Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Creme

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Creme

I went on a crazy baking spree early in December.  I churned out batches of cookies, candies, fudge, bars, and other delicious goodies.  I took things to parties, gave some away, and we ate some (okay, a lot).  When I woke up from my sugar-induced holiday stupor the other day, I realized,with some amount of panic, that we were almost out of Christmas goodies… and with Christmas less than a week away.

Molasses goodness

Clearly that would not do.  I refuse to have my first Christmas with Thing 1 old enough to know what is going on be without delicious treats.  I knew I had to do something and before you can say advent calendar, I was back in the kitchen whipping up my third batch of these cookies.  The first two batches were whisked away to parties, despite the longing glances from Marc and Thing 1.  They were such a hit that it was only fair for me to make a batch for us to enjoy.

Making the cookies

And enjoy we have.  I think the gingerbread is just right… not too sweet, not too spicy, crispy on the edges and soft in the middle.  The lemon creme is a perfect complement.  Make them small for bite-sized treats, a little bigger if you want a heartier cookie.  It is helpful if you let them chill in the fridge a little before eating so the creme can firm up.  Of course, if you are anything like us, devouring them as soon as they are put together tastes pretty awesome too.

Little balls of gingerbread heaven

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Creme

The folks at McCormick have really outdone themselves with this recipe.  I adapted it slightly

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses (I like robust or blackstrap)

1 egg

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tsp lemon extract

zest of 1 lemon

To Make:

Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl.  With a mixer set on medium speed, beat 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add molasses and egg and beat well.  Gradually beat the flour mixture until well mixed.  Press the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight).  The firmer it is, the easier it is to handle so don’t skimp on this step.

After chilling, pull off pieces of dough and roll into balls, about 1 inch in diameter.  I used a melon baller to make my dough balls uniform in size (I also made them a little smaller than 1 inch).  Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown.  If you oven is anything like mine, turn the cookies half way to ensure even browning.  Remove to wire racks to let cool completely.

To make the cream, mix the remaining butter, cream cheese, marshmallow cream, extract, and lemon zest until well blended.  Spoon 1/2-1 tbls of cream on the flat side of a cookie and top it with another cookie, pressing gently to spread the filling.  Place on a tray and refrigerate 30-60 minutes to firm up the cream.

To Serve:

Makes 30-40 whoopie pies, depending on size.  McCormick suggests rolling the finished cookies in chopped peppermint candies.  While I think this looks pretty, peppermint, lemon, and gingerbread really don’t work for me.  If you think this sounds like a good combination, then go for it.

Cognac Butter

Cognac Butter

Want to know a secret?  Cognac butter is my latest obsession.  What the heck is cognac butter you ask?  Up until a few days ago, I didn’t know either.  Then I got my hands on this brandy butter from Thursday Cottage. 

Mmm, cognac

At my office, our vendors send us gift baskets around the holidays.  Since we work with some folks from Great Britain, we often get unique foods from across the pond.  When I saw the brandy butter in the gift basket, I snapped it up.  I wasn’t sure what to expect but it turned out to be totally delicious…  sweet and buttery with just the right amount of cognac taste.  Marc and I ate the whole jar in two days.

Sifting the sugar

After that, I decided I best try my hand at making my own cognac butter (how else can I feed the obsession).  Using the proportions of butter, sugar, and alcohol listed on the back of the Thursday Cottage jar, I used my stand mixer to create a fantastic version.  This comes together very quickly and easily.  A couple of tips to keep in mind: make sure your butter is at room temperature, sift the powdered sugar so it is lump free, and add the cognac very slowly to make sure that it gets thoroughly incorporated.   If you want, jazz it up with a little cinnamon, nutmeg, or any other spices that suit your fancy.

Beating the butter and sugar

What to do with your finished butter… the possibilities are limitless.  Spread it on toast, english muffins, biscuits, or any other baked good you can think of.  Use it to “frost” shortbread or sugar cookies.  Smear it on pancakes or waffles.  Lick it off the knife (oops, did I say that out loud).

Almost ready, can you taste it?

Cognac Butter

For this recipe, I have given all amounts by weight.  What is important here is the proportions: 35% butter, 8% cognac, 57% sugar.  You can scale the exact amounts up or down to get the quantity you want. 

Ingredients:

57 grams (4 tbls) unsalted butter

92 grams confectioners sugar

16 grams (20 ml) good quality cognac

1/8 tsp cinnamon (optional)

To Make:

Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, beat the butter over medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.  Sift the confectioners sugar into a bowl.  Add the sugar to the butter in small batches, beating well to incorporate after each addition.  It will look crumbly at first but will get smooth again as you continue to beat.  After all the sugar is incorporated, slowly drizzle in the cognac while the mixer is running.  Allow the butter to continue mixing until the cognac is fully incorporated.  Add the cinnamon (if using) and beat until thoroughly mixed.

To Serve:

Makes enough butter to fill a 1/2 pint jar.  Store in the refrigerator and let warm up a bit before using.  Feel free to get creative with the type of alcohol and spices you use.  I am sure this would be delicious with rum, Amaretto, or Cointreau.

Slow Roasted Leeks

Slow Roasted Leeks

Leeks are beloved in our house.  We get very excited whenever leeks arrive in our CSA boxes or show up at the farmer’s market.  If you have never had leeks they have a mild onion-y and garlicky flavor that is really delicious.  You can finely chop, saute, and add them to soups, quiches, or strata.  Or, you can do what we do… slow roast them with a little butter until they are melt-in-your-mouth soft and delicious.

Fresh CSA Leeks

This is how we make leeks 90% of the time.  It is one of those recipes that is exceptionally simple and uses only a few ingredients but elevates the leeks from a supporting player to a stand-alone side dish.  I know there are other culinary options out there but this is so darn good that we keep coming back to it.  Why mess with perfection?

Washing the grit away

A note on prepping leeks: they tend to be very dirty and gritty because of the way their concentric rings push up through the soil when they are growing.  To help combat this, cut them in half lengthwise and soak them, cut side down, in a deep bowl of cold water.  Don’t be afraid to let them soak for at least 20-30 minutes.  Then remove the halves and rinse under cold running water (I like to separate the leaves at the ends just a little bit to make sure all the grit is rinsed out).  Pat dry before cooking.

Boiled and buttered

Slow Roasted Leeks

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Ingredients:

12 slender leeks, white and light green parts only halved lengthwise, well cleaned (it is helpful to leave the barest sliver of the base intact to help the leaves hold together)

1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

4 tbls unsalted butter

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

To make:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil.  Add the leeks in a single layer, cut sides down, cover and bring the stock back to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.

Carefully remove the leeks, draining out the excess stock (reserve the stock for another use such as soup or to make mashed potatoes to serve alongside your leeks).  Pour about 1 tbls of the butter into a large baking dish and spread around.  Place the leeks in the baking dish, cut sides up, and drizzle with the remaining butter.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Place the baking dish in the oven and roast, uncovered, until the leeks are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 40-60 minutes.

To Serve:

Serve immediately drizzled with any pan juices that remain.  Serves 4 as a side dish.

Marsala Roasted Root Vegetables

Marsala Roasted Root Vegetables

We are up to our eyeballs in root vegetables.  We picked up the third and final installment of our Shared Harvest CSA yesterday and our fridges are full of parsnips, carrots, turnips, and celeriac while our basement closet is stocked with white and sweet potatoes.  Admittedly, we tend to get a little complacent about preparing our roots.  Our standard approach is to wash/peel/chop whichever vegetables we have handy, toss them with olive oil and salt, and roast them on a cookie sheet until they are tender enough to eat.  While this is certainly a tasty and easy approach, it can get monotonous when you use the same preparation technique over and over.

Locally grown root vegetables

However, there is a real appeal to cooking these vegetables this way.  The high heat of the oven caramelizes the sugars that most root vegetables are full of and softens the bite of strong vegetables like parsnips.  Plus, it is easy to clean and chop the vegetables while the kids are napping, then simply toss them into the oven about an hour before dinner.  Vegetables are on the table and there was no complicated or labor intensive prep.

Marsala wine

In the name of maintaining the delicious simplicity of roasting, we decided to try this recipe for Marsala wine roasted root vegetables.  The addition of butter, thyme, sage, and Marsala wine adds a welcome complexity to the flavor of the roots.  The mix of sweet carrots and potatoes, sharp parsnips, and earthy turnips creates a nice balance to the dish.  Serve it alongside roasted pork or chicken for a lovely winter meal.

Herbed vegetables ready to roast

Marsala Roasted Root Vegetables

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Favorites

Ingredients:

1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks

1/2 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks

1/2 lb turnips, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks

1/2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks

1 tbls butter

1 tlbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried sage

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup Marsala wine

2 tbls chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

To Make:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil.  Add the carrots, parsnips, and turnips and simmer until the vegetables give slightly when pierced with a fork, about 4 minutes.  Drain well.

Place all the vegetables in a large roasting pan that has been lined with aluminum foil (for the sake of easy clean up).  In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.  Add the olive oil, thyme, sage, and nutmeg and stir to mix well.  Drizzle butter mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat evenly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour the Marsala wine into the bottom of the pan.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Roast for 40 minutes.  Remove the foil, toss the vegetables, and continue to roast, uncovered, until the Marsala evaporates and the vegetables can be easily pierced with a knife, 10-20 minutes more.  Remove vegetables to a platter and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

To Serve:

Serve immediately.  Serves 4 as a side dish.

Cherry Almond Galette

Cherry Almond Galette

After a brief hiatus, we are back with yet another recipe for something sweet… and something tart… and something rich.  All in one.  The beginnings of this recipe were conceived when Marc brought home two very random ingredients, a jar of Morello cherries and a tube of almond paste.  These two things sat in our pantry for over two months as we contemplate how to use them.

Cutting in the butter

Then one day I found this recipe for a fig tart, and then this one for a pear and cherry tart.  The wheels started to turn and we starting thinking about making some type of cherry and almond tart.  However, that idea was soon shelved because we a) don’t have a good recipe for a tart crust and b) we don’t own a tart pan. 

Ready to assemble

Then Marc had a brainstorm… we could make the go-to sour cream pastry dough that we have used with great success for previous galettes.  We decided to spread the dough with the almond paste mixed with a little flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.  We topped the almond mixture with the drained cherries, folded the dough over and baked it until the dough was browned, the almond mixture was puffed, and the cherries were bubbling.

Galette ready to bake

This galette is a mix of sweet and sour, rich and fruity.  The almond paste is sweet, the cherries are tart and fruity, the pastry is rich and buttery.  Together, they make for a complex dessert that is sure to impress your guests.  Make sure to save the juice you drain from the cherries.  We reduced it until it was thick and syrupy and drizzled it over the finished galette.

Freshly baked

Cherry Almond Galette

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup frozen unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup ice water

6 ounces almond paste

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp almond meal (you can substitute with all-purpose flour)

3 ounces butter (salted or unsalted) cubed at room temperature

1 large egg plus 1 egg white at room temperature

1 27.4 ounce jar Dark Morello Cherries in Light Syrup (Trader Joe’s sells these, if you can’t find them, you need about 12 ounces of sour cherries), drained with syrup reserved

2 tbls heavy cream

1 tbls granulated sugar

softly whipped heavy cream (optional)

To Make:

The Pastry

Put the flour and salt in a bowl.  Add the butter and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice, and water and add half of this mixture to the flour mixture.  With your finger tips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form.  Remove the lumps and repeat the process with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture.  Pat all the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To assemble

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Using a mixer, beat the almond paste, flour, and sugar until crumbly.  Gradually beat in the butter, until smooth, and then beat in the egg and the egg white. 

Lightly flour a pastry board or other work surface.  Roll out the dough into a rough circle about 12 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick.  This does not need to be perfect, part of the charm of galettes is that they are rustic.

Spread the almond mixture on to the pastry, leaving a 2 inch border.  Place the drained cherries on the almond mixture.  Fold dough border over the cherries and almond mixture, pleating as necessary.  The center will be open.  Brush the exposed edges of the dough with the cream and sprinkle with the sugar.  Bake on a lightly greased baking sheet for 35-45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cherries are bubbly.  Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.  Remove to a cutting board.

While the galette is cooking, pour the reserved cherry syrup into a small saucepan.  Set the heat to medium-high and boil until the liquid is reduced by 3/4 and is syrupy.  Watch it closely as it gets to the end as it can go from syrupy to burned pretty quickly.

To Serve: 

Cut the galette into wedges.  Serve topped with softly whipped cream and drizzled with the cherry syrup.  Serves 8.

Wayside Inn Corn Muffins

Wayside Inn Corn Muffins

And now for something a little different… something savory.  It seems like it has been all sweets, all the time around here lately.  I have been on a crazy cookie-making binge that finally seems to be coming to a close.  Rather than regale you all with even more sweet stuff, we thought we would share one of our favorite recipes for corn muffins. 

Muffin Batter

The recipe comes from the restaurant in Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA.  The Inn has been in existence since 1716 and is an historic landmark.  Down the road from the Inn is the historic grist mill that still grinds wheat and corn using the same process that has been used for centuries.  The stoneground corn meal that they produce is really delicious.  It has a light and fluffy consistency (unlike regular cornmeal which is like hard little pellets) and the flavor is much more corn-y.

Freshly Baked Corn Muffins

These muffins are a bit on the sweet side (which is how I like them) and have a bread-like texture.  It is worth it to seek out stoneground corn meal to use for these muffins as regular corn meal would change the texture.  Serve these up alongside some chili or another hearty stew. 

 Wayside Inn Corn Muffins

Recipe from Longfellow’s Wayside Inn 

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/3 cups stoneground corn meal

7 tsp baking powder

3 cups bread flour

1 1/2 cups cold milk

4 large eggs

1/2 cup neutral flavored vegetable oil

To Make:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Mix all ingredients but the oil for three minutes, using either the first speed of your mixer or by hand.  Slowly add the oil as you continue to mix for another three minutes. 

Fill well greased muffin tins to 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

To Serve:

Serve warm or room temperature.  Makes 18 muffins.  If you are interested in a spicier option, add in 1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapeno and 4 ounces softened cream cheese.  Yum.

Chocolate Tarts with Peppermint Creme

Chocolate Tarts with Peppermint Creme

It is officially December and I am In. The. Spirit.  It feels a little early to be so excited for Christmas… but I am.  Maybe it is because my maternity leave is winding down and I am feeling the urge to play homemaker for as long as I can.  Or maybe it is because Thing 1 is old enough this year to really “get” what the Christmas season is all about.  Whatever it is, I am in the mood to make all kinds of Christmas goodies. 

Chocolate and cream, what's not to love?

I spent the last week looking for some new recipes to try.  In addition to the traditional stuff I always make, fudge, sugar cookies, etc., I wanted to find delicious things to add to my repertoire.  I came across fun treats like Bourbon Balls and Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Cream, and then I found the recipe for these tarts on a pull-out flyer from McCormick in one of my magazines. 

Chocolate ganache

Peppermint whipped cream

Ho

Ho

Ho

Ho

Ho

These little tarts are perfect for the busy holiday season.  Not only are they delicious and pretty to look at, they are quick and easy to make.  The crispy phyllo tart shells contrasts nicely with the smooth chocolate ganache.  The mint creme on top adds a light finish.  Whip up a batch in less than half an hour and have an instant party treat or hostess gift.  To make storage easier, build and store the tarts in the plastic trays that the phyllo shells come in.  They keep for about a week in the refrigerator (though the shells lose some of their crispness over time) so you can make them when you have a few precious moments of free time. 

Mini phyllo shells

Chocolate Tarts with Peppermint Creme

Recipe from McCormick

Ingredients:

2 packages (15 shells each) frozen mini phyllo shells

1/3 cup plus 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 tbls sugar, divided

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

extra chocolate or crushed peppermint candies for garnish (if desired)

To Make:

Bake phyllo shells in a 350 degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp.  Let cool completely.

Chop chocolate and place in a microwave safe bowl with 1/3 cup heavy cream.  Microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring briefly after 30 seconds.  After the minute in the microwave, stir until all the chocolate is melted and the cream and chocolate are thoroughly combined.  Cool until ganache is thickened slightly, about five minutes.  Spoon a scant teaspoon of ganache into each phyllo cup.  Allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tbls of sugar until smooth.  In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to whip 3/4 cup of heavy cream, remaining two tbls of sugar, and peppermint extract until the cream holds stiff peaks.  Stir half the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until smooth.  Gently fold in remaining whipped cream.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of creme onto each tart.  Alternatively, use a piping bag and wide tip to pipe the creme onto each tart.  I found that I had creme left over.

To Serve:

Garnish with shaved chocolate and/or crushed peppermint candies if desired.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Bourbon Balls

Bourbon Balls

Thanksgiving is over but the marathon holiday season has only just begun.  If you are anything like me, you inevitably find yourself with a lot of things you want to do and a lot of (fun) commitments, but not a lot of time.  No matter how crunched for time I get, when the cookie bug bites, I have to respond.  Thankfully, I found this recipe for Bourbon Balls. 

Mmm, bourbon

These little gems whip up quickly, taste delicious, and only get better as they sit.  Plus, they have the added benefit of making you feel like you are having a nice stiff drink with your dessert.  And who doesn’t need a drink now and then during the holidays?

Making the balls

Bourbon Balls

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided

2 tbls unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa

1/4 cup bourbon (use the good stuff because it is the predominant flavor in the cookies)

2 tbls light corn syrup

2 1/2 crushed vanilla wafers (about 10 ounces of whole cookies)

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

To Make:

Sift 1 cup of powdered sugar and the cocoa powder together into a medium bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the bourbon and corn syrup until well blended.  Stir the bourbon mixture into the sugar and cocoa.

Crush the vanilla wafers in a food processor or by putting them into a plastic zip top bag and crushing with a rolling pin until the cookies are medium-fine crumbs.  Stir the cookies and pecans together and add them to the sugar and bourbon mixture until well combined.  The dough will be crumbly.

Using your hands, roll 1-inch balls of the mixture.  Don’t be afraid to work it a little bit to make sure the balls are stuck together.  Roll each ball in the remaining powdered sugar.

To Serve:

Makes approximately 40 balls.  Store at room temperature in an airtight plastic container with a layer of parchment or wax paper in between.  They will store for up to 3 weeks and get better as they age.

Russian Cabbage Soup

Russian Cabbage Soup

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.  We went to my mom’s and spent a few days with her and all of my siblings (there are 5 of us).  It was a lot of fun and there was a lot of food.  After four days of eating nothing but pies, cookies, brownies, whipped cream, mac and cheese, stuffed shells, and of course, turkey with all the fixings, Marc and I were feeling a little like we had food hangovers.  Arriving back home, we both felt the need to detox a little.  For us, this means eating things like soup, fresh bread, and lots of vegetables.

Soup ingredients

Personally, I couldn’t stop thinking about cabbage soup.  While that may seem like a strange thing to obsess about, I just knew that it was exactly what I needed to cure my food hangover.  I went searching on the Internet to find myself a recipe.  I started with one of my favorite food blogger sites, Smitten Kitchen.  Indeed, there was a very interesting recipe for cabbage soup.  Using that as my starting point, I found a few other recipes with interesting components that I incorporated. 

Chopped vegetables

The result is a hearty and delicious cabbage soup with tomato, celery, carrots, onion, and (obviously) cabbage.  Beef and beef stock add meaty flavor while the inclusion of sauerkraut and some white wine vinegar add a pleasing tanginess.  The vegetables are cooked but still retain some of their texture.  While this soup takes a little while to make, it is really easy.  Served with some crusty bread, it is the perfect meal for a wintery Sunday dinner… and an excellent way to rebound from the holiday gluttony. 

Simmering soup

Russian Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups beef stock

4 cups water

1 lb ground beef

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon marjoram

3 whole allspice berries

1 cup sauerkraut plus 2 tbls juice

1 medium potato, diced

2 medium carrots, finely diced

3 ribs celery, finely diced

1 small onion, finely diced

2 cups fresh cabbage, thinly shredded (about half a large head of cabbage)

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained (or 1 lb fresh tomatoes, peeled, cored, and chopped)

2 tbls white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

To Make:

In a large soup pot, bring stock and water to a boil.  Add bay leaves, marjoram, and allspice.  Break the ground beef into small pieces and add it to the pot.  Turn the heat down and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about one hour.

Remove the ground beef and set aside.  Skim off most of the fat from the stock.  Add the sauerkraut and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the potato and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the cabbage, carrots, onions, celery, and tomatoes (including the juice) and simmer for 20 minutes.  Return the beef to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat, stir in the sauerkraut juice, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. 

To serve:

Serve hot with additional vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and/or sour cream as desired.  Serves 6-8.

Sweet Potato Muffins

Sweet Potato Muffins

Do you know the Muffin Man?  No, I don’t either.  Personally I am somewhat ambivalent about muffins.  I think that many times, they try to be too much – cake, breakfast pastry, quick bread – but end up not being particularly good at any of it.  The monstrous muffins that are routinely served at coffee shops are too often dry or crumbly or dense without much flavor.  When I eat a muffin, I like it to be moist and tender with a light sweetness that doesn’t overpower my tea.  

Mashed sweet potato

Muffin batter

 

 

 

 

 

When I came across this recipe for sweet potato muffins, I knew that I needed to try them.  In addition to being really simple to make, the sweet potato adds moistness and flavor while the mix of white and wheat flours and flax seed meal adds a nice nuttiness.  Plus, since we are heading out on a (long) road trip for Thanksgiving, I wanted to have some easy and delicious road food to keep us all full and happy.  These muffins fit the bill nicely.

Ready for the oven

The texture of these is great.  They are light and springy, not dense and dry.  They are sweet enough that Thing 1 loves them, especially the mini ones which she refers to as “baby muffins”, but not too sweet for me or Marc.  So if you are boiling up some sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, boil one extra and make these muffins for the morning after. 

Mmm, freshly baked

Sweet Potato Muffins

Adapted from this recipe

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato (about 1 1/3 cups mashed)

1 stick of butter (salted or unsalted), softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup flax seed meal

1 tbls wheat bran

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated is preferable)

1 tsp salt (use only if you are using unsalted butter, otherwise omit)

cooking spray or muffin papers

4 tsp sugar mixed with 1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon for topping (optional)

To Make:

Peel and cube the sweet potato.  Place in boiling water to cover and simmer until tender when poked with a knife, about 15 minutes.  Drain and mash.  You should have about 1 and 1/3 cups of mashed potato.  Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl whisk together the flours, flax seed meal, wheat bran, baking soda, spices, and salt (if using).

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter until light in color.  Add the sugars and cream until light and fluffy.  Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated.  Next add the milk, vanilla, and sweet potato and mix until well combined.  The batter will look slightly curdled.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.

Fill prepared muffin tins about three-quarters full.  Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar if desired.  Bake in the 350 degree oven until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean, about 14 minutes for mini muffins and 18 minutes for regular ones.  Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To Serve:

These muffins are great as breakfast or as a snack.  They are particularly nice for kids because they taste yummy but at least hint at healthiness.  The original recipe says it makes 12 muffins but they must be the huge ones you get in coffee shops because I made 12 regular muffins and 12 mini muffins from the same amount of batter.