Cheers! (..and jumbo pumpkin, gingerbread muffins)

In the wee hours of the morning (like, very wee and barely morning)…I’ve discovered a superpower. The scent of freshly baking muffins, scones, turnovers, croissants and cookies can make the hardest of thoughts waft away in place of heavenly aromas that draw the Holy Spirit close. My heart is euphoric and filled with hope, I contend it is impossible not to be when in an environment so close to the angels. I must remind myself to “chill. Bring it down a notch” constantly as I’m nearly overcome with giddy thrill to create something so lovely with my hands that will bless someone (still asleep) with its goodness. A bad day will be made better with a fresh chocolate muffin. I believe that is scientific fact.

I’ve always loved baking, the more technical the better. Complicated and fussy with an impressive presentation are my jam. Thanks to youtube and the bajillion cookbooks I’ve consumed like novels, I’ve been able to teach myself and learn much through trial and error (lots of error). My mind works and reworks in troubleshooting frames until I can understand a recipe from inside out. Baking is therapeutic. Every ingredient has a job to do; the right order and ratio and an explosion of tastes and textures can reward precision. Certainly donning my apron and pulling out my measuring cups and cookie sheets has become my favorite hobby over the years. It’s practical too, in a household with so many children, baked goods are gobbled up and always received gratefully.

Baking has proven to be instrumental to my homeschooling as well….’hard subject? Just add brownies.’ ‘Teenage angst? Make their favorite cookie and deliver with a tall glass of milk.’ I can’t make hard subjects easier, or relational discomfort automatically dissolve, but I can offer hospitality and thoughtfulness in the way of an intentionally baked good. Cookies can be a way of stewarding grace.

But this year, as it turned out, I was only homeschooling one. My margin had suddenly increased and I felt a restlessness in my bones. In timing only God could bring about, I found myself with the opportunity to work a few short hours a couple times a week in a local bakery. I have been able to get home before any child is up or hungry for the day. Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to learn the holy grail of french technique; laminated dough. This is one of the most deeply personal gifts God has delivered to me. Right in the ordinary moments of my life, I’m receiving training to craft some of the most complicated and beautiful french delicacies. This is a dream! I’m learning to laminate dough, to frost and decorate cookies, to decorate elaborate and beautiful cakes that are more like works of art than dessert! It’s more than I could have tackled in a home kitchen. A professional kitchen is equipped with space and organization that lend themselves to big batches and multilayered creativity.

My early morning hours have become a devotion of gratefulness to the God who gave me opportunity, creativity and crafted me to do just this: bake.

Some bakery style lessons lend themselves well to my home kitchen, and I’m excited to share all I’m learning. I spent the last couple weeks creating and practicing muffin recipes. In the bakery, the doughs are all pre-mixed, scooped and frozen. I have loved the ease of this method because I don’t have to mix and bake an entire muffin pan full of treats. By mixing and freezing ahead, the moment you decide to bake, the muffins are ready and there is no residual dish to do. I like the jumbo size muffins for hungry teenage boys but this recipe could be adapted to be regular muffin or mini muffin size as well. I’ve pulled out and baked a single jumbo muffin mid-afternoon for a sad little boy and I can report that the warm flavors pair very well with post Christmas blues and hugs.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins (yield: 12 jumbo muffins)

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

• 2 large eggs

• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• zest of one orange

• 2 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground cloves

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 tsp fine grain sea salt

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 2/3 cup molasses

• 2/3 cup whole milk

• 2/3 cup white sugar

• 2/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

  Line two jumbo muffin tins with jumbo muffin liners. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin and egg until completely combined. Whisk in the vanilla, orange zest, spices and salt.

  Add the oil, molasses and milk. Stir until completely combined. Fold in flour until just mixed. Do not overmix.

  Use an ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly, filling each muffin cavity 3/4 full.

  Freeze for two hours.

  Place each muffin in a labeled gallon ziploc bag. Place in freezer until needed.

  To bake:

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick until done.

  Let cool in muffin tin for five minutes. Then transfer to a baking rack. Serve to hungry children.

• note: mashed banana can be substituted for the pumpkin

These are my favorite jumbo muffin tins:

https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Recipe-Right-Non-Stick-Muffin/dp/B07328J6QK/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&aaxitk=EnSWj2McvXWGNST7yd0GTw&hsa_cr_id=6902530010801&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_2

and these are fantastic muffin liners:

https://www.amazon.com/Tulip-Cupcake-Liners-Baking-Cups/dp/B06XD25GPS