at key points in English muffin applications. "Many times the muffins look great on the outside and lack the porosity on the inside – water absorption, mixing times, make up procedures, and griddle temperatures all affect texture and mouthfeel in critical ways," says Simon. He recommends that the dough temperature remain fairly cold (between 64 and 68 degrees) and that water be added in stages to reduce mixing time. "A typical dough will start with about 75% to 80% of the total water, and after 8-10 minutes the rest of the water should be added with the salt. The delayed addition of salt gives the dough a chance to develop, minimizing the effect on the yeast," he explains.

Using a base or concentrate to craft perfectly porous English muffins can save your bakery time by eliminating unnecessary trial and error, as well as money on raw materials while guaranteeing consistently porous muffins that your customers will appreciate. "Caravan has a combined experience of over four hundred years in technical service. Our goal is to satisfy the customer, so you aren’t just purchasing a box or bag of mix, but a team ready and willing to assist wherever it is needed," adds Simon.