by Cleo Coyle
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
Step 1—Prep oven, pan, and berries: Preheat oven to 350º F. Line six muffin cups with paper holders and lightly coat the papers with nonstick spray. (This is a low-fat recipe, so if you don’t coat the papers, the muffins may stick.) Wash your strawberries and gently pat them dry with a paper towel. (It’s okay if they’re still damp.) Hull them (see how in note following recipe) and chop them into small, uniform pieces. You’ll retain more of the juices if you slice them over a bowl. Once chopped, the strawberries should fill 2⁄3 cup and no more. Sprinkle berries with 1 tablespoon sugar, mix, and set bowl aside.
Step 2—Make batter with one-bowl mixing method: Crack egg into a mixing bowl and gently beat with a whisk or fork. Add ¼ cup sugar, oil, vanilla, and salt, and whisk until well blended. Add milk and chopped strawberries from Step 1. Be sure to include any strawberry juices that may have accumulated at the bottom of the strawberry bowl. Stir to blend.
Step 3—Add dry ingredients: Measure flour and pour into the bowl with your wet ingredients. Sprinkle baking powder and baking soda evenly over the flour. With a spoon or spatula, mix the dry and wet ingredients to form a lumpy batter. Do not overmix at this stage or your muffins will be tough instead of tender. Just be sure to blend the flour completely into the batter.
Step 4—Bake: This batter will make 6 standard muffins, so divide it up evenly among your paper-lined cups. (Be sure to coat those papers with nonstick spray). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The muffins are not done baking until the tops have turned golden brown.
Step 5—Cooling and storing: Allow the muffins to cool for five minutes in the pan. Remove and finish cooling on a wire rack. Once they’re completely cool, you can wrap them in plastic and store them in the refrigerator. A little butter, a cuppa joe, and you’re set for breakfast, a coffee break, or late-night snack.
Note: To hull strawberries, pinch off the green stem. Using a small, sharp knife, cut around the berry’s crown (or move the berry in a circular motion against the blade). Remove the fibrous, white conical-shaped core, leaving as much fruit intact as possible.
Nutella-Swirled Banana Muffins
Another Muffin Muse favorite, these warm banana muffins are swirled with Nutella, a delicious spread made of chocolate and hazelnuts. Nutella originated in Italy, where the hazelnut is king. Now available all over the world, jars of Nutella are usually shelved where your grocer sells peanut butter. If it’s not available to you, or you’d simply like to make your own natural version, try Clare’s recipe for homemade Nutella, which follows.
Makes 12 standard muffins
1¼ cups sugar
¹⁄³ cup vegetable or canola oil
3 bananas (well ripened)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted (optional, see note on toasting)
½ cup of Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
Step 1—Prep pan: First preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly coat top of muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. This prevents the muffin tops from sticking. Next, line muffin cups with paper liners.
Step 2—Make batter: In a large bowl, measure out the sugar, oil, two of the ripe bananas (just slice into bowl), eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. With an electric mixer, beat the assembled ingredients until smooth, about one minute. Now add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to the batter. Beat again with an electric mixer until batter is smooth. Be sure not to overmix at this stage or you’ll develop the gluten in the flour and your muffins will be tough instead of tender.
Step 3—Final fold-ins: If including optional hazelnuts, fold in now, using a spoon or spatula. With a fork, roughly mash up the final ripe banana and fold in the mashed banana, as well. (This final banana addition really boosts the flavor in the muffin.)
Step 4—Swirl and bake: To finish follow these steps: (a) Fill each muffin cup about one third of the way with batter. (b) Drop a dollop of Nutella in and swirl to marble the batter with a knife or toothpick. (c) Finish filling each cup nearly to the top with more batter. (d) Add a final dollop of Nutella on top and marble it into the batter by swirling in a circular motion. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. To test doneness, insert a toothpick into the middle of a muffin. If it comes out with no wet batter clinging to it, the muffins are done. Remove muffins promptly from the hot pans to prevent the bottoms from steaming and making the muffins tough.
Note: To toast nuts, simply spread them on a baking sheet and warm them in a 350° F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir a few times to prevent scorching.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN NUTELLA
Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread that originated in Italy. It’s delicious spread on baguettes, toast, graham crackers, and shortbread cookies. You can swirl it into muffins and quick breads. For a fast, five-minute microwave fudge recipe, which uses Nutella, drop by Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse: www.CoffeehouseMystery.com. To make your own version of Nutella, follow these directions.
Makes about 1 cup
8 ounces (about 2 cups) hazelnuts, shelled and skins removed
4 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons canola oil
(hazelnut oil is even better, if you can find it)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Toast hazelnuts about ten minutes in a 350° F oven, stirring once or twice to prevent burning. They’re not finished until you smell the aroma of toasting nuts. Grind toasted nuts in a small food processor until they reach the consistency of thick peanut butter (about 5 minutes of processing). If you’re having trouble getting the nuts to change over from sandy to viscous (like peanut butter), then cheat and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil and continue grinding. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, and salt. Add these to the food processor with the nuts. Measure in the vanilla and 4 tablespoons of the oil. Process everything until it’s well blended (one to two minutes). If it seems too thick, then add a little more oil and process again until the mixture reaches a smooth, peanut butter–like consistency that’s easy to stir and spread. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed glass jar or covered container.
(Healthified) Blueberry Pie Bars
These little squares taste just like bites of blueberry pie. They’re so delicious and nutritious, the Muffin Muse couldn’t keep them in stock. Fruit crumb bars have been around for years, of course, but this recipe adds dietary fiber via oats. The addition of applesauce to the ingredient list even cuts down on the amount of fat (butter) in this type of recipe. Just brew up a fresh pot of coffee while they’re baking, and… eat with blueberry joy!
Makes a 9-inch square pan
For blueberry filling:
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
For crust and topping:
5 tablespoons butter, softened
3⁄4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (see note)
1½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
Note: Be sure to use quick-cooking oats and not old-fashioned, steel-cut, or instant. To learn the differences among these oats, read An Oat By Any Other Name on page 339.
Step 1—Prep pan and make filling: Preheat your oven to 350° F and prep 9-inch square pan by lining bottom with parchment paper that hangs over the edge of two sides, creating handles. Toss blueberries in a bowl with f
lour, brown sugar, and cinnamon and set aside.
Step 2—Mix dough: With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add applesauce, egg, vanilla, and salt. Mix until blended. Finally add oats, all-purpose flour, and baking powder and baking soda. When the dough comes together (it will be soft and sticky), stop the mixer. Do not overmix.
Step 3—Assemble: Press a little more than half of the dough into the prepared square pan with your fingertips, until it completely covers the pan bottom. Spread the blueberry filling over the crust and break the remaining dough into small pieces over the top. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is slightly brown.
Bars are easier to cut (and they will keep their shape better) if you allow them to cool. So let the pastry cool in the pan, then run a butter knife around the sides to free up any sticky bits. Lift by those parchment paper handles, transferring the entire pastry square to a flat surface for further cooling. Cut into rectangular bars or bite-sized squares. Store in the refrigerator.
Clare Cosi’s Classic Coffee Cake Muffins with Streusel Topping and Vanilla Glaze
These truly are classic muffins, and they’re especially delicious paired with coffee. Clare was only too happy to share a fresh-baked batch of them with Madame at the story’s end, right before she hopped on train to Washington, D.C.
Makes 12 muffins
For muffins:
1½ cups streusel filling and topping (easy recipe follows)
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1½ teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with fork
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup brewed coffee or espresso, cooled (see note)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
Note: Whole milk or buttermilk (regular or light) may be substituted for the coffee.
For Vanilla Glaze (optional):
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for a whiter glaze, use clear vanilla)
1 tablespoon milk (more or less)
Step 1—Preheat, prep pans, mix dry ingredients: First make the streusel filling and topping (recipe follows). Then preheat your oven to 350º F and place paper liners in 12 muffin cups.
Step 2—One-bowl mixing method: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and sugars. When light and fluffy, beat in the salt, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, sour cream, and cooled coffee or espresso. Continue beating for another minute. Stop the mixer and measure in the flour. Sprinkle the baking powder and baking soda over the flour. Mix everything until you have a batter that is smooth. Do not overmix or you’ll develop the gluten in the flour and your muffins will be tough instead of tender.
Step 3—Layer muffin cups and bake: You will now need the streusel topping that you prepared ahead. Into your paper-lined muffin cups, drop a generous dollop of batter. Sprinkle streusel onto the batter and top with more batter. Finish with a generous sprinkling of streusel. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted comes out with no wet batter clinging to it. Remove from oven and take muffins out of the hot pan promptly or the bottoms may steam and toughen.
Step 4 (optional)—Glaze the cooled muffins: In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Sift in the powdered sugar (or sift the sugar first and then add). When all of the sugar is melted into the butter, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Finally stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the glaze is the right consistency to drizzle over the muffins. To finish the muffins, dip a fork in the warm glaze mixture and drizzle it in a back-and-forth motion over the cooled muffin tops.
HOW TO MAKE STREUSEL (CRUMB) TOPPING FOR ANY MUFFIN OR COFFEE CAKE
Makes about 1½ cups of streusel
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons butter (unsalted is best), cubed
Food processor: Place all ingredients in the processor and pulse until you see coarse crumbs.
By hand: Using your hands and/or a fork or pastry blender, work the butter into the dry ingredient until you see coarse crumbs.
Store any extra in the refrigerator.
Easy Iced Mocha
Makes one 8-ounce serving
¹⁄³ cup brewed coffee (4 coffee ice cubes)
¹⁄³ cup milk (low-fat is fine)
2 teaspoons sugar (or more if you like your drinks sweeter)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Whipped cream
Chocolate curls (see how to make below)
Fill an ice cube tray with leftover coffee and freeze. Remove four coffee ice cubes (per 8-ounce serving) and place in blender. Add milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and cocoa. Pulse the blender to chop the coffee ice cubes into fine particles. You can create a very icy drink with small ice chips (like a frozen margarita) or you can run the blender full speed until the mixture is completely liquefied yet still cold and frothy. The drink is delicious either way and a great use for your leftover joe. To finish, pour this frosty refresher into a glass mug, top with whipped cream and chocolate curls (see below).
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CURLS
To create chocolate curls, start with a block of room-temperature chocolate. Using a vegetable peeler, scrape down the block, and you’ll see curls of chocolate peel away. Chocolate curls make a wonderful garnish for coffee drinks, hot cocoa, cakes, cupcakes, and puddings. Or use them to decorate a dessert plate. Chill or even freeze the curls for more sturdiness and longer life on a serving plate or dessert table.
Clare Cosi’s Orange-Vanilla “Creamsicle” Coffee Cake
The Muffin Muse served a more elaborate version of this cake at the deputy mayor’s food-truck catered wedding reception. This version is much simpler. Clare came up with it during her years raising Joy in New Jersey, when she wrote her In the Kitchen with Clare column for a local paper. It’s an easy coffee cake that’s so moist and rich it tastes like a pound cake, yet it bakes up quickly in a single-layer pan. It requires no special skill to bake or glaze and only dirties one bowl. Now that’s cooking with joy!
Makes a 9-inch pan
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
½ cup orange juice (with pulp or not, your choice)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated peel from 1 medium orange)
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
For Orange-Vanilla Glaze:
Makes 1 cup of glaze, enough to liberally cover one 9-inch cake
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 cups confectioners’ (powdered or icing) sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange juice (Be sure to add separately)
Step 1—Make batter with one-bowl mixing method: First preheat oven to 350° F. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stop the mixer. Add in eggs, milk, orange juice, vanilla, salt, and orange zest. Continue mixing until well blended. Now add the flour and baking powder. Continue mixing only enough to blend ingredients. The batter will be somewhat thick (although not as thick as cookie dough). Just be sure not to overmix or you will develop the gluten in the flour and your cake will be tough instead of tender.
Step 2—Prepare pan and bake: Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan. Bake for about 25 to 35 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the cake’s center. When it comes out clean (with no batter on it), the cake is done. Cool the cake in the pan but on a r
ack so air can circulate under the bottom of the hot pan. Do not attempt to remove the cake from the pan until the top of your cake is cool to the touch.
Step 3—Remove cake from pan and glaze: Wait for the cake to cool (about 30 minutes out of the oven or it may stick on you). Run a knife around the pan’s edge. Place a flat plate over the top of the pan and carefully flip it. Gently tap the pan bottom to loosen the cake. When you’ve removed the cake this way, it’s (obviously) upside down. Flip it once more so that it’s upright on your serving plate. Now it’s time to drizzle the entire cake with Clare’s easy Orange-Vanilla Glaze.
Warning: First, Clare wants to warn you not to dump everything into your saucepan at once when you make the glaze. Follow these steps as written or your glaze will curdle when your milk and orange juice meet!
Step 4—Create sugar paste: Place butter and milk in a saucepan over low heat. When butter has melted, stir in the confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, until dissolved. The mixture will be thick and pasty.
Step 5—Add vanilla and orange juice: Remove the pan from heat. Add vanilla and orange juice. Stir well to blend. Return pan to low heat, tilt pan, and whisk well until smooth. This may take a minute.
Note: This mixture should never boil or you may get a scorched taste in your glaze.
Step 6—Glaze cake: While glaze is still warm, drizzle over cooled cake. Clare transfers the warm glaze to a glass measuring cup and pours a thin stream in a zigzag motion across the cake until it’s completely iced.
Clare Cosi’s “Melt-and-Mix” Double-Chocolate Espresso-Glazed Loaf Cake
Yes, this is the very cake Matteo and Quinn fought over—well, the last slice anyway. But Clare has learned her lesson. The next time she finds herself sharing a household with a hot-headed coffee hunter and a stewing detective, she’s making two of everything!