These better for you confections aren’t just for celiacs! They’re perfect for anyone who demands nutritional value with their breakfast sweets. The chewiness of oat flour offsets the chalkiness of the sorghum while a little guar gum binds the batter. Then, for tenderness, brown sugar and buttermilk boost the acidity. Add to that a generous portion of cherries for an absolutely delightful “better for you” breakfast treat.
ingredients
makes 1 dozen
7.5 Ounces (1 3/4 cups + 2TB) Sorghum Flour
4.4 Ounces (1 1/2 cups) Oat Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Guar Gum
5.2 ounces (3/4 cup) Brown Sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon Table Salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch cubes, cold
5 Ounces (1/2 cup + 2 TB) Buttermilk or Kefir, cold
2 large eggs, cold
3/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon Almond Oil Extract
12 ounces (2 cups) tart cherries, fresh, frozen or refrigerated, cut in half or quartered
Coarse or Sparkling sugar, for topping up, optional
deviations & tips
Cherry halves give large bursts of cherry flavor, but quarters more evenly distribute the fruit.
Almond oil brings out the cherry flavor while nutmeg enhances the buttery notes.
Cold ingredients create a more pronounced dome or “muffin top”.
Starting at a higher temperature, encourages an initial burst for higher rising muffins.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre-heat to 400F. Prepare a nonstick or aluminum muffin pan by greasing lightly or lining with tinfoil or paper liners.
Set a mesh sieve over the bowl of your stand mixer. Sift flours into bowl. Whisk in guar gum, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, coriander and nutmeg. Add butter cubes to bowl; toss to coat. With mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix at medium-low speed to form crumbs, about 2-3 minutes. In a small bowl whisk together buttermilk or kefir, eggs, and vanilla. With mixer on low, add wet ingredients to crumb mixture and blend just until combined. Fold cherries into dough.
Blend into coarse crumbs.
Add wet ingredients to create a thick batter.
Distribute batter among 12 muffin cups, about 3.6 oz per cup. Using the back of a spoon, press dough lightly into each cup to fill more uniformly. Top with sparkling sugar if desired.
Bake for 12 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F. Continue baking for 10-16 minutes or until muffins are fragrant, puffed, and golden around the edges. Fresh cherries will take a shorter amount of time than frozen. An inserted toothpick should re-emerge with some moist crumbs attached but no wet batter. Use a small offset spatula to remove from tin and transfer to cooling rack.
Serve warm with butter if desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm leftovers in microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Cherry Muffin with Sorghum and Oat