[ Equipment: oven or slow cooker with temperature control. For more information about the terminology in this recipe, see Low Temperature Baking: A Journey of 3 Paths ].
One of my local markets cleared out its holiday candies at 75% off, and I purchased a couple of 9-oz. bags of Cherry Cordial M&Ms for 75 cents each! I have not put candies into baked goods before (not on VaporBaker anyway), but these were so delicious that I wanted a way to savor them in mouth longer than the second or two it took to chew and swallow them. I put them into muffins and flavored the batter to enhance the Cherry Cordial flavors.
Because the M&Ms are fairly heavy as an ingredient (about the size of peanut M&Ms), I chose a base recipe with a stiff batter to support them. The batter for Joy Of Baking's Buttermilk Berry Muffins could be described as either a very soft dough or a very thick batter with the buoyancy to float marbles. In low ovens, less moisture in the batter also means faster baking.
The main flavors in cherry cordial candies are cherries, chocolate and almonds (from the cooked cherry pits). Of the 3, the almond flavor is the most subtle, so I put the Cherry Cordial M&Ms in an almond batter. I changed out the vanilla extract for almond extract and added a portion of almond meal for flavor and to give the muffin texture more bite.
In this recipe, the M&Ms sit atop the batter. I did make a batch with the M&Ms inside the batter, but the candy shell on the M&Ms melted into a reddish mess. The candy shell contained the cordial flavors, which faded when the shell dissolved. Putting the candies on top of the muffins preserved the flavors better, but that portion of the shell touching batter still melted, surrounding each of the candies with a red or brown halo.
If Cherry Cordial M&Ms are out of season, substitute Cherry M&Ms or make the muffins with regular M&Ms. For a healthier alternative, try dried cherries stuffed with chocolate chips. Although not absolutely necessary, I recommend toasting the almonds, both the whole and chopped forms. Toasting enhances the nutty flavor, softens the meat and takes out the astringent taste. I toasted the almonds in the microwave (2 to 3 minutes on HIGH power). Toasting them in a slow oven (250F/121C) for 30 minutes will be as effective and possibly gentler on the flavor compounds.
This recipe makes 6 muffins. Ordinarily, I would have baked them in my larger 5.5-quart cooker-oven, because that's too many to fit in my 5-quart, but the latter has the advantage of an external temperature control. To maximize the usable space in the 5-quart so that I could squeeze in a half dozen muffins, I fabricated a new spiral trivet. The trivet is a coil of rolled up aluminum foil, about 3/8-inch thick.
In the picture above, the coil trivet loosely covers the bottom of the ceramic. At the center is an upside-down metal condiment cup, measuring 2-1/2 inches in diameter x 1-1/2 inches tall. 5 muffins sit on the spiral trivet. The 6th goes on the metal cup, and will bake a little slower than the others, but not by much. When the 5 muffins below have browned with golden edges, the 6th may need more time to gain some color, if desired. The 6-muffin capacity is well worth the minor inconvenience.
Makes 6 Muffins
- 240 calories per muffin
- Oven Temperature: 250°F/121°C
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons beaten egg (about 1/2 large egg)
- 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1/8 cup low-fat milk
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 30 Cherry Cordial M&Ms (see text for substitutes)
- 1/8 cup chopped almonds, toasted
- 6 whole almonds, toasted
1. Into a large bowl, sift the flour, almond meal, salt, baking soda and baking powder and whisk in the sugar to combine. Or mix dry ingredients and rub them between hands to break up lumps and combine.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, milk, buttermilk, egg and almond extract until well combined.
3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to form a stiff batter, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Do not overmix. The more the batter is stirred, the smoother it will be, but the denser the texture will be due to the development of the gluten.
4. Divide the batter to fill 6 greased muffin cups (1/4-cup capacity). Sprinkle each with the chopped almonds.
5. For every muffin, press a single whole almond into the center. Then press 5 M&Ms around the almond.
6. Bake in a preheated 250°F/121°C oven for 30-35 mins. The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. They should be lightly golden around the edges. Remove to a rack and cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Unmold and serve. Do not allow the muffins to remain in their molds for long, because the buildup of moisture will turn the sides and bottom of the muffins soggy. To dry off soggy muffins, put them upside-down in a dehydration oven set to 110-120°F (43-49°C) for a few minutes or until the excess moisture has evaporated.
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