Hello Bakers,
These are the most trying times we have ever experienced. I am home - my job teaching at Sur La Table has evaporated for the time being - like every other person on the planet my emotions range from despair to resolve.
I knew only one thing this morning - I had to interact with you.
Lately, I have been moving and getting divorced and recovering from cancer and working and I have not been around - missing in baking action.
I didn’t even tell you that I went to Denver in January and shot a class for Bluprint.com - it’s a redo of my 2012, Classic Croissants at Home and it debuts on Bluprint on Friday. It will have updated techniques and it is beautiful.
Before we dive in and start baking, this is the main thing - is that we bake whatever makes us feel better. So let’s bake - bake what makes you feel better - simple or fancy it doesn’t matter.
Today, I don’t have the emotional strength to make a butter block - I am just that fragile. But that little box of muffin mix struck a chord and I am ready to go.
Lastly, we have no idea how this will play out. Please stock up on what is reasonable. When this crisis hit I had only 3 sticks of butter in the house and no eggs. Talk about panic. And no eggs in the stores. Thanks to my remarkable assistant, Roberta I know have 4 pounds of butter and 20 eggs in the refrigerator. I feel so rich now. I have more then enough.
I am low on bread flour but my plan is to only buy what I need - 5 pounds (if I can find it) and leave the rest for another baker.
It’s true I am wearing my fluffy slippers in this video…
Jiffy Corn Muffins” -
Yield 3 “Texas” style muffins or 6 regular sized muffins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Equipment: muffin tin, paper or silicone liners, medium sized bowl, spatula, spoon for jam, medium scoop
1 box “Jiffy” corn bread mix - shout out if you have a box in your cupboard
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
splash of vanilla (1/2 teaspoon)
Sanding, aka crystal sugar or granulated sugar
Strawberry jam - I used Smuckers but any kind of jam works - Ina’s version used raspberry and yes she probably made them for Jeffrey - which is a nice thought.
In a large bowl combine muffin mix, milk and egg and splash of vanilla.
Mix with a spatula until just combined - 8-10 strokes
Scoop into muffin tin and place a spoonful of jam in the center. Top with another scoop of batter. Sprinkle with whatever sugar you have.
Bake for 15-22 minutes at 350 - at 15 minutes my batch needed 7 more minutes before it tested clean.