Cranberry-Walnut Bread & Muffins

Cranberry-Walnut Bread & Muffins
Hands-on time: 10 mins. to 15 mins.
Baking time: 14 mins. to 50 mins.
Total time: Overnight, 24 mins. to 1 hrs 5 mins.
Yield: 1 loaf or 12 muffins

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
3/4 cup sour cream or yogurt, full-fat or low fat-preferred
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour or Premium Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts

coarse white sparkling sugar or Demerara sugar, optional, for topping

Directions


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1) Preheat the oven to 425°F for muffins, or 350°F for a loaf. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin. Or line with 12 paper muffin cups, and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins nicely. If you're baking a loaf, lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.

2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars until smooth.

3) Add the eggs, beating to combine.

4) Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, the vanilla and almond extracts, and the yogurt or sour cream.

5) Place the flours in a food processor with the dried cranberries. Process until the berries are coarsely chopped. Add the nuts (if they're not chopped), and process briefly, just until the nuts are chopped up a bit.

6) Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until everything is thoroughly combined.

7) Divide the batter among the wells of the muffin tin, filling each one about 3/4 full. Or scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle muffins or loaf with coarse white sparkling sugar or Demerara sugar, if desired.

8) Bake the muffins for 14 to 15 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into one of the center muffins comes out clean. Bake the loaf for 45 to 55 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

9) Remove the muffins or bread from the oven. Tilt the muffins in the pan to cool a bit, then transfer them to a rack to finish cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely. For best results, don't slice until completely cool. Store muffins or bread well wrapped, at room temperature, for 2 to 3 days; freeze for longer storage.

10) Store muffins or bread well wrapped, at room temperature, for 2 to 3 days; freeze for longer storage.

Yield: 12 muffins or 1 loaf.


Tips from King Arthurs bakers:

For a nice hint of orange, substitute 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia flavor (to taste) for the vanilla and almond extracts. For stronger orange flavor, stir in the grated rind of 1 large orange, omitting the almond extract.
Want to make this bread (or muffins) without whole wheat flour? Substitute 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour for the whole wheat flour.
If you prefer a bolder cranberry statement, leave the dried berries whole, rather than chopping them up

Pavlova: King Arthur Flour

Pavlova: King Arthur Flour

Pavlova
MaryJane Robbins 2011-04-29

Pavlova is a light, elegant meringue dessert piled high with whipped cream and fresh fruits. Its dramatic presentation is perfect for special occasions such as weddings, showers, picnics, or even romantic dinners for two.

Baking this lightly sweetened meringue will barely heat up your kitchen, so it makes a grand treat in the heat of summer.

Meringue
3 large egg whites
pinch of salt
1 cup Baker's Special Sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Topping
1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, sliced kiwi, etc)

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 200°F. Prepare a sheet of parchment paper by tracing a 9" round cake pan with a pencil to create a circle. Flip the paper pencil-side down and place on a baking sheet. You should still be able to see the circle outline through the paper.

2) In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

3) Combine the Baker's Special sugar and cornstarch and slowly add it to the whites, as you continue to beat. The mixture will thicken and turn glossy. Beat for about 1 more minute. Remove from the mixer and stir the lemon juice in by hand.

4) Spread the meringue on the parchment, staying within the circle. Use about 1 1/4 cups meringue to pipe a tall border around the edge of the meringue in the circle. When baked, this will form a ring to keep the cream and fruit from spilling over.

5) Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed. Cool the meringue in the oven for at least another hour, or up to overnight. The pavlova will color slightly from white to light tan. Small cracks are normal.

6) Up to an hour before serving, combine the heavy cream with the confectioners' sugar and whip until thickened. Pile the whipped cream into the center of the cooled pavlova and top with sliced fresh fruit.

7) You can make the pavlova any size up to 9". Smaller pavlova make very romantic desserts for special dinners.

Yield: 1 large pavlova

Wedding Cookies

Wedding Cookies
PJ Hamel 2011-03-23

Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Teacakes, just plain Wedding Cookies... these tender, crumbly cookies, full of ground almonds and covered with a blizzard of confectioners' sugar, go by many names. But one thing is constant: their melt-in-your-mouth texture and distinctive, attractive appearance: round and white as a cumulus cloud.


Ingredients View by: Volume Weight
Dough
1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter*
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1 teaspoon salt*
3/4 cup almond flour or 3/4 cup blanched almonds, finely ground
2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
*If you use salted butter, reduce the amount of added salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
Coating
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Dough8 ounces unsalted butter2 ounces confectioners' sugar1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract1 teaspoon almond extract, optional1 teaspoon salt*2 1/2 ounces almond flour or 3/4 cup blanched almonds, finely ground9 1/2 ounces King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour*If you use salted butter, reduce the amount of added salt to 1/2 teaspoon.Coating6 ounces confectioners' sugar

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

2) In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt.

3) Beat in the almond flour, then the all-purpose flour.

4) Scoop chestnut-sized (1") pieces of dough, and roll them into balls. A level teaspoon cookie scoop will give you just the right amount of dough. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1" between them.

5) Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until they feel set on top: and some of them are MAYBE beginning to barely brown around the edges.

6) While the cookies are baking, put the topping sugar in a shallow bowl.

7) Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them, 5 or 6 at a time, to the bowl. Roll them in the sugar to coat, then transfer them to a rack to cool.

8) When the cookies are cool, roll them in the sugar again; they should be thoroughly coated and snowy white.

9) Store airtight at room temperature.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies.

Peach Streusel Pie

Here's a classic summertime fruit pie, topped with a tasty, crunchy streusel.

Crust
Use your favorite single pie crust recipe. We recommend our Guaranteed Pie Crust. Use half, and freeze the other half for later.

Filling
3/4 cup sugar (brown, white, or a combination)
1/3 to 1/2 cup Signature Secrets or about 3/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 cups fresh peach slices (about 10 peeled peaches, sliced; about 2 1/2 pounds whole peaches)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened butter

Directions
1) Line a 9" pie pan with the pastry, and refrigerate while you make the filling. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2) Mix the sugar, thickener, and salt. Toss with the peaches, extracts, and lemon juice. Spoon into the crust.
3) Make the topping by combining the brown sugar, flour, oats, and nuts, then mixing in the soft butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the filling.
4) Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, reduce the oven heat to 350°F, and bake for 40 minutes more, until the filling bubbles. Cover the edges of the pie with foil or a pie shield if they brown too quickly. You can also shield the streusel with foil if it's over-browning.
5) Remove the pie from the oven, and cool it completely before slicing.

Recipe summary
Hands-on time: 45 mins. to 1 hrs 5 mins.
Baking time: 55 mins. to 1 hrs 5 mins.
Total time: 5 hrs 10 mins. to 1 days 16 hrs 15 mins.
Yield: 9" pie, 8 to 10 servings

Doughnut Muffins

Oh my don't these look good! I need to make them.

Doughnut Muffins

This basic muffin is not your stir-it-gently, dense, fruit-and-nut-filled health muffin. Instead, it's a beat-it-up, cake-type muffin, high-crowned and very "vanilla-looking." This is a great muffin for kids (young or old) who don't want a lot of "stuff" in their muffins. With its basic sugar-cinnamon-nutmeg flavor, it's more reminiscent of a plain doughnut (without the deep-fat frying) than anything else. As plain as it is (which is just the way some people like things), it's a good candidate for additions of dried fruit and/or nuts to the batter, as well as a garnish of flavorful jam or preserves when serving time rolls around.

Ingredients View by: Volume Weight
Batter
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg, to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup milk
Topping
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons Cinnamon-Sugar Plus or cinnamon sugar
Batter
2 ounces butter
1 3/4 ounces vegetable oil
3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
2 1/2 ounces brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg, to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 1/4 ounces King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
8 ounces milk

Topping
1 1/2 ounces melted butter
1 3/8 ounces Cinnamon-Sugar Plus or cinnamon sugar
Directions
--> 1) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin. Or line with 12 paper or silicone muffin cups, and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins nicely.
--> 2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth.
--> 3) Add the eggs, beating to combine.
--> 4) Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.
--> 5) Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
--> 6) Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full.
--> 7) Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.
--> 8) Remove them from the oven, and let them cool for a couple of minutes, or until you can handle them. While they're cooling, melt the butter for the topping (this is easily done in the microwave).
--> 9) Use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with the butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Or simply dip the tops of muffins into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar.
--> 10) Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Store for a day or so at room temperature.
--> Yield: 12 muffins.

**People also said if you make them in the mini muffins there like doughnut holes hmmm doughnut**