Preparation:
In very large bowl, combine bran and bran cereal. Add boiling water, stir to moisten and let stand 10 minutes. Add buttermilk. In another very large bowl, cream shortening with sugars. Beat in eggs one at a time Add bran mixture to creamed mixture, stirring until blended. Mix together flour, soda and salt; add raisins. Add to bran mixture, stirring until evenly mixed. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate at least 24 hours. To make muffins, spoon batter into muffin tins lined with paper baking cups, filling about three quarters full.
Bake in 375':F oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Make as many muffins as you wish, then return remaining batter to refrigerator. Batter will thicken considerably, but don't stir it before spooning it out.
Recipe makes about 5 dozen muffins; it may be halved successfully. Baked muffins may be cooked and frozen if desired.
This batter may be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, ready for making fresh muffins any time you want them. Natural wheat bran is plain uncooked bran with no sugar or other ingredients added. Use any bran cereal that is labelled all-bran or 100% bran; do not use bran fla |
