Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [36]
3 To make the topping, combine the sugar and anise seeds in a small bowl. Sprinkle each muffin with ½ teaspoon of the sugar mixture, and top with the pistachios.
4 Bake until the muffins are nicely domed and lightly golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, and then gently twist the muffins out of the pan. Eat warm or at room temperature.
TO GET A HEAD START: These muffins freeze well for up to 1 month.
TO VARY IT: Use chopped toasted walnuts or toasted slivered almonds in place of the pistachios.
TO LIGHTEN IT UP: Omit the sugar in the batter for a less-sweet morning muffin—or as an excuse to add your favorite jam.…
BRANDIED APRICOT BUTTER
Everyone needs to have at least one delicious breakfast butter in his or her culinary repertoire. Laced with jam or with herbs, these so-called compound butters add a luxurious touch to breakfast with minimal effort. On my brunch table, they are always spiked. But freshly squeezed orange juice can replace the spirits if you have children. No brandy? Use citrus-flavored Grand Marnier or limoncello liqueur. I generously spread this butter on Date-Apricot Muffins with Anise or on Orange-Scented Scones with Dark Chocolate. MAKES ¾ CUP
½ cup (4 ounces, 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup good-quality apricot preserves
2 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
Pinch of fine sea salt
Using the back of a wooden spoon or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the preserves, brandy, orange zest, and salt and beat until well combined. Chill until firm. Bring to room temperature before serving. The butter will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
ALWAYS FRESH CITRUS ZEST ON HAND
When using citrus zest for cooking, I prefer to use unwaxed organic fruit, but they come at a price and are not always available. So whenever I find organic citrus, I keep the peels when I eat the fruit, storing them in a small clear plastic bag in the cheese drawer of the fridge. Leave the bag open to allow for air circulation. The peels will typically last for a couple of weeks. Yes, it is a bit more cumbersome to zest peels without the fruit, but it beats having no good-quality zest at all.
Fig Muffins with Creamy Goat Cheese Filling
The inspiration for these muffins came to me in the wee hours of a sleepless night. I had been mulling for days over a creamy blissful filling when the classic Mediterranean pairing of sweet dried figs and tangy goat cheese came to mind. This is such a winning match that you should try it, even if goat cheese is normally not your thing. Just be sure to look for a mild kind. Of course, you may use cream cheese instead.
The creaminess of goat cheese can vary considerably, as my testers discovered. To get a lush, creamy center, you might have to add up to 2 tablespoons of buttermilk to the filling. But don’t worry—even if the filling isn’t as creamy as it should be, it will still taste delicious. Just make a note for next time. MAKES 12 MUFFINS
FILLING
¾ cup crumbled mild soft goat cheese (3 ounces), at room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
MUFFINS
2 cups white whole wheat flour (8½ ounces)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup packed dark or light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup lowfat buttermilk
1 cup chopped dried figs, preferably Turkish or Greek, stemmed (about 10)
3 tablespoons turbinado or granulated sugar, for sprinkling
SEE MEASURING WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR
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