First up, I wanted to try to replicate a ginger muffin I had at a coffee shop here. I've never had a muffin made with fresh ginger, but it was delicious. I added apples and used a lemon glaze instead of plain....and I must say it turned out better. Warning -you really have to like ginger to love this recipe. And, it's not so much a muffin, but rather cake in the shape of a muffin. Next time I may try adding grated carrot....
Ginger Apple Muffins with Lemon Glaze
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled & finely chopped
½ cup brown sugar
1 juicy lemon, finely grated or chopped zest from this lemon
½ stick butter, room temp
¼ cup white sugar
1 egg
½ buttermilk (or a milk/yogurt combo to make ½ cup)
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
A couple of shakes of cinnamon, cloves, and/or nutmeg, depending on your preference
1 large or 2 small apples, peeled & chopped
For the glaze:
The juice from above lemon
About ½ cup Powdered sugar
1) Heat oven to 375 F. Grease muffin cups or use baking cups. This recipe is small – makes 6 big muffins.
2) In the smallest saucepan you have, combine the ginger, brown sugar and lemon zest. Over low heat, melt the sugar. Constantly stir and make sure you don’t burn or boil it! This will infuse the ginger/lemon flavours in the sugar. Let cool completely.
3) In a large bowl, beat butter and the ¼ cup white sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, one at a time.
4) Stir in the buttermilk or yogurt, vanilla, and the ginger-sugar mixture.
5) Stir in the dry ingredients, just until mixed. Fold in the apple.
6) Scoop into muffin cups. If there’s a little left over, you may have to lick the bowl clean.
7) Bake 16 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned and springy to the touch. Let cool completely. This is important so the glaze doesn’t run everywhere!
8) While muffins bake, mix lemon juice and powdered sugar until you have a thick glaze consistency.
Glaze the cool muffins, and let the glaze dry if you have the patience! Enjoy with a nice cup of tea with milk. :-)
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The next day, I decided to make biscotti. I hardly ever make them, because it's time consuming. But I do have some time on my hands so I went for it. Something for us to have with our coffee & tea. With the whole wheat and not much sugar, these are relatively healthy (if you leave out the chocolate, but what good is that!). The dough turned out pretty well, and you can use it as a base for whatever additions you made have in the cupboard. I used macadamia nuts and white and dark chocolate. I chopped up candy bars, becuase they don't have 15 kinds of chips in the baking section of our grocery store. The chunks turned out well!
Whole Wheat Biscotti, with Nuts and Chocolate Chunks
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Choose 2 or 3 of the following:
¼ cup dark chocolate
¼ cup white chocolate
¼ cup chopped macadamia nuts
(OR almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, etc)
¼ cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, blueberries, etc)
1) Whisk together the wet ingredients plus sugar.
2) Blend in the dry ingredients just until mixed, then fold in your additions.
3) Shape in to a big log, and pop in the oven at 300° F (about 150° C) for 35 minutes.
4) Let cool for about 10-15 minutes, then cut in to the biscotti pieces.
5) Back into the oven, with the cut side facing the sheet, for 15 to 20 more minutes at 275° F (about 135° C).
6) Let cool and they should be nice and crisp! Perfect for dunking.
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In other news, I really HAVE been productive this week! In addition to workouts and fun household chores and meeting with one job recruiter......I've done several of the Canon lessons, Photoshop lessons, and French lessons at home.
More soon.....Karen
MMMMMM. Can I come over?
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