Muffins often don't impress me, but the recipe for these Maple Muffins caught my eye right away. Joe got me Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Home to Yours as one of my Christmas gifts a year ago, and I was drawn to the photo with the golden sides and crackly tops. I also love maple syrup as a flavoring. On first bite, I was surprised because I expected a more assertive maple flavor. But it's more subtle, kind of lightly perfumed with maple, and the walnuts taste a little salty by comparison. Winner.
An additional bonus was how easy the recipe was. Especially compared with the Pains au Chocolat (chocolate croissants) and Pains aux Raisins I made from the book earlier this year! A negative? Pure maple syrup is an expensive ingredient, and the Grade B (it's superior to Grade A) this recipe calls for isn't always sold in supermarkets. My tip is to buy it at Trader Joe's if there's a location near you, since it had the Grade B available and was more affordable.
Also worth mentioning is that I made these in a cupcake pan, and the leftover batter in mini brioche molds. I don't own a muffin pan, and even I have a limit with how much I cram in my kitchen. Sarabeth writes that she's not a fan of paper muffin liners, and I have to agree because the muffins got the most beautiful, golden brown sides without them. If you also opt for a cupcake pan, cut the cooking time short by 5 minutes.
Finally, the recipe also calls for some whole wheat flour. I like King Arthur's White Whole Wheat Flour because it's got all the nutrition of whole wheat, but its taste and consistency are closer to plain white flour. The difference is that it's made from the white wheat berry instead of the red wheat berry, which is used for the more common whole wheat flour in stores.
This post was shared with:
Tea Party Tuesday
Sweet Treats Thursday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Sweets for a Saturday
