One of my new favorite publications is Baker’s Notes put out by Scratch Baking Co. and designed by MORE & Co., the same group that designed Sugar & Salt, my new cookbook. The layout is a playful mix of daily snipets that allow a peak through the window of a baker’s life and serious tutorials on everything from simple muffins to laminated dough, one of the apexes of the baking world.
After an early morning start (What you thought I’d just go back to sleeping in after summers of waking up at 4:30am every morning? Yeah, not so much.) while leisurely sipping my coffee, I alternately watched the sky turn from inky to gloamy to sparkly and read my latest copy of Baker’s Notes. Even though I don’t run a bakery, but more an inn on the water, I felt a collegial sense of connection with those who wake up very early in the morning to serve others coffee and breakfast.
It’s only natural that I would, then need to start the day by baking something inspired by this crew. English muffins was the first round and then Cranberry Strawberry Muffins the second.
Cranberry Strawberry Muffins
Inspired by Baker’s Notes Issue No. 3, Nance’s Muffins. Using frozen strawberries will make it easier to stir the berries into the batter without having it turn bright pink.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar, plus extra for the topping
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin (or line with muffin liners). Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt into a large bowl. Using a pasty knife, cut in the butter until the mixture becomes a fine crumble. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yogurt, eggs and vanilla. Stir until just combined. Gently add the cranberries and strawberries. Fill the muffin tins two-thirds full of batter and sprinkle extra sugar over the top with a spoon. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges come away from the tins and the center is cooked through.
Serves 12
Annie
Another happy morning
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