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Friday, August 13, 2010

Cinnamon Sugar Puffs (Donut Muffins)

Guess what! I am almost done with my EMT training course! I have passed all seven module exams (group of chapters--sections) and I am taking my school final on Monday and the State final on Thursday! I am so nervous but I will be so excited when I am done.  Wish me luck studying for these last two tests! So close but yet so far...
But now on to the reason you are here: the food. Oh the finger-licking food...
Ever since one city expedition led me to a delicious, dense "cupcake" coated in a cinnamon sugar crust, I could not get them out of my head. A favorite cupcake book cleverly titled: Cupcakes! had a recipe titled Cinnamon Sugar Puffs and I knew that these would be like the mouthwatering "cupcake" I had at Magnolias.

These did not disappoint! My new obsession, Raw Sugar, provided an extra crunchy exterior when mixed with the cinnamon and is highly recommended when (not if) you make these.

The cast of characters: Flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, butter, sugar, egg, milk

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar (I used raw sugar in the cupcakes as well)

Beat on medium speed until light and creamy

Beat in the egg and mix until nice and smooth

Now time to exercise the right side of your brain...
Begin by adding 1/3 of the flour and mixing until smooth 

and then add 1/2 of the milk 

Now add half of the remaining flour, mixing until smooth

and then mix in the rest of the milk

and lastly, mix in the remaining flour.

Mmmmmmm...

I added the batter of a ziploc bag for easy loading into my cupcake tins

Just load, snip and--

PIPE!

Pop them into the oven (at 350*) for about 15-18 minutes.  I couldn't get 12 cupcakes, so I filled the last hole with a few tablespoons of water so it bakes evenly.  Before turning over onto a cooling rack, I soaked up the water with a bunch of paper towels.

Prepare the butter and cinnamon sugar mixture while the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes.
6 tablespoons of butter; 1/2 cup raw sugar and 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

After 5 minutes of cooling in the pan, place a cooling rack on top and flip over to release the puffs.

After turning the cupcakes out of the pan, dunk them in butter immediately.

And then toss in the cinnamon and sugar

Oh baby...
crunchy crust

dense, yet soft, center


Go. Make. These. NOW. (please...)

With love and cupcakes,
CookTeen

Recipe: (Adapted from Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans)
Ingredients:
Puffs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk (any fat content)

Coating
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Spray the inside of muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg into a medium bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until blended and creamy, about 1 minute.  Stop the mixer and scrape the side of the bowl as needed during mixing.  Beat in the egg, mixing until smooth and thick.  On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixtures and mixing just until the flour in incorporated and batter appears smooth.

Load the batter into a Ziploc, cut a small corner off and pipe the batter into the prepared tins.  Fill with about 3 tablespoons of batter, about 1/2 inch from the top.  Bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes. (Mine took 15 but the book says 18)

Meanwhile, make the coating.  Put the melted butter in a medium bowl.  In another medium bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon.

Carefully place the wire rack on top of the cupcakes in their pan.  Protecting your hands with pot holders and holding the pan and rack together, invert them to release the cupcakes onto the wire rack. Turn the cupcakes top side up and immediately roll them in the melted butter, then in the cinnamon sugar to coat completely.  Serve warm or room temperature.  Can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

4 comments:

  1. Oh wow, these look so delicious. I don't think I've ever had anything with raw sugar & I know I've never baked with it. I may have to try this. Good luck on your tests!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's my snack time and I could really go for one of these right now. They look sooo good. Good luck on your exams!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those sound amazing! Dumping a whole muffin in butter...oh yeah!

    ReplyDelete

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