TWD: Allspice Muffins

I know it's hard to believe, but I had never looked through Dorie Greenspan's Book "Baking: From My Home to Yours" until around the end of August when a few of us joined  a friend for her baking challenge that month. In one day, we baked her challenges for the entire month - Caramel Crunch Tart, Pufflets, Espresso Brownies, Apple Turnovers and Chocolate Mousse. And my fingers reached for that glossy, big shiny book with pretty pictures and...well, it was just love at first sight.

Having refrained from buying the book for another month (unbelievable for me the gotta have the cookbook now girl), this was the first recipe I'd made on my own from the book. Which is not as good as I don't have anyone to send leftovers home with like my friend did when she had us over to bake. So, this recipe at least, was not a "Gotta eat it all in one day because it's got chocolate or lots of sugar" recipe but overall, I liked it. Which is a big thing considering I never really used allspice in my cooking a lot so the taste took a little getting used to.

Out of respect to the Tuesdays with Dorie group , and to Dorie herself, I am not posting the recipe but it can be found over in the book on pages 16-17 or over at the host for this weeks challenge, Kayte at Grandma's Kitchen Table.

Now, I had skipped the Streusel part of it because I was short on time and hungry. So it's possible that I may have missed the full flavor of it without the what is most likely yummy strudel bits (with 5 tbsp of butter how could it not be) but overall they were good. And I now know when Dorie says the batter will be lumpy, she is telling the truth and it's best to believe her.

It's a fairly simple straightforward recipe to make which is in its favor. I could see whipping these up for breakfast if I had guests. And the only drawback to the recipe is that she is very truthful in saying these muffins are best on the day that they are made...I warmed up some for breakfast this morning and they were a little hard coming out of the fridge (I had thumped one on the kitchen table when there was no give after I pushed on the muffin). Once warmed up, the flavor was pretty good although it was not as tender as it was the day before.

I might try it again sometime with the strudel topping, but overall, yes a recipe definitely trying at least once.