Candied Cherry Muffins Recipes

MINI CHERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, yogurt and extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cherries., Fill greased or paper-lined miniature muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

BROWN SUGAR-OAT CHERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• 1. In a medium bowl, stir together the rolled oats, creme fraeche, milk, and butter with a wooden spoon until combined. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together and stir into the oat mixture. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cherries and continue to stir until well combined.
• 2. In a separate small bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir until well mixed. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet oat mixture. The batter will be gloppy. Transfer the batter to an airtight container and place in the fridge. Let the batter sit for at least 8 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
• 3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C, and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the cups of the muffin tin with paper liners, coat liberally with nonstick spray, or butter and flour them. Spoon about 1 cup/240 ml of the batter into each muffin cup, filling it all the way to the brim and wa-a-a-y over. (It will seem like there's too much batter for the tins, but if you want the characteristic muffin top you need to overfill them. You can make smaller muffins if you prefer and reduce the baking time by about 10 minutes.) The batter will be stiff and firm.
• 4. To make the topping: In a small bowl, stir together the oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the muffins and place the muffin tin on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 45 to 55 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 tin on a wire rack for 20 minutes and then remove the muffins from the pan.
• 5. These muffins taste best the day they are made, but you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you keep them for longer than a day, refresh them in a 300 degrees F/150 degrees C oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Or, you can freeze them, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 1 week. Reheat directly from the freezer in a 300 degrees F/150 degrees C oven for about 10 minutes.

STUFFING MUFFINS

Steps:

• Line 12 jumbo muffin cups with paper liners and fill with your favorite bread stuffing (we used Mushroom-Leek). Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F until golden, about 45 minutes.
• Mushroom-Leek Stuffing: Make Classic Stuffing with 3 cups chopped leeks instead of onions. Cook 1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms with the leeks and celery.
• Classic Stuffing: Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes.
• Photography by Charles Masters

CANDIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring sugar & water to boil, then add cherries & lemon half.
• Reduce heat to low & let simmer about 20 minutes, or until syrup is red & slightly thick.
• Remove from heat & let stand 2-3 hours or overnight.
• Strain the cherries, reserving the syrup, & set the cherries aside.
• Discard lemon half & add apple juice to the syrup.
• Over medium-high heat, bring syrup to boil & cook 5 minutes.
• Return cherries to syrup, reduce heat to low & cook slowly until thick & a candy thermometer reads 220 degrees F (or 105 degrees C).
• Cherries can be stored at least 6 months in the refrigerator.