Amanda of Fake Ginger chose this week’s Project Pastry Queen Challenge: Rather Rich Corn Muffins.
I’ve made these muffins a hundred times. Quite possibly literally 100 times. It’s my go-to cornbread/corn muffin recipe for good reason – it’s perfectly sweet and super moist. It’s also a very non-fussy recipe. I throw everything into the mixer bowl before turning it on to mix until just combined. That’s it.
I almost never make them the same way twice. The batch for this week’s challenge was flavored with roasted corn, a large roasted jalapeno (that was Seventh Circle of Hell hot), and a pile of shaved Parmesan.
The possiblities are endless. Some of my favorite variations:
Pepper + Cheese – A handful of cheddar cheese and 1 or 2 chopped serranos or jalapenos (seeds and stems removed).
Madeleines – Regular or loaded with other ingredients, baking the batter in a madeleine pan makes them “fancy.”
Roasted (pictured) – During the summer, we eat lots of grilled corn on the cob. I like to throw a large jalapeno and an an extra cob on the grill specifically for muffins the next night. Simply cut the charred kernels off the cob and add it to the batter. For the jalapeno, grill until black/blistered. Place in a small bowl covered with plastic wrap and let cool. The skin will peel off easily. Remove the seeds and stem, chop to desired size, and throw in the batter.
Italianized – Sundried tomatoes, shaved parmesan, and leftover grilled corn on the cob that has been slathered with this Basil-parm-Garlic butter.
Greek-ificated – Chopped kalamata olives, crumbled goat cheese, and chopped red peppers.
Fats – I don’t always use heavy cream. Sour cream, greek yogurt, and my favorite – buttermilk (which I used this week) – sub really well for the heavy cream.
Thanks to Amanda for picking such a great recipe! Be sure to check out the Project Pastry Queen blogroll for other Rather Rich Corn Muffins. And stay tuned for next week when the group tackles Texas Big Hair Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Tarts, as chose by Joelen.
