Summer Muffins

George Hirsch July 1, 2024

Summer and muffins seem to go hand in hand, especially since blueberries are plentiful right now. Muffins bake fairly quickly with little prep.

Tip: Did you know? Tossing blueberries with flour before adding them to the batter will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin during baking.

Blueberry Nut Muffins

Makes 10-12 muffins

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For the topping:

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons nuts, walnuts, or pecans, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces

1 Tablespoon sweet butter

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts. Blend butter in with a fork until the mixture is crumb-like.

For the muffin mix:

1/2 cup sweet butter, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon flour for coating blueberries, plus greasing muffin cups

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup pure cane granulated sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup milk

Grease a regular-size 12-cup muffin pan with butter and dust with flour, banging out excess flour, or use muffin cup liners.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, use a mixer to cream butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and orange zest to beaten eggs, then add eggs one at a time, mixing until eggs are absorbed.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and milk in three stages, mixing until all are incorporated. Do not overmix.

Toss blueberries in a fine strainer with about one Tablespoon of flour to lightly coat. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. With an ice cream scoop or large spoon, place batter into muffin cups filling each cup to three-quarters full. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries on top of the muffins and divide the crumb topping over the muffins.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown. Check the muffins halfway through and rotate if the oven temperature is uneven. Test with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin; it should come out clean, or when touched lightly, the muffin should have a slight resistance to finger pressure.

Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove muffins from pan.

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Chocolate Pound Cake →

George Hirsch June 19, 2024

This recipe is one of those cakes that gets better with age; meaning, it tastes even better the day after it is baked. You may not have access to Sag Harbor Rum for the simple syrup, so if you find yourself in a strange port, use a good quality rum.

George Hirsch Chocolate Pound Cake, Sag Harbor Rum Syrup

Chocolate Pound Cake

Makes one loaf

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1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sweet butter, room temperature

1 cup pure cane granulated sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder such as Droste

1/4 cup boiling hot water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a loaf pan with butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix cocoa powder into boiling water until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, mix cake flour with baking powder and salt.

Mix butter until softened at medium-high speed, about 1 - 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after adding each egg. Add vanilla, orange zest, and cocoa mixture. Add the flour mixture and mix only until combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake on a center rack in the oven for about 50 - 55 minutes or until done. To test doneness, the cake will spring back when touched lightly with the index finger.

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Slice pound cake, and serve soaked with rum simple syrup and with fresh whipped cream.

To make simple syrup:

1 cup water, 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup of Rum, and 1 orange, cut into quarters

Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Remove and cool.

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Banana Blueberry

George Hirsch June 3, 2024

Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and are a good source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, and manganese.

Blueberries are an antioxidant superfood packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids (compounds that protect our bodies from stress). They are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them a top choice.

My banana blueberry muffin recipe adds some tartness to a sweet banana muffin. It's also a great take-along snack that's better for you than reaching for a candy bar.

Banana Blueberry Nut Muffins

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

makes 10-12 muffins

For the Crumb Topping:

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons nuts, chopped

1 Tablespoon sweet butter

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts. Blend butter in with a fork until the mixture is crumb-like.

For the Muffin Mix:

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups, about 3-4 large very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup pure cane granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons honey

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup sweet butter, melted, or replace with part/ all applesauce

Lightly grease 10 muffin cups or line them with muffin papers.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Recipe Directions are below.

In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, honey, egg, cinnamon, vanilla, zest, nuts, and melted butter. Fold in the banana mixture by hand with a spatula into the flour mixture until just moistened.

Place batter into muffin cups filling each cup to three-quarters full. Place a few blueberries, about 1 Tablespoon, on top of each muffin. Divide the crumb topping evenly over the top of the muffin batter.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin; when a toothpick comes out clean or touched lightly, the muffin should have a slight resistance to finger pressure.

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Banana Walnut Bread

George Hirsch April 24, 2024

I am a sucker for traditions, and banana bread is one of those desserts I look forward to making when I feel the need to relish the goodness of basic quick baking. It's the perfect time because I seem to have enough bananas in the freezer that always seem to go ripe overnight.

Tip: Ripe bananas (black) are the key to success. Save ripe bananas still in their skins and freeze them in a plastic freezer bag until you have enough to make a full recipe.

The crumble topping is optional. For a lower-fat Banana Bread recipe, replace butter in part or all with applesauce.

Banana Walnut Bread

Makes 1 loaf or 10-12 muffins

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For the Crumb Topping:

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons walnuts or pecans, chopped

1 Tablespoon sweet butter

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts. Blend butter in with a fork until the mixture is crumb-like.

For the Loaf Mix:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups about 3-4 large very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup pure cane granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons honey

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup sweet butter, melted, Or replace with part/ all applesauce

Lightly grease the loaf pan.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. SEE DIRECTIONS BELOW

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In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, honey, egg, cinnamon, vanilla, nuts, and melted butter. Fold in by hand with a spatula the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just moistened.

Place batter into loaf pan; and if using the optional crumb topping sprinkle on top of batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. Test with a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf. Done when it comes out clean.

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Easter Muffin

George Hirsch March 31, 2024

The Blueberry Muffin is the most popular muffin, and with Easter this weekend, my Blueberry Nut Muffins are ideal to serve for breakfast or include in your Easter Brunch. Make-n-bake in under an hour.

No sweat if fresh blueberries are in season in your neighborhood; a good quality frozen berry will do just fine.

Tip: Stock up your freezer with extra blueberries for recipes like this. Store whole fresh berries in sealed plastic storage bags for up to six months.

Tip: Did you know that tossing blueberries with flour before adding them to the batter will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin during baking?

Blueberry Nut Muffins

Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes 10-12 muffins

For the topping:

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons nuts, walnuts, or pecans, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces

1 Tablespoon sweet butter

Mix brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts in a small bowl. Blend butter in with a fork until the mixture is crumb-like.

For the muffin mix:

1/2 cup sweet butter, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon flour for coating blueberries, plus greasing muffin cups

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup pure cane granulated sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup milk

Grease a regular-size 12-cup muffin pan with butter and dust with flour, banging out excess flour, or use muffin cup liners.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and milk in three stages, mixing until all are incorporated. Do not overmix.

Toss blueberries in a fine strainer with about one Tablespoon of flour to lightly coat. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. Place batter into muffin cups with an ice cream scoop or large spoon, filling each cup to three-quarters full. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries on top of the muffins and divide the crumb topping over the muffins.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until muffins are golden brown. Check muffins halfway through and rotate if the oven temperature is uneven. Test with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin; it should come out clean, or when touched lightly, the muffin should have a slight resistance to finger pressure.

Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove muffins from pan.