Fresh Strawberry Almond Muffins
Fresh Strawberry Almond Muffins
I am pretty sure some of the best cooks are innkeepers at bed and breakfast inns. So, I am thrilled to share this recipe from the Vintage Gardens Bed and Breakfast in Newark, NY.
Kimberly Meeks, the innkeeper of Vintage Gardens graciously shared her most popular breakfast recipes with me. And I could not wait to share this first recipe with you for these Fresh Strawberry Almond Muffins! These muffins are amazing and I have made them 3 times since I have received the recipe.
They are that good!
Vintage Gardens which was formerly the ‘Jackson & Perkins Rose Company Estate’, one of the largest and best-known horticultural firms in the United States. But Jackson & Perkins didn’t originally start out propagating and breeding roses, the family business started a modest nursery business selling wholesale strawberries and grape plants. The fresh strawberry almond muffins, while delicious also speak to the humble beginning of a local company, that later went on to become a horticultural powerhouse.
Vintage Gardens
Vintage Gardens, located in the Village of Newark, NY is beautifully decorated and tastefully furnished with antiques. The 1844 Tudor building which was once home to the Perkins Family is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The lovely inn offers the charm of a country Bed and Breakfast with comfortable, carefully decorated accommodations. Five spacious bedrooms, with private and shared baths, offer the perfect vacation escape. Your innkeepers, the Meeks are warm and welcoming, and obviously great cooks!
Fresh Strawberry Almond Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour plus 2 teaspoons more for tossing with strawberries
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2-1/4 cups diced strawberries, divided
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for topping
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners; spray the liners and the pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and almond extract. (The batter may look a little grainy -- that's okay).
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three separate additions, alternating with the milk and ending with the flour.
- Toss the strawberries with 2 teaspoons of flour (this will keep them from sinking to the bottom). Set 1/2 cup of the berries aside. Add the remaining berries to the batter and fold with a spatula until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin (an ice-cream scoop with a wire scraper works well here); they will be very full. Sprinkle reserved berries and almonds on the tops of the muffins,sprinkle turbinado sugar over the center of each muffin (keeping the sugar away from the edges will prevent sticking).
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
- Run a sharp knife around the top edge of each muffin to free it from the pan if necessary (the edges can stick), then let the muffins cool in the pan for about 25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack to cool completely.
Have you visited Vintage Gardens Bed and Breakfast? Let me know in the comments below!
Many thanks to Vintage Gardens for graciously opening up their beautiful Bed and Breakfast for me to visit, and sharing these wonderful recipes!
One Comment