Kasey Wilson: All-day muffins that delight
Credit to Author: Aleesha Harris| Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2019 19:00:34 +0000
My mother always had a plan when it came to Christmas baking. The week before, she checked the expiry dates on her flour and baking powder. She made sure she had a stock of plastic bags, freezer-safe containers, parchment paper and heavy-duty foil. After each item was baked, she labeled and dated the packages, sometimes with reheating directions.
Our holiday baking included batches of muffins that we froze so they were ready for Christmas morning and when friends and relatives dropped by. Today, I’m sharing two recipes that are perfect for that purpose: a savoury treat by Giselle Courteau, co-founder of Edmonton’s Duchess Bake Shop, that fuses a traditional Jewish cottage cheese muffin with a soufflé, plus a butter tart muffin that was one of Chatelaine magazine’s most requested muffin recipes ever.
Here are guidelines for success:
• The most important rule of muffin making is to refrain from over-stirring the batter to prevent toughness. Just moisten the ingredients and allow the mixture to be lumpy, thick and floury.
• Fill the cups 3/4 full to get muffins with nice round tops and to prevent them from spilling out over the top of the pan.
• If the batter does not fill all the cups in a muffin tin, half fill the empty ones with water to insure even baking.
• Let the muffins cool in the pan for five minutes to prevent them from falling apart. Then run a blunt knife around the edges to loosen muffins and remove to cooling racks to avoid soggy bottoms.
• If freezing, allow muffins to cool completely before wrapping individually in plastic wrap and enclosing in a freezer bag or container. To warm a muffin straight from the freezer, microwave on high for about 20 seconds.
All-Day Breakfast Muffins
If you can’t find cheese curds, increase the cottage cheese to 2 cups. For a vegetarian option, omit the ham and add another ½ teaspoon salt. You can use any combination of herbs or cured meats. These muffins are best eaten warm out of the oven but will keep for up to five days in the refrigerator and can be reheated. (Adapted from Duchess at Home: Sweet and Savoury Recipes From My Home to Yours, by Giselle Courteau, Appetite by Random House.)
1 cup (250) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp (7 mL) baking powder
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 cup (250 mL) cottage cheese
1 cup (250 mL) cheese curds, roughly chopped (available at Les Amis du Fromage)
½ cup (125 mL) diced ham
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh chives
½ tsp (2 mL) each finely chopped fresh rosemary and thyme
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spray a 12-cup muffin pan with vegetable oil.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and egg whites until well combined. Fold in cottage cheese, curds, ham and herbs. Using a rubber spatula, gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry.
Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until muffins are a light golden brown and spring back to the touch. Makes 1 dozen.
Bonnie Deane’s Butter Tart Muffins
This recipe finished first in Chatelaine magazine’s Great Canadian Muffin Bake-Off.
1½ cups (375) raisins
¾ cup (175 mL) sugar
½ cup (125 mL) butter, cut into chunks
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup (125 mL) milk
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla, rum or butterscotch flavouring
1½ cups (375 mL) flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
Pinch of salt
½ cup (125 mL) walnuts, chopped
⅓ cup (75 mL) maple syrup
Place raisins, sugar, butter, eggs, milk and vanilla in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until mixture is hot, slightly thickened and just beginning to bubble, 4 to 5 minutes. Cool slightly, uncovered, in the refrigerator while continuing with recipe.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups or coat with cooking spray.
Whisk flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in centre and pour in warm raisin mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in nuts.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups and bake in centre of oven until golden and a cake tester inserted into centre of muffin comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately pour about 1 teaspoon syrup over top of each muffin. Cool in cups for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Serve warm. Makes 1 dozen.
Hack: Homemade Pan Liners
If you run out of liners when baking muffins or cupcakes, cut 5-inch squares of parchment paper, invert the muffin tin and firmly press each square over the base of a muffin cup to shape it. Turn the pan right-side up, pop the papers into place and proceed.