Mile-High Buttermilk Biscuits

Tags

biscuits, bread, butter, buttermilk, Cook's Illustrated

I love biscuits and scones. There’s something about butter and flour being mixed into a fluffy, tender baked good that is just divine. Now I’ve made other biscuits before (including pumpkin of course!), and those were awesome, too, but I just can’t help but try new recipes. These are relatively simple as far as biscuits go, though being a Cook’s Illustrated recipe they do have some additional steps. They’re essentially drop biscuits, and they kind of bake up like pull-apart rolls.The results are nothing short of biscuit perfection. They’re light and delicious and were the perfect choice to bake up while my weeknight bolognese cooked on the stove. If you’re like me, constantly looking for new biscuit (or any bread) recipes, give this a try. You won’t be disappointed!One Year Ago: Pizza Dough and Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Mile-High Buttermilk Biscuits
Yield: 12 biscuits

Dough
2 cups (10-ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1½ cups low-fat buttermilk

For Shaping and Finishing
1 cup (5-ounces) all-purpose flour, distributed on a rimmed baking sheet
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan and the inside and outside of a ¼ cup measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray.

To make the dough: In a food processor bowl fitted with the metal blade, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda; pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter, dispersing evenly over the dry ingredients, then pulse 8 to 10 times, or until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Pour the flour-butter mixture into a large bowl; add the buttermilk and stir with a rubber spatula just until everything is incorporated. The dough will be wet, sticky, and somewhat lumpy.

To form the biscuits: Use the prepared ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop level ¼ cup mounds of dough, then drop them into the flour on the baking sheet. Continue until all the dough has been scooped (there should be 12 mounds). Use some of the flour from the baking sheet to dust the top of each mound. Flour your hands, then, one at a time, pick up each piece of dough and gently shape it into a rough ball, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Shake off the excess flour and place in the prepared cake pan. Repeat with the remaining mounds of dough, fitting 9 biscuits around the outer edge of the pan and 3 in the middle.

Gently brush the top of each biscuit with the melted butter. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and continue baking for another 13 to 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are deep golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let the biscuits cool for 2 minutes, then invert them onto a clean kitchen towel. Flip the biscuits over and break them apart. Allow to cool 5 minutes longer before serving. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container and reheat at 475 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated via Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

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Whole-Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Tags

blueberry, egg-free, muffins, whole-wheat flour

Three muffin recipes in a row. What can I say… I love muffins! Before I made these muffins, I planned on making a different muffin recipe. It still had cinnamon and blueberries, but I ran into one problem… I didn’t have enough all-purpose flour!! How is that even possible!! Has that ever happened to you? So off to the internet and my google reader where I was so happy to find a recipe using blueberries and used ALL whole-wheat flour.I’ve always heard that it’s okay to use half all-purpose and half whole-wheat flour, but to never fully substitute with whole-wheat. Leave it to King Arthur flour to come up with a recipe that successfully uses all whole-wheat flour and saves the day! So I was off to work again making these delicious muffins to bring to my parents as a snack while I was dog/house sitting. My mom loved these so much that I made her 2 batches while she was gone and froze them for a quick breakfast whenever she wants. It’s no wonder she loves me! 😉 And besides being healthy since they’re made with whole-wheat flour, they are also egg-free which makes them a perfect treat, especially for friends with an egg allergy!One Year Ago: Zucchini-Pineapple Cupcakes with Lemon Sour Cream Frosting and Oreo Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins

Muffins:
2¼ cups whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1½ cups buttermilk

Topping:
½ cup packed brown sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted

To make the topping: Stir together brown sugar, flour, rolled oats, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Drizzle in the melted butter, mixing until well blended.

To make the muffins: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a muffin tin with paper baking cups; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients, including the blueberries; set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, vegetable oil, and buttermilk. Pour the bowl of liquids into the dry ingredients, stirring just to combine. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups; cups will be overly full. Sprinkle with cinnamon-oat topping.

Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins come out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes, then remove the muffins and finish cooling on the rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers loosely wrapped at room temperature.

Source: Adapted from King Arthur Flour via Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

Plum Muffins

Tags

cinnamon, cream cheese, muffin, plum, yogurt

A few weeks ago, I was dog/house sitting for my parents while they went on a trip to Hawaii. Lucky them! I therefore had a lot of time on my hands. I was at my parents, an hour and a half from my place, with nothing to do and noone to hang out with other than my parents’ dogs! Needless to say I had a LOT of time on my hands. So what’s a girl to do? Why not make muffins! Lots of them! Some of what I made was by request, and the rest was based on what I had on hand and what would expire before my parents go back, such as the strawberry muffins.

As for the plums that went into these muffins, there is a large tree in the backyard that had so many ripe plums just waiting to be picked. Normally, I just eat plums straight. They’re so good and so hard to resist as a quick snack, but I was determined to find some ways to use them in recipes. I found many options and I didn’t have a chance to try everything I wanted to. Thankfully, I had a chance to make these muffins. Again, I used what I had on hand and I had part of a cream cheese block leftover after making creamy taco mac so I substituted that for some of the butter and yogurt. Cinnamon added a hint of spice to give the muffins a little something extra. They came out wonderfully and were a big hit with the neighbors, who to sample the variety of muffins made! 🙂 So if you ever find yourself with some plums laying around, why not make muffins! And don’t worry, there will be one more muffin recipe on the way soon. 😉One Year Ago: Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Plum Muffins
Yield: 18 muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1½ cups chopped plums, about 5 plums
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling tops (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray; set aside

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until blended and smooth. Add sugar and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the yogurt, beating until incorporated; batter will be thick. Gently fold in the plums.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle tops lightly with coarse sugar, if using. Bake for 8 minutes and then decrease oven temperature to 375 degree F and bake for about 12 more minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing and cooling completely.

Source: Adapted from  Strawberry Muffins

Strawberry Muffins

Tags

lemon, muffins, strawberry, yogurt

For many people, the school year has begun yet again. That means early mornings with rushed breakfasts, and quick afternoon snacks on the go. What could be better than muffins! The perfectly portable treat! 🙂 These muffins happen to be strawberry, and I realize that strawberries aren’t really in season anymore but I’m sure there are still some good ones out there. Even if they are less than perfect, that just means they’re perfect for baking to really help pull out their sweetness. Besides, the plump, juicy, sweet strawberries are so hard to resist just popping in your mouth until oops, they’re all gone! But I digress… These muffins are a perfect vessel for strawberries, or any fruit really. They have a tender crumb, but are still sturdy without being overly dense. (They are normally very domed like bakery muffins, but my mom’s oven was apparently having some issues which explains why things weren’t quite baking right when I was there.) They also have a slight hint of lemon which adds to the fresh flavor. So give yourself and your family a treat and try these strawberry muffins!One Year Ago: Strawberry Lemonade Icebox Pie

Strawberry Muffins
Yield: 18 muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ teaspoon lemon extract
1½ cups plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1½ cups chopped strawberries
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling tops (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray; set aside

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla, lemon extract, and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the yogurt, beating until incorporated; batter will be thick. Gently fold in the strawberries.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle tops lightly with coarse sugar, if using. Bake for 8 minutes and then decrease oven temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for about 12 more minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing and cooling completely.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Tags

blueberry, buttermilk, cake, lemon, muffins

Breakfast. Cake. Could life be any better? 🙂 This is the best excuse ever to eat cake for breakfast! I mean, it’s all right there in the title… If it makes you feel any better, it’s like eating a blueberry muffin. It’s just cut into squares like cake. And has a tender crumb, like cake. But it’s not overly sweet like cake, so therefore it’s a perfect breakfast cake or snack cake. Sorry, I just said cake so many times! This is really delicious, though. Plump blueberries bursting in every bite, with a slight tang from the lemon and buttermilk. So good, and such a pretty breakfast cake. 🙂 Hurry and take advantage while blueberries are still in season!

One Year Ago: Skillet Lasagna and Garlic Rice Pilaf

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

½ cup butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¾ cup + 1 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×9-inch pan with cooking spray; set aside. Toss the blueberries with ¼ cup flour; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, lemon zest and ¾ cup sugar together; beat until creamy and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat just until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined, then gently fold in the blueberries and any loose flour. Batter will be thick.

Spread batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the top of batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Source: Slightly adapted from Life as a Lofthouse