Hot Pepper Gingerbread Muffins with Orange-Maple Butter

Thanks Darwin Bell For Use of his Photo.

I found this recipe in The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, Which I will review in a future post.

This recipe sounds so good. I love ginger and cardamom. And maple butter is one of those taste memories from childhood- my grade school would have waffle days, and they would serve these waffles made from scratch, big pale yellow round ones the size of a plate. The waffles were barely browned - so that they were soft and warm and not crusty on the outside. And on the top they would serve a scoop of fluffy maple butter, so when you spread it onto the waffle, the maple butter would sink into the individual spaces in the grid, exploding into your mouth at each bite....yumm! I have never forgot that taste.


To Make Hot Pepper Gingerbread Muffins:
Preheat oven to 350°F , use the center rack. Line your muffin tin with muffin papers (or grease / spray).
Makes 12 muffins
(you can refrigerate this batter over night if you need to, just fill your muffin tin cups, then refrigerate.)

Ingredients :

• 1 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. powdered dry mustard
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 freshly ground white pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 3 TBsp. freshly grated gingerroot (use a microplane - best tool for the job)
• 2/3 cup strong boiling hot coffee

Procedure:

1. In a medium bowl whisk these dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, salt, powdered ginger, dry mustard, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, cardamom.
2. You will need a kitchenaide or other electric mixer with a whip attachment. Beat eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar until thick. With a slow steady pour - add the oil and molasses. Stir in the ginger.
3. On medium speed add the dry ingredients in three batches. alternate with the hot coffee, mix well after adding each ingredient. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Pour the muffin batter into the prepped muffin tin. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Orange Maple Butter

Ingredients:

• 8 TBsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature.
• 2 tsp. freshly grated orange zest
• 2 TBsp. pure maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp fine grain salt

Procedure:In a medium bowl, whisk together butter, zest, maple syrup and salt until smooth. Serve at room temperature.


Serve the muffins with the orange maple butter. This butter keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Allow it to soften to room temperature, whip if necessary.

The Sweet Melissa Baking Book Recipe © Melissa Murphy. All Rights Reserved.


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