Cookbook Project, Book #20

[ladysprite]

"Williams Sonoma Muffins," Beth Hensperger

My mom, having figured out that I love cookbooks in general and ones with shiny pictures in particular, has gotten into the habit of giving me Williams-Sonoma cookbooks as occasional gifts. This was one of them, a Christmas present from several years ago. I've used it plenty of times; all of the recipes I've made have been pretty good.

I felt like making something sugary and baked for breakfast, and I've got a bunch of odd books lined up for next week, so I felt entitled to reach for an old favorite this morning. I figured I'd make their cinnamon-buttermilk muffins, which are utterly delicious.

Except we didn't have enough butter. No problem, though; they have a recipe for jam-filled muffins, and I have a few jars of delicious homemade jam that ought to be used. But we didn't have the sour cream the recipe called for.

(This is a common phenomenon in our house, usually leading to me stomping around the dining room slamming cookbooks against the table and lamenting my lack of foresight, and ending with my ever-patient husband either running out to buy a lone vital ingredient or giving up entirely and getting bagels from Panera.)

But I persevered this time, and eventually realized that we had all the ingredients to make Lemon Poppyseed Muffins. I am a bit skeptical of any muffin recipe that calls for separating eggs and beating the whites, since muffins are supposed to be easy, but I had cranked my stubborn knob to 11, so I went ahead.

I'll admit, I've had better lemon poppyseed muffins. These had a decent texture and taste, but the caps deflated as soon as they came out of the oven. I already know the book is a keeper, but I think I'll stick to the recipes I already know and trust...

Comments

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

We discovered Panera on our last trip over, and ended up going on multiple occasions. I suspect when queenortart is over for the next Intercon, it will be used on every possible occasion - though whether it will make the cut for the "Dead Dog" is another matter.

[auntiemame67.livejournal.com]

Pfft. I have been baking for so long now that, while I realize baking is a science and you have to follow recipes carefully, I don't. I experiment lots, and honestly, I would have said the hell with separating the eggs, and just beaten them in whole >^_^<. But that's me. Just last week, I fudged a french and italian bread recipe together, and it turned out fine. And a few weeks ago, I was making a loaf of cocoa rye at someone else's house, and they had not got enough white flour for the recipe, and it was sleeting and I didn't want to go to the store, so I subbed in a bit of whole wheat flour for the white, and it came out even better and heavier than I expected -- went really well with the potato cheese soup!

Jeez. I just realized just *how* long I've been baking. Urg. I am not that old :)

[leanne-opaskar.livejournal.com]

If you still want those jam-filled muffins, you could substitute either yogurt (1-for-1) or buttermilk (7/8-for-1) for the sour cream. (: They sound pretty tasty to me.