Q: I have a wonderful recipe for Pumpkin Muffins that I make every fall.  Unfortunately, my last batch stuck -- especially the recipe's chocolate chips -- and just looked awful.  I used dark, brand name mini-muffin pans.  What could I have done to keep the muffins from sticking?
—Karen B.

A:  This is a common problem, Karen, but the fix is pretty straightforward.  Here's a little expert advice from Assistant Food Editor Natalie Brown, who just so happens to have a degree in Baking and Pastry.

Natalie Brown: When you use dark tins you need to reduce your oven's temperature by 25 degrees.  For example, if the recipes says 375 degrees, reduce to 350 degrees.  You might also try keeping about 1/4 cup of flour from the recipe and tossing your chips in the flour before gently folding them info the muffin batter.  Another thing to consider is that when using mini-muffin pans, you may need to reduce the amount of chocolate chips versus what the recipe calls for when using a standard muffin pan -- there's less surface area in the mini-muffin pans to keep the chips suspended.  Hope this helps.  Happy baking!

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