Jam Doughnuts

I've been neglecting Gale's book because this next recipe should have been hers but I am always flipping through Nigella's books and all her recipes are all very warm and inviting so I couldn't help myself. :) They don't really taste like doughnuts but they are very yummy and rolling them in sugar gave it just the right touch. :)

Jam Doughnuts

(from How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson)

1/2 cup milk

7 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups self-rising cake flour (substitute 1 cup cake flour with 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt) Note: You can always use all-purpose flour here. I did at least and they came out still pretty tender.

1/3 cup superfine sugar

12 tsp strawberry jam (Note: Use any kind of jam. I used part Black Raspberry and part Red Raspberry)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 well greased or nonstick 12-cup mini-muffin pan

Note: I actually used a normal muffin pan and there was enough batter. Just be careful in dividing the batter up and leaving extra for the tops.

Preheat oven to 375F.

With a fork, beat the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir this into the flour and 1/3 cup sugar to combine (just): the lumps don't matter and if you overbeat the muffins will be tough. Spoon the mixture into each muffin cup so that it's just under a third full. Then with a teaspoon add a dollop of strawberry jam-- about the size of a fat lima bean -- then top with more muffin mix so that the cases are just about full.

Put them in the preheated oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until the tops feel springy and resistant and the muffins have puffed up into little toadstools.

Meanwhile, melt the butter slowly in a thick-bottoms pan, and lay the remaining sugar out in a wide, shallow bowl. As soon as the muffins are ready, remove them from their cups, dip them in the butter, and roll them in the sugar. Eat warm.

Makes 12.

Corn Muffins

For dinner, I had tried out this crockpot chili verde recipe from a Williams & Sonoma book I got last weekend. Normally I don't think you'd eat corn muffins with chili verde but I just got the oddest craving at the very last minute. So I went to my ever-so-trustworthy Cook's Illustrated and quickly found a recipe for these fabulous muffins (Note: You won't be able to access the recipe unless you're a member but I'll be posting it anyways here.) I hadn't any sour cream to spare so I used buttermilk in place and it came out very tender and moist. It has an intense buttery fragrance with a strong corn bread taste that is mildly sweet. I'd have to say I was most pleased.

Corn Muffins

2 cups flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
8 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup sour cream (or buttermilk)
1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper cups.

This is quite an easy recipe and since I was rushing I finished making the batter within 10 minutes. You just whisk all the dry ingredients in one bowl and then in a separate bowl whisk the eggs and sugar together until well thick and yellow. Add the melted butter, sour cream or buttermilk, and milk. Combine the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. As with most quick breads, try not to overmix. Mound into your muffin tin and don't bother flattening them out. Mounding messily into the tin makes for wonderfully shaped muffin tops. Bake for about 18 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let rest in pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. After 5 minutes enjoy warm with a pat of butter.