Monday, July 29, 2013

Fresh Peaches and Cream Muffins (Monday Muffins!)

Fresh Peaches and Cream Muffins (Monday Muffins!)

When my daughter was 9 years old, she wanted a peach tree for Christmas.  The logistics of finding and wrapping a peach tree in December in Virginia aside, we were renting our townhouse and knew we'd be moving in another year-ish (given the standard "military future uncertainty" spin on things).

No peach tree that Christmas.  However, after we moved here and became homeowners,  we set about making our back yard a more edible landscape.  Thanks to my spouse's hard work, part of the patio became a strawberry patch and raspberry canes went into a back corner with blueberry bushes and recycled raised beds along the fences.  My daughter got her peach tree--two of them, in fact, one dwarf variety and one not-so-dwarf variety.  In the spring the trees have beautiful blossoms, in the summer their thick foliage provides a dense patch of shade.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2013/07/fresh-peaches-and-cream-muffins-monday.html

My daughter carefully tends the trees--removing diseased leaves, thinning the branches and then the fruit, so that each peach has plenty of room and air circulation.  But her dream of harvesting her own peaches has not borne fruit, so to speak.  Apparently the fauna of our backyard can read the Certified Wildlife Habitat sign and think that the peaches, and blueberries for that matter, are for them.  It's OK, they are eating unripe peaches, and we can get fresh ripe peaches nearby to make these lovely muffins.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2013/07/fresh-peaches-and-cream-muffins-monday.html

If you've been making ice cream lately, you may have half a cup of heavy cream left over.  (If not, go out and buy a pint of heavy cream and use 1 1/2 cups for a batch of ice cream so you'll have a leftover.)  Use it in these muffins!  They taste so rich "almost like peach poundcake" my daughter said while polishing off the leftovers on the second day.  I used more sugar than I usually use in a muffin (1/3 cup vs my usual 1/4 cup, when I remember to add the sugar) and only 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, but this muffin recipe remains one that I'm happy to offer my kids as a snack or breakfast, not just reserved for dessert. 

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2013/07/fresh-peaches-and-cream-muffins-monday.html
NOTE: This recipe is not gluten free as written, because I used all purpose and whole wheat flours. To adapt this recipe for a gluten free diet please substitute the gluten free flour blend of your choice, or make your own--here are some options:
http://glutenfreedoctor.com/gluten-free-flour-mix-white/
http://glutenfreedoctor.com/gluten-free-flour-mix-whole-grain/
Check labels to confirm that your other ingredients are also gluten free. Good sources for determining gluten free products can be found here:
http://knowgluten.me/2012/03/31/other-names-for-gluten/
http://glutenfreedoctor.com/gluten-free/
http://www.celiac.com/categories/Safe-Gluten%252dFree-Food-List-%7B47%7D-Unsafe-Foods-%26amp%3B-Ingredients/

Fresh Peaches and Cream Muffins (makes only 11, and that annoys me)

(recipe riffed off of the Basic Muffin Recipe in Muffins: A Cookbook)

1 egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable oil of your choice
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup or 4 1/4 ounces unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup or 2 ounces whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup chopped fresh peaches

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray 11 holes of a 12 cup muffin pan with oil spray (or line with cupcake papers, your choice).  In a large bowl mix egg, cream, vanilla, oil and brown sugar until thoroughly combined.  Dump dry ingredients on top (not the peaches yet!) and stir a few times.  Dump the peaches on top, then stir until all ingredients are just combined. Scoop** (Amazon affiliate link) into prepared pan, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Remove from oven and let sit, in pan, another 3-5 minutes before attempting extraction removing to a cooling rack to finish cooling.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Delicious with buttery spread and a cold glass of milk when warm, or with a cold glass of milk in a day or two.

**My scoop holds 3 Tablespoons (1 ½ ounces) by volume, though the muffin batter is mounded in the scoop so I'm pretty sure I'm putting a good 3 ½ to 4 Tablespoons into each muffin well.  The muffin wells in my regular muffin pans each hold 3 ounces by volume.

This post is shared with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Tasty Tuesdays, Mostly Homemade Mondays, the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link UpWhat's Cookin' WednesdayWhat's In The Box, the From The Farm Blog HopFood on Friday
http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2013/07/fresh-peaches-and-cream-muffins-monday.html

25 comments:

  1. So why not just make an even dozen slightly smaller muffins? Just curious ...

    But I’m totally with you on recipes that don’t fit standard pan sizes, why the recipe developer doesn’t, you know, realize that and make the adjustments.

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    1. Alanna,
      I should probably just scoop a little less into the muffin cups, but I'm so used to having *more* than a scoopful per pan, and roaming around adding a little drib to this cup and a bit to that cup.

      I also should have known better than to think 1 1/2 cups of flour would be enough for the pan--I use 2 cups of grains in my Soaked Oat muffins--but I was thinking the peaches would push it up to an even dozen.

      I'm glad that there was no fighting over the odd number of muffins--my daughter quietly and methodically made sure that she ate every one left after the initial taste testing breakfast.

      Thanks!

      Delete
  2. Yum! I don't usually use peaches in anything but a cobbler, or just to eat, but these muffins are going on the to-try list! Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Sarah,
      And I rarely make cobblers--which I need to remedy. I love them with ice cream, so you know, a pint of ice cream would give me leftovers to make another batch of muffins for breakfast the morning after the cobbler . . .

      Thanks!

      Delete
  3. These look awesome! I can't wait to make these. I love peaches, and they have just come into season here. Yea!!!

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    Replies
    1. Julie,
      I'm glad my timing works--peaches have just appeared in the farm stands here, too.
      I know you make a lot of ice cream, so the heavy cream part should be covered.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  4. These look so good! I completely identify with your daughter; I asked for a peach tree this year for my birthday! We did get two, so we'll see how well they do with our Wisconsin weather

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    Replies
    1. Beth,
      Best of luck to you and your peach trees! We saw a lovely grove of ripening peaches earlier this month when we were picking black raspberries at a fruit farm, so I know at least some varieties grow here in Ohio. I'm just not sure how to keep the varmints off of them. Last year we didn't get a single strawberry, this year we got nearly all of them.
      Keeps things interesting.

      Thanks!

      Delete
  5. There's an R&B song about Peaches and Cream (Peaches and cream / I need it 'cause you know that I'm a fiend / Gettin' freaky in my Bentley limousine) that is now playing in my head as a result of this post.
    We haven't gotten peaches yet, but I'm super excited for the week where we do. You can bet I'll be making these, especially since my new grill will prevent me from biting into a peach. Boo. These will more than make up for that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meghan,
      My daughter learned the hard way about her grill and peaches--but she snagged a bunch of the chopped peaches as I was prepping them, and ate most of the muffins, so she's managing to get her peach fix despite her braces.

      I feel bad for you in advance regarding corn *on* the cob. Last summer, first one in braces, I surreptitiously ate my corn on the cob in the kitchen, so as not to rub it the kids' faces. I'll probably do the same this year.

      Now to find the song--I was going more in an Allman Brothers direction.

      Delete
    2. The song is horrible, which if you found it, I'm sure you know by now. Stick with the Allman Brothers.

      The corn on the cob situation makes me sad. There's nothing quite like biting into a fresh sweet ear of corn on the cob...a peach either for that matter. The fact you eat yours in the kitchen makes me like you even more.

      Delete
    3. Thanks for the recipe! my first time making this.

      And for the song by 112 called Peaches and Cream. It's NOT a horrible song! its a jam 4 ever

      Delete
    4. 112 peaches and cream is amazing!!! its a forever jam

      Delete
  6. These look awesome (and now I have an even better excuse to make a batch of ice cream)! Summer and peaches--life doesn't get better. Stopping by from Fresh Food Wednesdays :)

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    Replies
    1. Amy,
      I know it's a bit of a stretch to tell someone to buy heavy cream and make ice cream merely to have the leftovers for these muffins, but I figured the hardship would be appealing.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  7. I love your humor, you always make me smile :) The 11 muffin thing will drive me crazy as well. I am sure that I will be eyeballing each muffin cavity to get an even dozen...LOL ;) Peaches are one of my favorite fruits, but I don't do nearly enough with them. I think that should change...soon! Thanks so much for the recipe, Lisa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lisa,
      I agree, I don't get enough peaches either. I'm working on increasing my avocado intake in 2013, though, and one 'fruit with a pit in it that can grow into a tree' at a time. Not that I can grow avocados into trees--that skill is reserved for my folks, who are rooting an avocado on their kitchen pass through as I type.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  8. Oh, my! These look too good.
    Your photos have my mouth watering.
    : )

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    1. Gail,
      Thank you! I spent the month of April taking a 30 Days to Better Food Photography Challenge at Learn Food Photography.com, and each day I try and put into practice some of the lessons I learned.

      Delete
  9. I adore your diversion, you generally make me grin :) The 11 biscuit thing will make me insane simultaneously. I am certain that I will be eyeballing every biscuit pit to get an even dozen...lol ;) Peaches are one of my most beloved soil grown foods, however I don't do practically enough with them. I surmise that may as well change...soon! Much appreciated such a great amount of for the formula, Lisa

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    Replies
    1. How funny--it's like Lisa's comment above was pasted into perhaps Google Translate, translated into something and then back into English, and posted here. That's a clever trick.

      Delete
  10. Yum! We just got some peaches this week and boy am I tempted to try these.

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    1. Pamela,
      We're hoping to pick up some peaches at Adams on the way back from the beach. There's something delicious about Delmarva peaches.
      I hope you enjoy your peaches any way you choose!

      Delete
  11. Ok...it's official...I NEED these!!! I also apparently, need my own peach trees in my backyard...lucky!

    Thanks for sharing and linking up :)

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    Replies
    1. Heather,
      You're in California--everything grows in backyards there. I think a lemon tree, getting year round citrus, would be da bomb.

      Thanks for hosting!

      Delete