(sometimes multiple times), writing and, finally, propping, styling and photography. Next the manuscript needs to be edited, copy-edited and proofed. Phew – I’m exhausted just thinking about all that work. The good news is that my book is almost done and I’m ready to get back to blogging on a regular basis. Thanks for bearing with me.
There are some wonderful new cookbook
releases this fall, including a long-awaited book, The Baking Bible, from my friend Rose Levy Beranbaum. Rose is the
most meticulous baker and recipe writer I know. Her recipes are not only
wonderful, they are also foolproof. Rose has a real knack for including every
important detail in her
recipes, taking the guesswork out of the baking process
and ensuring success every time. Glancing through The Baking Bible, my only
quandary is deciding which recipe to make – I want to eat them all. The
recipe that caught my eye this time is
the one for Rose’s Coffee Crumb Cake Muffins. Baked in a Texas size muffin pan,
these individual coffee cakes are incredibly tender, and each has a hidden ring
of apple inside. Ideal for a weekend brunch or afternoon snack with a cup of
Joe or tea. They also freeze well, so make a double batch now and have them on
hand for the holidays.
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From The Baking Bible (Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt, 2014; $40) by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Makes 6 muffins
Special Equipment: Six large cupcake
liners set in a Texas size muffin pan or large custard cups (1 cup capacity)
Crumb Topping:
½ cup (1.8 oz/50 g) walnut halves
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (1.3 oz/36
g) light brown Muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon (0.5 oz/13 g) granulated
sugar
¾ teaspoon (1.6 grams) ground cinnamon
¼ cup (1 oz/30 g) bleached all-purpose
flour
2 tablespoons (1 oz/28 g) unsalted
butter, melted
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Batter:
1 small tart apple, such as Granny Smith
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/3 cup (2.9 oz/81 g) sour cream, divided
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (3.5 oz/100 g) bleached cake flour
½ cup (3.5 oz/100 g) superfine sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons (3 oz/85 g) unsalted
butter, softened
Make the topping:
1. In a food processor, pulse the
walnuts, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon until the walnuts are
coarsely chopped. Remove ¼ cup (1 oz/30 g) to use for the filling.
2. To the remainder, add the flour,
butter, and vanilla and pulse briefly to form a coarse, crumbly mixture for the
topping. Scrape it into a medium bowl and refrigerate for about 10 minutes to
firm up the butter to make it easier to crumble for the topping.
3. Use your fingers to pinch together the
refrigerated crumb topping, breaking up the larger pieces so that about
one-third of the mixture is formed into small clumps and the rest is in small
particles.
Make the batter:
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a
Texas size muffin pan with six large cupcake liners.
5. Just before mixing the batter, peel,
core and slice the apple into rings 1/8 inch thick. Use a fingertip to dab the
slices with the lemon juice.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks,
1 ½ tablespoons of the sour cream, and the vanilla, just until lightly
combined.
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted
with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and
salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining sour cream
and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed
to medium and beat for 1 ½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
8. Starting on medium-low speed,
gradually add the egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30
seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the
structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
9. Spoon the batter (2.3 oz/64 g) into
each of the prepared liners. The liners will be about half full. Sprinkle each
with 2 teaspoons of the crumb filling. With a small metal spatula or spoon,
fold the crumb filling into the batter with three or four strokes. Set an apple
slice on top of each and press it down so that some of the batter rises up a
little above the slice. Smear it across the top of the slice. Spoon about 2
tablespoons of the crumb topping evenly over the top of each muffin and use
your fingers to press it down gently.
10. Bake the muffins for 25 to 35
minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean
and the muffins spring back when pressed lightly in the centers.
11. Cool the muffins in the pans on a
wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove them from the pans and set them on a wire
rack. Cool completely. Store in a covered container at room temperature for up to
3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.. The muffins can be frozen for up to 2
months.
