Day 82 - Buttermilk Pecan Muffins

    
     I'm going to keep today's post short because I'm feeling a little achy.  We have a bug that has invaded our home and has some of us quite under the weather.  So I'm going to make this a quick one and retire for some much needed slumber. 
     I adapted this recipe from my Fannie Farmer Cookbook, p. 541; author, Marion Cunningham; publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., a division of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 0-394-56788-9.

     Buttermilk Pecan Muffins - makes 12 muffins

     2 cups white flour
     1 tablespoon baking powder
     ½ teaspoon salt
     2 tablespoons sugar
     1 egg slightly beaten
     1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (for sour milk - use 1 tablespoon vinegar for 1 cup of milk and let sit for 10-15 minutes)
     ¼ cup melted butter

     Preheat oven to 375ºF.
     Butter muffin pans.
     Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
     Add the egg, buttermilk, and butter, stirring only enough to dampen the flour; the batter should not be smooth.  Spoon into the muffin pans, filling each cup about two-thirds full.

     Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

     Pecan Muffins.  Use ¼ cup sugar.  Add ½ cup chopped pecans to the batter.  In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ cup chopped pecans. 

After filling the cups, sprinkle sugar, cinnamon and pecan mixture on muffin tops.

     I printed the full recipe which will make 12 muffins, but I halved it because I only wanted 6 of them.  I liked these, as did my son.  My husband hasn't had one, yet.  I have a rating system based on a scale of 1-4.  These muffins earned 3 rolling pins.  They were moist on the inside and I really liked the chopped pecans throughout the muffin.  I also really liked the topping.
     Happy baking!

Day 9 - Buttermilk Scones with Strawberry Jam

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This morning I made Buttermilk Scones filled with Strawberry Jam.  I'm not a big scone eater.  They've always been a little too dry for me.  So, maybe by making something I'm not too nuts about I'll eat less of them.  See, there is a method to my madness.  This one is again from Baking with Julia written by Dorie Greenspan, publisher William Morrow and Co., Inc., ISBN: 0-688-14657-0, pg. 210.    I had a choice of making them either triangular or rolled, but I chose the rolled so that they could be filled.  Also, the recipe calls for buttermilk, but I didn't have any on hand, so I made my own which is very easy to do.  Pour one cup of milk into a measuring cup and add 1 tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice.  Mix together and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

  

Buttermilk Scones


*I have voluntarily deleted this recipe because I copied it before I had permission to do so from the publisher.  I'll will repost if I do receive the go-ahead.  Until then, I've given the book information, an image and the link from the Amazon website.* 




The dough rolled out and flattened.
  

     The strawberry jam spread on half of the dough before being rolled.

This was the tricky part.  First of all, I did not use all the ½ stick of melted butter nor the ¼ cup sugar (probably had 1 tablespoon of each leftover).  I didn't want to use all of the sugar because I figured the jam would be sweet enough with just a little.  The challenge was in the rolling the whole thing together.  As I rolled it, of course the jam started to migrate towards the side that was bare and when putting the two sides together, it was hard to close the seam because the jam was in the way.  When I rolled the dough seam side down, I GENTLY rolled it a little like a rolling pin and that seemed to help.  Then for some odd reason I had this vision of a sea cucumber pop into my head.  I have no idea, not even relevant!  


     After being rolled and cut with seam side down.

     Ready for the oven.  

 I ended up having a couple darker (not burnt) than I would have liked them.  At the end of 12 minutes, some looked just about done, others not so much, so I left them in for another 2 minutes.  Then, wouldn't you know it, this unmistakable smell of burning strawberry jam wafted from the oven.  Need a chisel to take that off the cookie sheets.
     Ready to be enjoyed with a cup of tea.  After all, isn't that the English way?  Remember, pinky up!

I'm finding that this baking exercise (hmm, that's rather oxymoronic) has been therapeutic.  I really enjoy the tactile experience of kneading and using my hands.  And I'm actually getting them dirty, which for me is a big thing because I usually can't stand the way that feels.  It's like the sand at the beach - I'm shivering just thinking about it. YUCK!  I'm from the Ocean State and can't stand the beach, nor the desert sand for that matter.  Someone must have buried me in it as a child and I've been traumatized.  Oh, and when it's in my BEDSHEETS??!!  Anyway, doing this is really making me focused and has a calming effect.  Haha, I become one with the dough.  I really am looking forward to what this year brings with this project.  I think the best part though, is sharing the goodies.
     It's Friday! I hope you all have a wonderful and safe weekend.  Enjoy the Superbowl, and happy baking!