"Wake Up!" Polenta Muffins

If you are like me, intimidated by all things  baking, this simple, quick and easy recipe would turn you into a baking addict (to a degree).
Making this muffins is very easy, just a few basic ingredients mixed together. And how quick? Before you know it a 12 beautiful muffins come out of the  oven and put a happy smile on everyone's face in your home, including you, on any given morning, or evening, if you like... 
Not convinced? Well, it takes longer to brush your teeth than to mix a batch of this muffins. I timed... :)

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"Wake Up!" Polenta Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup fine polenta
• 1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons/60 gram), melted
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon sugar (or 2-3 tablespoons if you like it sweet)
• 1 tablespoon minced cayenne pepper (or 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper)

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and prepare a muffin pan. 

Melt the butter, take off the heat and add olive oil. Set aside.

Whisk together all dry ingredients, except baking soda.

Mix together buttermilk and baking soda, add it to the butter and oil, and mix well.

Add butter mix to the bowl with dry ingredients, and stir to form a batter. Do not overmix! 

Pour the batter into the muffin pan, and bake around 18-20 minutes, turning the pan 180 degrees half way through the baking. 

Muffins are ready when a wooden stick (toothpick, small skewer, etc.), inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out dry.

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I tested this recipe many times with different proportion of polenta and flour, and ratio 1:1 works the best: not too dry from the corn, and not too heavy from the flour.
I also tested different fats, including lard (my favorite), but because good lard is hard to find (I made my own lard to use in this muffins), and store bought has so many additives, I did not include it in this recipe. However, if you come across good lard, that has only one ingredient listed, which is... yes, lard, I encourage you to try it. You can use 60 grams butter and 60 grams lard, or just lard. The result is "melt-in-your-mouth" muffins. 
What's in the name? Why "Wake Up!"? That is easy: the amount of spicy cayenne, added to the batter would wake up any sleepy head in the morning. I use fresh minced cayenne pepper, with gives a nice kick with every bite, and brings you to a reality from your dreams... :)

See you,
Marina

Cheese Muffins

A few posts ago I teased you with some photos, and now it's time to share the recipe for those muffins many of your were so fond about. They are easy to make, and no stand mixer required. I personally do all mixing by hand. 

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Cheese Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups  (470 g) plain flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup (150 ml) olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1 cup (100-125 gr) shredded cheese (I used Swiss, Pecorino Romano, Feta, Mozzarella)
1 Tablespoon dried dill (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan with butter.

2. In a large bowl combine together the flour, salt, baking powder, and dill. Stir and set aside.

3. In another bowl , whisk the eggs, then add oil and milk and whisk again. 

4. Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture, add the egg mixture and shredded cheese (any cheese of your choice), and mix all ingredients. Do not overmix! 

5. Fill the cups with the batter, and level it with the rim.

6. Place in the middle rack in the oven, and bake 20-25 minutes.

When muffins are golden brown in color and springy to the touch, insert a toothpick in the center: it should come out clean. 

Cool it for 5 minutes (if you can), and enjoy with butter or raspberry jam. 

* This recipe was highly adapted from The WS Baking Book.

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See you,
Marina