Orange Almond Blueberry Muffins

aaaaaaaaaaaaaand . . . giveaway results!

I know you all have just been waiting and waiting with bated breath. Bated! Not only to find out if you won, but also to see the unveiling of the LDS modification name winner!

There were four entrants into the giveaway (though I seriously debated including my sister since she only responded "they are both lame"), so I entered number one through four into random.org, so I promise the results are random.

And without further ado, the winner is . . .

Melanee!

Hooray! As soon as the USPS can manage it, you will be the proud owner of this:

You'll have to let me know how they are, and I'll post your review. You can be my ace correspondent!
And if any of you are tempted to go out and get your own Baked Boxed Brookster Mix, here's a little tip:
Williams-Sonoma (the only place these mixes are sold) also carries an official Brookster pan, but DON'T GO FOR IT! Two separate Williams-Sonoma employees independently advised me to make these brooksters in mini muffin pans (and adjusting the baking time accordingly) because they are so decadent and rich. The official Brookster pan will make these babies FOUR inches in diameter! That's huge! Way bigger than even a regular muffin pan, which is what the box tells you to use.
Also, note that the cookie dough needs to be refrigerated for at least an hour before you bake it. Just so you know.

I'm so excited for you, and I know you'll put these to good use (and know that eating them all on your own totally counts as "good use"). I hope they're delicious.

And as for the LDS-adjusted recipes, the winner is . . .

Mo-sher!

Not to be confused with mosher, one who moshes. Heehee. I thought that was hilarious. 

I have to admit that, at first, I wasn't too enthusiastic about Mo-sher. I was a little worried about hijacking another religion's word.

UNTIL NOW!

As I thought about it, I realized that it's not like I'm making fun of their beliefs. If anything, even though LDS/Mormon and Jewish dietary guidelines are completely different, I think there is some camaraderie in living and eating in a way that varies from the cultural norm. Maybe. I can't speak for them, obviously. Plus, "kosher" is sort of in the American vernacular anyway as a synonym for appropriate. Also, very few people read this blog*. So. Yeah. I think we're good.

Stay tuned for more Mo-sher recipes coming your way!

But first: Orange Almond Blueberry Muffins.
These were a nice, fresh, morning muffin. I sort of felt like I'd like a little more sugar in them, but the people I shared them with thought they were just right, and I trust their opinions.
And, in case you were wondering, yes, I was supposed to put the sliced almonds on top before baking them but forgot, so I stuck them on afterward. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone.

Orange Almond Blueberry Muffins (printable recipe)

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.
Ingredients

• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 c fresh orange juice
• 1/2 c whole milk
• 2 large egg whites
• 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 c sliced, blanched almonds, finely ground
• 2 c flour
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1/4 c sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 c fresh blueberries
• Handful of sliced almonds for decoration

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray or line a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the orange zest, orange juice, milk, egg whites, and butter. Whisk until combined.
3. In another medium bowl, combine the ground almonds, flour, sugar, toasted sliced almonds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well  in the middle of the dry ingredients. pour the wet ingredients into the well, and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full, and arrange 3 or 4 sliced almonds on top of the batter in a floral decoration. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes, or until the edges are brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Move the muffin pan to a wire rack, and let cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them finish cooling on the rack.
5. The muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

*And I am immensely grateful to you for being part of my loyal fan base.

Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream

Don't forget about the giveaway! See previous post for details! Entries must by submitted by June 15!

You know how running is cool these days? Like, really cool? And it's cool to show people you are a runner? Like, with mileage stickers on your car? And to encourage other people to run too? Because running is cool?

Wait, I mean, running is healthy.

Let me just make it clear that I do not have a problem with people who like to run. More power to you. I just don't necessarily love how people can give off the impression that those who don't like to run are somehow inferior to those who do.

Allow me to tell an allegorical dialog:

Me: Oh my gosh, I have been working hard on playing Dvořák's Romance in F Minor for violin. It is so amazing! I love it.

You: Hey, that's cool.

Me: Yes! It is so great. You should try it! You can come over and we can play it together!

You: Um, I don't play the violin.

Me: That's okay! I'll help you! It's always better with a buddy.

You: Thanks, but music's not really my thing.

Me: Oh, but you should! There's so much research that shows the benefit of classical music on your mental, even physical health! You should totally do it! It's hard at first, but soon you'll be playing beautifully!

You: I really don't think so. I played in middle school, but I was terrible, so...

Me: It's never too late! It'll only be harder the older you get! It's so amazing! Dvořák!

You: Thanks, but I'm not going to. Have fun practicing, though!

Me: Okay...if that's really how you feel...I guess...

<end scene>

Doesn't that seem ridiculous? Why would a violinist try to force their hobby on someone who doesn't play, doesn't want to play? Yet somehow this conversation is okay between runners and non-runners. 

I'm sounding kind of snarky. Again, if you love to run, please run! Run like the wind! But allow me to sit around, not running, with no shame, please. I'm just a non-conformist like that. Also, terrible at running.

And I guess that's sort of how I felt about red velvet cake. It has been, like, all the rage, though I wasn't sure why. It's sort of a mild, barely chocolate cake with a lot of artificial color. Never something to get excited about.

UNTIL NOW!

I actually did enjoy this cake, despite my previous ambivalence toward it. It was perhaps chocolaty-er than most, and the cinnamon buttercream added a nice, unexpected layer of flavor. The frosting looked a little curdly, for some reason; not sure what I did wrong. But I don't think the flavor was affected. And, though I am by no means great at cake assembly, it came together much better than the Sweet and Salty Cake. So I'm just going to assume I'm getting better and better! 

Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream (printable recipe)

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.
Ingredients

For the red hot velvet cake layers:

• 1/4 c dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp* red gel food coloring
• 1/4 c boiling water
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
• 2 Tbsp vegetable shortening, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 c sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 c cake flour
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
  For the Cinnamon Frosting
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 1/2 c milk
• 1/4 c heavy cream
• 1 1/2 c (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• red hots for decoration

Cooking Directions

1. Make the red hot velvet cake layers: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and boiling water. Set aside to cool.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir the buttermilk and vanilla into the cooled cocoa mixture.
5. Sift the flour and salt together into another medium bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, to the egg mixture in three separate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until incorporated.
6. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda and stir until the baking soda dissolves; the mixture will fizz. Add to the batter and stir until just combined.
7. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until cake tests done, about 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.
8. Make the cinnamon frosting: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.
9. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachent. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; beat until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.
10. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.
11. Assemble the cake: Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread about a 1 1/4 cups of the frosting on top. Top with the next layer, trim and frost the top, then add the third layer. Crumb coat the cake and put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish the cake with the red hots and refrigerate again for 15 minutes.

*I probably used 1 tsp of Wilton's gel food coloring, and the cake was plenty red. Maybe they meant 2 Tbsp liquid? Use your food coloring with discretion.