Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the crispness in the air, the majesty of the changing leaves and pumpkins! Every fall lover needs a delicious pumpkin muffin recipe and this one is from my all time favorite baking book- Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe by Joanne Chang. These are great because you can keep the batter in the fridge and bake them up fresh in the morning. They also keep well in the freezer so you can take one out and warm it up to have with your hot chocolate while you watch Hallmark Christmas movies.
“These warm, earthy muffins are soft and tender and lightly scented with clove and cinnamon. We bring them out every October when we start to see pumpkins at the grocery store and out thoughts turn to Thanksgiving and all the pumpkin pies we’; soon be baking at Flour. They are a delightful way to ease into the season. The candied pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, add a bit of sweet. Run home to a not-too-sweet muffin.”
Candied Pepitas
3/4 cup (170 grams) pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 egg white
1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks/170 grams) unsalted butter
2 cups (400 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons unsulfered light or dark molasses
4 eggs
3/4 cup (180 grams) fresh orange juice (about 3 oranges)
1 can (16 ounce/ 420 grams) pumpkin purée
3 cups(420 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Makes 12 muffins ( I got 18 muffins out of this recipe)
To make the candied pepitas: line a small tray with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together the pepitas, egg white, and sugar to make a loose slurry. Pour the seed mixture onto the prepared tray and leave out overnight. The next day, using your fingers, break apart the pepitas into separate pieces. (The pepitas can be prepared up to 1 week in advance and store in an airtight container at room temperature)
(To speed this up I put them in a 200 degree oven till they dry out)
Position rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a standard 12-cup muffin tin, soar with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper liners
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer), cream together the butter, sugar, and molasses on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluff. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
On low speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to combine the eggs and butter-sugar mixture thoroughly. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl once more. On low speed, add the orange juice and pumpkin and beat u til combined. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. Don’t worry it will all come together once you mix in the flour.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves until well mixed. Dump the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and fold carefully just until the dry and wet ingredients are well combined. (The batter can made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator)
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups dividing it evenly and filling the cups to the Tim (almost overflowing). Sprinkle the tops evenly with the candied pepitas.
a Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown on top and spring back when pressed in the middle with a fingertip. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes then remove muffins from the pan.
The muffins taste best the day they are made but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for three days. If you keep hem longer then 1 day, refresh them in a 300 degree oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Or you can freeze them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 1 week and reheat directly from the freezer in a 300 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Spreading Beauty Through Baking Series is brought to you by Lyndsay Weyers who works as a Pediatrician in North Carolina but has a passion for good food and delicious baked goods. She spends her free time with her husband (Dr. Weyers) traveling, exploring and eating exotic food and when at home enjoys organizing her ever expanding cookbook library and trying new things in the kitchen.
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