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Cranberry-Vanilla Muffins

Source of Recipe

From "Cold Weather Cooking" by Sarah Leah Chase


Recipe Introduction

"I am such a great believer in the aphrodisiacal powers of vanilla that my favorite fragrance is a French parfumier's essence of vanilla. If I wear vanilla, one can only imagine how I love to cook with it! In this recipe half a vanilla bean is ground right into the sugar to dominate the flavor of the muffin. Scarlet-colored cranberries suggest even more romance—try these on Valentine's Day."

List of Ingredients

Batter:
â—¦ ½ vanilla bean, cut into small pieces
â—¦ 1 cup sugar
â—¦ ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ 2 large eggs
â—¦ 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 teaspoons baking powder
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ cup milk
â—¦ 2 ½ cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

Topping:
â—¦ 2 tablespoons sugar
â—¦ ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg



Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line 12 to 14 muffin cups with paper liners.

Prepare the batter:
Place the vanilla bean and sugar in a blender or food processor and process until the vanilla bean is ground into tiny flecks.

Using an electric mixer, cream the vanilla sugar with the butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until smooth and fluffy. Fold in the cranberries.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling each one almost full. Mix together the sugar and nutmeg for the topping and sprinkle generously over the muffins.

Bake until puffed, light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 to 14 muffins