Chocolate-Glazed Ginger-Pumpkin Muffins

People gets excited at the beginning of fall season, because they can now order pumpkin spice latte.  I usually don't do that on purpose; if I was in the vicinity of Starbucks and it's a convenient time for me to buy it then I'll buy it.  Most likely I'll forget to buy it when it's in season.  But don't get me wrong, I love pumpkin in baked goods.  My husband and son aren't crazy for pumpkins though, especially in form of pumpkin pie; but if I made it into muffins, pancakes, or cakes, they'll be happy to eat it.

This week I made these muffins and also pumpkin pancakes.  The muffins were all gone but I had the pancakes in the freezer for the weekend.  I didn't use canned pumpkin since I had pulp from homegrown kabocha and blue kuri that my parents grew.  I had them baked until soft so the flesh can be scraped easily.  I think steaming it works too, I've just never tried it.

These muffins are great for after school snacks or even for after dinner desserts.  I'm very fond of crystallized ginger and to add tiny morsels of those on top of the muffins is a brilliant idea.

Chocolate-Glazed Ginger-Pumpkin Muffins

Makes 16 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
Chocolate Glaze--recipe below
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line sixteen muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside.  In a medium bowl combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

In a small bowl stir together the pumpkin, melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs.  Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.  Stir until just moistened (batter should be lumpy).  Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean.  Remove muffins from muffin cups; cool completely on a wire rack.

Dip the tops of the muffins into the Chocolate Glaze, allowing excess glaze to drip off.  Place dipped muffins upright on the wire rack.  Sprinkle tops of muffins with chopped crystallized ginger.  Let stand about 30 minutes or until glaze sets.


Chocolate Glaze
In a medium saucepan heat 1/2 cup whipping cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and, if desired, 1 tablespoon orange-flavor liqueur over medium-high heat just until boiling.  Remove from heat.  Add 6 ounces chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate.  Do not stir.  Let stand for 5 minutes; stir until smooth.

To store:  Place muffins in a single layer in an airtight container.  Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.


Source:  adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Baking

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

When life gives you blueberries, you'll make blueberry muffins, won't you?  I've abundant blueberries right now and since last week I've made blueberry pancakes to use them up.  The two blueberry plants in the backyard won't stop producing even some fruits fell to the ground.  One produces slightly sour and smaller fruits whereas the second one yields sweeter and bigger fruits.  I've never had to pick or buy blueberries for many years to come!

One of my favorite things to make with blueberries is muffins.  I like soft, fluffy and slightly sweet muffins to be the backdrop of juicy, sweet, some tart blueberry fruits.  These are good for breakfast, but don't let it stop you from eating it for snack as well.  

I like this recipe from America's Test Kitchen baking book, it's a great base muffin recipe that can be used for a variety of fruits or nuts fillings and it always makes good size muffins with soft texture.  I had last bit of Nancy's honey yogurt in my fridge (Nancy's a local yogurt company, based in Eugene, OR) and that's what I used to make these babies.  Often time I don't have yogurt but sour cream, and I think that works out well too.  Because of the soft texture of the muffins, I leave them longer in the pan after they're done baking.  That way, it'll hold its shape well when it's taken out.  

I also sprinkled some cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of the muffins to give them extra flavor.  Any little touch will make these muffins extra special :)

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups whole plain yogurt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 ½ cups fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Cinnamon-sugar mixture, optional

Place a rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 375F.  Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.  Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt, eggs, lemon zest, and melted butter until smooth.  Gently fold the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined, then fold in the blueberries.

Using a greased ice cream scooper, portion the batter into each muffin cup.  Scatter some cinnamon-sugar mixture if desired.  Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Source:  The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

Lavender Scones

I read the other day about the summer days being over; what that meant was we'd say goodbye to barbecues, picnics, beach outings, tank tops, long vacation, and lazy days.  The list is certainly long, isn't it?  But I get it  and I'm certainly sad about leaving summer as well.  Yet a few days ago when someone gave me a couple of gingersnap cookies, I was left with a wanting of the fall to be here.  I suddenly crave for the flavors of fall: ginger, cinnamon, apples, pears, and pumpkin.  And the beautiful colors of turning leaves.

This post isn't about fall flavors yet, this is about lavender scones that I made to complete a leftover lemon curd.  The scones were soft and tender, and they were required to be consumed warm, out of the oven.  There is a pot of a lavender plant just outside of my kitchen where they are still blooming right now.  Whenever I brush the flowers with a water hose, they exude this fragrant smell.  Faint but just right.  It's the same with the scones; the lavender smell is faint in them but if I get a bite of the dried speck, there's no question it is there.  The lemon curd was a leftover from a batch I made for Zupan's fall/winter edition of Indulge magazine.  It tasted eggy, soft, and zingy from the lemon, but unfortunately I wouldn't be able to post the recipe here yet.  I will update the post when the magazine comes out later.

Lavender Scones

Makes 16

3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon dried lavender buds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sanding or granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups store-bought or homemade lemon curd

Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk 3 cups flour and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter; rub in with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Whisk 1 cup buttermilk, zest, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir until shaggy dough forms.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface; knead until dough forms, about 5 turns. Pat into a 10x6" rectangle. Halve dough lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 4 squares. Cut each square diagonally in half into 2 triangles. Divide between baking sheets. Brush with 2 Tbsp. buttermilk. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Bake until scones are golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 13–15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon curd.

Source: Bon Appétit, May 2012

Dried Cherry-Almond Scones--Bake sale #3

The third item in my bake sale tray: dried cherry-almond scones.  Traditional scones are plain, eaten with jams and clotted cream.  Modernized scones are colorful, with dried fruits, chocolate chunks, fresh fruits, and nuts.  There is nothing wrong of wanting to eat the original flavor, and at other times, the modernized version.

The important thing is to keep the texture of the scones light and tender, flaky and buttery; it should be crumbly in your mouth.  This scones is small in size but big in flavor, I actually like the recipe that it uses buttermilk instead of milk or cream, it makes the dough light inside with crusty exterior.  Almost like biscuits, ooh...I love biscuits :)

Dried Cherry-Almond Scones

Makes 16 small rectangular scones



2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar, divide

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds

2/3 cup buttermik

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Parchment paper



Preheat oven to 400 degree F.  Stir together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; cut int butter with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly.  Stir in cherries and almonds.

Whisk together buttermilk, 1 egg, and almond extract; add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture forms a shaggy dough.

Use floured hands to pat dough into a 1/2-inch thick, 10-x7-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; cut into 16 rectangles.  Place scone dough on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Whisk together remaining egg and 1 teaspoon water.  Brush scones with egg wash; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.



Source:  adapted from 2009 Christmas with Southern Living

Cheesy Potato Corn Scones

The weather has been nice, there's no rain in the forecast for several days, life has been good, why not baking something cheesy?  :)  I'm going back to baking for fun again and I like it so much, thank you.

For a long time I haven't participated in any blogging events,  that I almost forgot that it's supposed to be a fun activity to  do--in my leisure time when I have it.  The annual World  Bread Day is one of them; Zorra, the founder of the event  reminded many of us the food bloggers to participate in this  event this year.  It's the fifth one, and I'm certainly grateful  for her nudge for I haven't been a faithful participant.

Since time is short, just like the fall days ahead, I decided to  bake something quick as well.  It's quick but big in flavor and  it's tender-warm-cheesy-potatoey scones.  Bite into it and  you'll find pockets of cheesy morsels along with the  crunchines of cornmeal and poppy seed.  Scones may not be  hip but it's the food that feeds the soul.

Cheesy Potato Corn Scones

Makes 8 scones



2/3 cup water

2/3 cup instant mashed potato flakes

1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, diced

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/2 cup milk



Lightly greased a baking sheet; set aside.  In a small saucepan, bring the water just to a simmer; remove from heat.  Stir in potato flakes until moistened.  Stir in butter until it's incorporated to potato flakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, 3/4 cup of the cheese, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds; stir in potato mixture and milk.  With floured hand, gently knead and fold the dough for five to six strokes, or until the dough comes together in one mass.  Pat the dough lightly to flatten it into a 9-inch circle on prepared baking sheet.  Cut dough into eight wedges using a pizza cutter or floured knife (do not separate).  Sprinkle edges with remaining cheese.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Gently pull or cut scones to separate.  Serve warm.



Source:  adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Baking 2009