You may have heard. It’s, um, stormy. I was going to write a playful post about how waking up to pre-Sandy howls inspired me to bake these not-too-sweet, fruit-filled, whole grain muffins, but two things are stopping me: First, my desk is next to a window facing our small, bricked-in backyard, which becomes a wind tunnel in even a light storm. Sitting here trying to work while it sounds like the world is coming to an end is more than a little unsettling. Sandy isn’t even here yet, for crying out sake. And second, in the time since I started writing this post, a massive sinus headache has struck (thank you, barometric pressure).
So, short and sweet it is. Enjoy, and stay safe. And please, distract me with tales of your own storm-inspired cooking and baking…
Strawberry Whole Wheat Muffins
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion
Makes 18
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
healthy pinch ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup milk [I used 1%]
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 cups chopped strawberries [I used an entire package of Trader Joe’s frozen organic, partially defrosted. You could swap in any other berry, fresh or frozen, peaches, even apples or pears.]
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners, or grease well.
- Place the flours, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, and spices in a large bowl. Use a whisk to combine, breaking up the lumps of sugar.
- In a 4-cup measuring cup, combine the oil, milk, and egg and yolk, then add to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined, then stir in the strawberries.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin tins—each cup will be nearly full. Sprinkle the demerara sugar on top.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then transfer to a cooling rack.
MAKE BABY FOOD: These are safe for babies, but they do have a considerable amount of sugar—better to just reserve some of the fruit instead.