Cooking with Friends

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (mashed)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Lightly oil twelve muffin cups, dust with flour and set aside
3. In a large bowl stir together all-purpose flour, whole wheat, sugar, baking powder, spice, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
4. In a small bowl combine egg, milk, and butter, stir in pumpkin. Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter will be lumpy).
5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups filling each about 2/3 full. Bake in a 375 F oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in a pan on a wire for 5 minute. Remove from muffin cups. Serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.

Currant, Orange, and Anise Scones

Currant, Orange and Anise Scones
Serves 16

Scones:
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 lbs. unsalted butter, cold, cut into .5 inch pieces
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup heavy cream, cold
3/4 cup currants mixed with 1 tablespoon of flour
2 tablespoons anise seeds
Zest of one orange

Egg Wash: 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Orange glaze: whisk together 2 tablespoons milk with confectioner’s sugar until thick; add 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/8 teaspoon orange juice.

1. In a standing mixer bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and mix until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Fold in the currants.

2. In a separate bowl combine eggs, heavy cream, zest, anise seeds until mixed thoroughly. Add to flour mixture and mix until just blended, about 1 minute. It should be a shaggy rough dough.

3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands, gently press the dough into an 11-by-7 inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut the dough into 16 triangles.

4. Place triangles on prepared baking sheets, chill for 1 hour before baking or over night (at this point, you can freeze the unbaked scones in a resealable bag until ready to bake, up to 3 weeks.)

5. Remove scones from refrigerator and let sit for 20-30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 375˚F

6. Brush scones with egg wash and bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops are golden and flecked with brown spots. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

7. Dip in orange glaze before serving.