Cherry Lemon Muffins #MuffinMonday

Chock full of fresh cherries with a hit of tart lemon, these muffins go equally well with a cup of tea or coffee or even a glass of milk, making breakfast or snack time special. 

I started doing Muffin Monday almost three years ago today with this Banana Bacon Peanut Butter Chip Muffin. Until these last few weeks, when I’ve been traveling, I had not missed a single week since then. Even so, this is my 150th Muffin Monday!  Muffins are so easy to bake. They can be relatively healthy, made with less sugar than a cupcake with none of the cloyingly sweet icing that a cupcake requires, the batter filled with a variety of fruit, nuts and other add-ins like chocolate, bacon, jam and cheese. Yes, the flexible muffin can be sweet or savory. If you tell me you can’t bake, I’m going to suggest you start with muffins. One bowl holds your wet ingredients, the other your dry. Mix them together and bake. Nothing is more simple yet creates a fluffy, tender baked good in under 30 minutes.

For the first time in many years, cherries in Houston are on sale for $1.87 a pound which is less than one dollar per kilo. And I just can’t get enough of them! This muffin is a celebration of the seasonal Bing cherries, brightened with fresh lemon juice and zest. I baked them yesterday morning and, after they cooled, popped them in a plastic container to take along to the beach. It was a lovely day, watching my little nieces seine for fish with their father on Galveston Bay, while chatting with my sister, mother and daughter from the high perch of their beautiful front porch, where the wind cooled us off and the sea view went on forever and ever.

Ingredients
2 cups or 250g flour
1/2 cup or 115g sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small lemon (for zest and 4 teaspoons juice)
2 eggs
3/4 cup or 180ml milk
1/3 cup or 75ml canola or other light oil
5 2/3 oz or 160g 125g pitted fresh cherries (about 3/4 cup once quartered)

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.  Butter or grease your muffin pan or line it with paper liners.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Grate in the lemon zest and mix.

Juice your lemon. Quarter your cherries and set 12 pieces aside for topping the muffins.

Put the bigger pile of cut cherries in the flour mixture and toss well to cover.

In another smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and lemon juice.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until just mixed through.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cups in pan.  Top with reserved cherry quarters.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.  Allow them to cool for a few minutes then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Blackberry Cream Cheese Muffins #MuffinMonday

Blackberry Cream Cheese Muffins are sweet muffins made with fresh blackberries, small chunks of cream cheese and lemon zest. They are perfect for breakfast or snack time. You wanna put a glaze on ‘em, go ahead, but they don’t need it.

The last time I made blackberry muffins with cheese, we were still living in Egypt and they were savory with goat’s cheese and thyme. The blackberries added little bites of sweet that were very welcome and worked beautifully with the goat’s cheese.

This time I decided to go sweet, but not too sweet since, remember, these are muffins, not cupcakes. But I still felt the need to add a little something extra and cream cheese is perfect. We put it in savory dishes; we add it to cheesecakes and other desserts. Delicious either way.

Ingredients
2 cups or 250g flour
1/2 cup or 100g sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup or 180ml milk
1/2 cup or 120ml canola or other light oil
2 eggs
Zest 1 lemon
3 1/2 oz or 100g cream cheese
3 1/2 oz or 100g fresh blackberries

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin tin by lightly rubbing it with oil or use non-stick spray to coat or lining it with paper liners.  When I am baking with cheese, I tend to forgo the papers because the cheese can stick to it.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Then whisk the milk, oil and eggs together in a smaller mixing bowl.

Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add them to the flour mixture. Stir well to coat.

Cut the large blackberries in half or thirds, leaving any little ones whole.

Set aside 12 pieces for popping on top of the muffins before baking and put the rest in the flour bowl. Once again, stir well to make sure the blackberries are coated with flour.

Add your lemon zest to the dry ingredients and stir again.

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ones and fold until just combined.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups and top with the reserved blackberry pieces.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the pan then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Pin Blackberry Cream Cheese Muffins!

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Black Cherry Muffins #MuffinMonday

 

Cherry muffins are good, no matter what the season. Make muffins with the ones in cans and don't forget to add some of the cherry syrup for more flavor!

Today we had a baking session at my house which included savory cheddar muffins with a salami base, a dozen of Uncle Hector’s 100 Cookies (so called because there are 100 ways to make them) and then, finally, we baked a sweet muffin with canned cherries. You might think that all the baked goods were the best part, but actually, it was the chatting amongst the ladies. Such a delight to have friends around the small table in my cozy kitchen.

Ingredients
2 cups or 250g flour
1/2 cup or 100g sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (425g or 15oz) black pitted cherries, in light syrup (drained weight 213g or 7 1/2 oz)
2 eggs
1/2 cup or 120ml milk
1/2 cup or 120ml light cherry syrup (from the drained can of pitted cherries)
1/3 cup or 80ml canola oil

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and grease your 12-cup muffin pan liberally with non-stick spray or butter or line it with paper muffin cups.

Measure your flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl and mix well.

Drain your cherries and save the light syrup.

Set aside 12 cherries for decoration and cut the rest of them in half.  This serves two purposes: One, it make the cherry pieces smaller and less likely to all sink to the bottom of your batter when baking, and two, it ensures that all the pits have indeed been removed. No one wants to break a tooth!

Add the halved cherries to the flour mixture and stir to coat.

Measure the milk, 1/2 cup or 120ml light cherry syrup and oil into a smaller bowl and whisk with the eggs.

Fold your wet ingredients into your dry ones until just mixed.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and top each one with a reserved cherry.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown around the edges and a little on the tops.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Cool completely out of the pan on a wire rack.

Now invite some friends over for tea and coffee and share.

Enjoy!

Chipotle Cheddar Sweet Potato Muffins #MuffinMonday

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add a lovely smoky spiciness to these sharp cheddar muffins made with roasted sweet potatoes.

Chipotle peppers in adobe sauce are a great ingredient for adding flavor and spice to many dishes but though they come packed in small cans, I never seem to use the whole can for any recipe. So I pour the leftovers in a plastic bag and roll it up like a tube and pop it in the freezer. Then it’s easy to slice off however much you need for the next recipe. We loved these muffins so much that I'd open another can just to make them again.

Ingredients
1 whole roasted sweet potato (about 8oz or 225g)
1/4 cup or 60ml canola or other light oil
2 cups or 250g flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
5 1/3 oz or 150g extra sharp cheddar, grated
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup or 180ml milk

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your muffin pan by greasing it or lining it paper muffin cups.

Peel your sweet potato and mash it with a fork.

Add in the eggs, milk and oil and whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add in all but a generous handful of the cheddar and mix thoroughly.

Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold them together until just mixed.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.  Top with the remaining grated cheddar.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the muffins are golden.

Allow to cool for a couple of minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Cheese in Ham Muffins #MuffinMonday

These guys are savory muffins, replete with cheese, baked in a ham cup. Nuff said. They might not cure what ails you, but they help.

This has been a shite week, as my British friends would say. No kidding. Bad news on several fronts. And while some people eat chocolate or turn to liquid consolation, I tend to bake and pray. And I try to understand why some things happen the way they do. To nice people. And why some nice people DO the things they do. When the decision is so obviously detrimental. So, as I said, I pray about it. For health, for understanding, for acceptance, for direction. And I bake stuff that I want to eat. Which means that this week, it’s a savory muffin. Can’t say I’m feeling a whole lot better, but at least I’m not hungry on top of that. How do you console yourself? All suggestions welcome.

Ingredients
1/8-1/4 cup or 30-60ml olive oil
12 slices thin cut ham, plus 1 more for garnish (I used the Oscar Mayer Delifresh stuff.)
2 cups or 250g flour
7oz or 200g strong and bitey cheese, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup or 240ml milk
1/4 cup or 60ml canola or other light oil

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by greasing it liberally with the olive oil using a pastry brush.

Line each muffin cup with a circle of ham.

Cut the cheese into small chunks and set aside a good handful for putting on top of the muffins before baking. (Cut the rind off and discard, if there's a rind.) Cut the extra slice of ham into pieces.

In a large bowl, mix together your flour, the bigger pile of cheese, baking powder and salt, making sure that the cheese is well coated in flour and is not sticking together in clumps.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together your eggs, milk and oil.

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients stir until just mixed.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups, holding the ham up on one side with a finger while you spoon the batter in, if necessary.

Top each with the reserved smaller pile of cheese and a piece or two of ham.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for a few minutes and then run a knife around the muffin pan to set the muffins free. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

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Coconut White Chocolate Muffins #MuffinMonday #CandyBarSeries

Start with a white chocolate bar crunchy with bits of coconut, add more coconut and coconut milk powder, then all the usual muffin ingredients like eggs and oil and flour. What you get is one delightfully coconutty muffin with bits of sweet white chocolate. Perfect for breakfast or snack time.

This week everyone is using Easter leftovers for recipes (myself included, if you count the savory tart I posted yesterday) but shocking through you might find it, I don’t have any leftover Easter candy. I did buy plenty, of course, but I made up gift bags for my girls while I was visiting the US and left almost all of it behind. My husband got a small basket – my Bread Bakers will appreciate this because I used my new banneton meant for proofing dough – and I imagine he’ll eat it all before long.

Yes, we do own Easter baskets. And, yes, I do crack myself up.

So I am dipping back into my secret stash of candy bars for these muffins, the fourth in what I am calling my Candy Bar Series, made with a white chocolate bar full, and I mean, so very full of coconut that there is no square millimeter of the chocolate that doesn’t have bits of coconut in it. I’m actually beginning to like white chocolate now. Alone it is cloyingly sweet, but with lemon and now coconut, it’s good. And it makes a tender, fabulous muffin.

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups or 190g flour
2 1/8 oz or 60g coconut milk powder
1/2 cup or 100g sugar
1/2 cup, packed, or 60g freshly grated coconut plus extra for decorating
3 1/2 oz or 100g white chocolate coconut candy bar
2 eggs
3/4 cup or ml milk
1/2 cup or 120ml canola or other light oil

Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C and either grease your 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper liners.

Chop your candy bar up into bits.

In one big mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, coconut milk powder sugar, grated coconut, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In another small bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and oil.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

There should still be some dry flour showing.  Separate out 12 pieces of candy bar to put on top the batter when baking.

Fold the rest of the chocolate into the batter.

Divide the batter between your 12 prepared muffin cups.

Top with a sprinkle of fresh coconut and one piece of white chocolate bar.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for a few minutes. Take the muffins out of the pan and continue cooling on the rack.

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite candy bar? Which candy bar would you like to see made into a muffin?