Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Carrot Spice Muffins/Cocoa Meringues


The Tuesdays with Dorie bakers have been exploring Baking From My Home to Yours one recipe at a time since January 2008. With the majority of the recipes in the cookbook chosen up to this point, one would expect the remainder to be the less desirable ones.

Not so. Last week, we had a light, easy cocoa meringue cookie made with almond meal and peppered with chocolate chips. It was knock-your-socks-off delicious, too good to eat just one, wildly popular with everyone who had one. Mike of Ugly Food For an Ugly Dude chose this one and I am forever grateful. I probably never would have made this one on my own even though there is a photo in the book and I love chocolate. These were fantastic and I'll definitely make them again.


This week, my buddy Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs picked the carrot spice muffins, an erstwhile morning glory that I made with carrots, pecans, coconut and dried cherries. I was excited to make these and made them the day after the recipes for this month were announced. Muffins are usually easy to put together as they require minimal mixing, but these were a little labor intensive. I shredded the carrots in my food processor, and toasted the coconut and nuts in the oven while I measured the wet and dry ingredients.


I normally double most recipes since I take most everything in to work but this time I made the recipe as written. When I make muffins from this book, I always get a higher yield than Dorie specifies in the recipe. With this recipe, I forced myself to pile all the batter into 12 muffin cups and was rewarded with 12 large, perfectly baked muffins. They were crunchy on the outside and moist and flavorful inside, all elements of a perfect muffin in my book. And they were great the following day, and the day after that. Definitely a repeater around here. Nancy has the recipe for you here.

*******PLEASE NOTE: Lethally Delicious is on hiatus for the month of Ramadan. I will be responding to comments but not keeping up with my Google Reader or visiting bloggers other than those who leave comments. I'll be back around August 31st with a spirit refreshed by this blessed month of fasting and prayer. Peace.

12 comments:

  1. I loved both recipes too. Had never made meringues, what a fun cookie.
    The muffins were perfect, I'll make them again. I used dates but dried cherries sounds yummy.
    Enjoy your month of Ramadam, I'm not sure exactly what this is but I'm going to find out.
    I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I'm always impressed when people live their religion. What we believe molds our character, hopefully I am a better person when I live my religion.
    Sorry for the book, I am just such a firm believer in religion. I am anxious to know what others believe.
    Have a peaceful month.

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  2. Great muffins, I love all the polkadots! I loved how moist these turned out! I can't wait for fall so I can make them again and again!

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  3. I've really liked the recipes that have been selected recently. These muffins were great, especially with all the spices. Your meringues look wonderful, too.

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  4. Weren't these muffins great? And your meringues look fantastic, too. I need to find myself an egg white and make them already!

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  5. how fun! the liners match the plate. this wholesome muffin looks even more delicious presented in this way. nice job.

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  6. Beautiful photos - I love the carrots peeking out in that last shot! :)

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  7. The meringues surprised me with their chewy chocolately insides. They were on my short list when I found out I was lucky to choose a second time.

    And the muffins look perfect.

    Enjoy your peaceful month, Friend.

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  8. It's a double-header on your blog this week, and you knocked it out of the park with both recipes, Leslie. (that was sort of a fractured baseball reference, sorry!) Your meringues look better than the book. I'm going to try the recipe again when it isn't raining and see if I get any crunch.

    And can we talk about your muffins? Gorgeous!! Perfect color and texture and I love the way you carried the dot theme through the muffins papers to the plate.

    Thank you for baking along with me this week, and I hope that you experience the blessings of your holy month.

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  9. Both recipes look great in your photos...sounds like I need to get busy and catch up making some of these. Not for a bit, I'm on a blogging vacation until Matt goes to college on the 21st, spending the time making his favorites and doing things with him before he heads out of here. See you later...

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  10. The meringues were a total surprise hit for me, I didn't expect to like them anywhere near as much as I did. The muffins were good too, but I think I would prefer a version topped with cream cheese frosting :)

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  11. The meringues were delicious! They seem like they wouldn't be that chocolately, but they were. Your muffins look lovely - I skipped them but I know I'd like them.

    I enjoyed your pantry post too. I've got more than a few shopping bags to sort through myself...La Maison du Chocolat is not getting recycled though!

    Enjoy your month of peace.

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  12. Hi Leslie
    I love the choc meringue. Recipe looks simple... should try it one day. Thanks.

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