Spiced Pumpkin Muffins with Spiced Caramel Pear Glaze

Photo by Keiko Marr

These were my favorite treats from the last tasting. I was so excited to make them that I involuntarily woke up at 3am that Sunday morning to bake them. I also had some wonderful spiced scones in the works as well but my oven had other ideas. It has been a very moody appliance as of late. At least my little muffins turned out perfectly.

 

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins with Spiced Caramel Pear Glaze

 

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground clove

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 15oz can pumpkin puree

1/3 cup melted butter

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

 

Prep: Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, clove and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, melted butter, half-and-half, the beaten eggs, sugars, and vanilla; mix until blended. Stir pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients until moistened. Do not over mix. Fill muffin tin approx. 3/4 full with batter. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before glazing.

 

Spiced Caramel Pear Glaze

 

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp of milk

2-4 Tbsp of Spiced Caramel Pear Jam

 (taste after two tbsp to see if you like the flavor, add more if necessary)

 

When the muffins have cooled completely, dip the tops into the glaze and return to the cooling rack for the glaze to set.

 

3am, Cranberries & a Basket

I pray for my little Jam endeavors. I pray for wisdom, inspiration, guidance and favor, to name just a few. And because I believe with my whole heart that the Lord's timing is His own and rarely seems to be what I have in mind, a 3am wakeup call no longer surprises me.

It would have to be divine inspiration to wake me straight out of bed at 3am on a Monday morning. Not just awake, but happy awake with a smile on my face and a desire to jog downstairs to search out one more delightful recipe to serve at the next tasting. I've heard that song writers keep a pad and paper by their bedside for midnight inspiration. I suppose if their sweet jams are created this way so too can mine be...corny I know but it is 3am.

So I awoke with two very clear ideas..... A basket and butter. The basket had a title and everything, in my best Charlton Heston Mosesesque voice... "It shall be named, The Good Morning Basket". This basket will be appropriately filled with Fruit Butters and Jams that would be divine over pancakes, waffles, scones or biscuits and include a pre-printed suggestion card on how to prepare and serve each flavor.

And the butter.... This was clearly to be in line with Fall, something festive to serve to holiday guests or to treat yourself with when Fall and Winter get around to making their presence known. Yes that is a hint.... As our first day of October is forecasted to include a temperature of 101, I am again reminded that timing is not mine, but His alone. So the Butter I've been inspired to create will be a Cran-Apple Butter. There are fresh Cranberries at our local grocery store now, and the apples, oh the variety of Apples available this time of year is just exciting! This last statement is a good testament to the fact that I was created to, among other things, make Jam.