Dried Cherry, Almond & Poppy Seed Muffins

I knew I wanted to bake some muffins this morning, but I couldn't decide between Cherry Almond or Almond Poppy Seed.  So, what would any ingenious baker do?  Combine them both of course! These muffins are so moist and yummy, you can't eat just one.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons orange juice
3/4 cup dried tart cherries (about 4 ounces)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 7-ounce package almond paste, crumbled
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, hot
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line 12 muffin cups. 

Bring juice to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add cherries; let stand until softened, about 10 minutes.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat almond paste and melted butter in large bowl until well blended (mixture will still have some small pieces of almond paste). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in cherry mixture and orange peel. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended.

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake until tester inserted into center of muffins comes out clean but slightly moist to touch, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Recipe adapted from epicurious.

Tangerine Poppy Seed Bread

I wanted to keep this recipe simple.  The lending of tangerine zest and juice along with the oil and the poppy seeds is such a good marriage, nothing else is necessary.  Therefore, I didn't adapt this recipe to be my own, I'm sharing it with you directly from the BH&G Fall Baking 2013 magazine as is.

Before you get out your ingredients to delve in, I must warn you that there is a tangerine syrup that you brush on once it's cooled in the pan for a bit.  Then, if you follow the recipe exactly, once completely cooled, you wrap it up well and store it overnight before making the first slice.  I did indeed do that and all I can say is MOIST AND REFRESHING!!!!!  This one earned a place on my "favorites" list as well.

Ingredients:
2 c all-purpose flour
1 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c milk
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 T finely shredded tangerine peel
2 T tangerine juice
1 T poppy seeds
2 T sugar
2 T tangerine juice
1 T butter

Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl stir together flour, 1 c sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center; set aside.

In a medium bowl combine egg, milk, oil, tangerine peel, 2 T tangerine juice and poppy seeds. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Spoon into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile make the glaze.  I a small saucepan combine the 2 T sugar, 2 T tangerine juice and the butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.

Remove bread from pan. Poke holes in the top of warm loaf with a fork; slowly brush with glaze on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.  Makes 16 servings.



Recipe featured in BH&G Fall Baking 2013 magazine.