Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 90 g unsalted butter
- 120 g whole wheat flour
- 90 g all-purpose flour
- 25 g wheat germ
- 45 g raw sugar
- 7½ g baking powder
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground cardamom
- 3 g salt
- 1 egg
- 80 ml milk
- 80 ml heavy cream
Filling
- 180 g fruit jam
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 203 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 27 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 110 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 40 mg
- Potassium
- 161 mg
- Calcium
- 53 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 125 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 89 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 28 mcg
- Water
- 23 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
Melt 30g of the butter in the microwave.
Coat the inside of the muffin tin cups thoroughly with the melted butter using a pastry brush.
Whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl.
Melt the remaining 60g of butter.
Pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until coarse crumbs form.
Whisk the egg, milk, and heavy cream in a separate bowl until combined.
Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients, stirring until a sticky dough forms.
Set aside one-quarter of the dough. Divide the rest into 12 portions and press them into the bottom and sides of the muffin cups to form a well.
Spoon 15g (about 1 tablespoon) of jam into each dough well.
Crumble the reserved dough over the jam in each cup.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 175°C (350°F) until the pastry is golden brown.
Cool the scuffins in the tin on a wire rack, then run a knife around the edges to remove them.
Chef's Notes
- For an even richer flavor and tender crumb, consider using half-and-half or a mix of milk and cream for the liquid in the dough.
- Ensure your butter is very cold when cutting it into the dry ingredients for the crumble topping. This creates pockets of steam during baking, resulting in a flakier texture.
- Don't overmix the dough once the wet ingredients are added. A slightly sticky, shaggy dough is ideal for scones and scuffins, as overmixing develops gluten and can lead to a tough pastry.
- Using a good quality, thick fruit jam or preserves will prevent the filling from becoming too runny during baking. Consider reducing very thin jams slightly on the stovetop before using.
- For a beautiful finish, you can brush the tops of the scuffins with a little milk or cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar before baking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individually before freezing.
Reheating: Warm in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 5-8 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Scuffins stick to the muffin tin
Cause: Insufficient greasing or removing while the pastry is too hot
Fix: Carefully run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edge of each cup
Prevention: Apply multiple thin layers of melted butter to the tin and allow to cool slightly before removing
Cultural Context
Scuffins, a portmanteau of 'scone' and 'muffin,' are a relatively modern American bakery invention. They emerged as a way to offer the comforting, dense texture of a scone in a more convenient, individual muffin format, often featuring sweet fillings and toppings that appeal to a broad audience.
