Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Kitchen Flavours 3rd Blog Anniversary / Panettone Muffins : ABC Jan 2013


Kitchen Flavour's 3rd Blog Anniversary!

I've just realised that I have been blogging for three years now. Kitchen Flavour's 3rd Blog Anniversary was on 31st December 2012 and has entered into the fourth year on 1st Jan, 2013!  Thank you to all my followers, friends and silent readers for your support and valuable comments. Though I may not reply to each and every comment, I do read them and really appreciate that you've find the time to stop by and leave your valuable comments and feedback.  Cheers to each and every one!  Thank you!


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Avid Baker's Challenge (ABC) is baking from King Arthur Flour website starting from January until December 2013. I have always been a fan of King Arthur Flour's website! If you are interested to join in, you are most welcome, ABC members will bake together once a month, the chosen recipe will be listed over at ABC's blog. For more details and info on ABC, you may refer here and please contact Hanaa for details on being a member.

ABC's first bake for this year is Panettone Muffins. Panettone is something that I have always wanted to try. These Panettone are baked in a muffin style, very easy! I made only half the recipe and since the batter is not much, I mixed the butter, oil and sugar by hand in a small bowl. Carry on with the rest of the ingredients as per the recipe instructions and before you know it, they are done! Very easy and quick!



A couple of changes I did was, firstly to reduce the amount of sugar and it was just right. Secondly, the recipe gave an option of using Fiori di Sicilia, and since I could not find any Fiori di Sicilia over here, I have used orange oil instead. Even since I came across Fiori di Sicilia in some recipes quite sometime ago, it has been one of the items on my list that I have yet to find. Next is the Cake Enhancer, I have never heard of Cake Enhancer before, and since it is optional to use it, I omitted that. According to KAF, this Cake Enhancer is for enhanced freshness. 
I used a mixture of dried apricots, cranberries and raisins. I opted for the quick way of soaking the dried fruits by using the microwave method, mixed the dried fruits with rum and heat on high for 1 minute.  Cool it to room temperature about an hour, stirring from time to time. 



The top is sprinkled with some coarse sugar, here I have used demerara sugar, before baking. They bake up beautifully, really rises well, nice and golden all over.



These Panettone Muffins has great flavour, not too sweet and the fruits are wonderfully moist and plump, really fragrant from the rum. The texture of these muffins are dense but moist and soft. It keeps well at room temperature for three days, I reheat the balance for a short while in the oven just to warm it up, and it was just as good. Great with a cup of your favourite tea.



ABC source in 2013


The lovely badge that King Arthur Flour has provided for ABC bakers to use.





Please do visit Avid Baker's Challenge to view the other members' bake on this Panettone Muffins.  


Here is my adapted recipe, with some slight changes, which yields 6 muffins, for the full original recipe, please refer to KAF.
Panettone Muffins
(adapted from King Arthur Flour)
Yield : 6 muffins
3/4 cup diced dried fruit (I use apricots, cranberries and raisins)
2 tbsp apple juice, orange juice, rum or a mixture (I use rum)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 tsp orange oil (original recipe calls for Fiori di Sicilia, optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk
coarse sugar for topping

  1. Mix the dried fruit and liquid of your choice in a bowl. Cover the bowl, and let the fruit sit overnight. Or speed up the process by heating fruit and liquid in the microwave till very hot, then cooling to lukewarm/room temperature, about 1 hour.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin. Or line with 12 paper or silicone muffin cups, and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins nicely.
  3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar until smooth.
  4. Add the eggs, beating to combine
  5. Stir in the orange oil (or Fiori) and vanilla.
  6. Whisk together the Cake Enhancer (I did not use this), baking powder, salt and flour. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
  7. Stir in the fruit, with any remaining liquid.
  8. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups quite full. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins generously with the coarse sugar.
  9. Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until they're a sunny gold colour on top, and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.
  10. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool for a couple of minutes, or until you can handle them. Transfer them to a rack to cool.

60 comments:

  1. Looks delicious! Happy blogaversary!

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  2. Happy blognivesary! Cepatnya time flies.. why no invite us to celebrate.. lol

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    Replies
    1. Hi WB,
      Thanks! Time sure flies when we are having "fun"! Hehe, still not too late to celebrate!

      Delete
  3. Happy New Year and happy blogaversary!! Your muffins turned out great. The fruit combo you used sounds really good. I forgot to sprinkle mine with Turbinado sugar. I put them in the oven and strayed cleaning up. That's when I noticed the box of sugar on the counter. Oh well :-) They didn't need the extra sugar anyway.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Hanaa,
      Thank you! These Panettone muffins are lovely, you are right, they do not need the extra sugar! Luckily the demerara sugar aren't sweet!

      Delete
  4. Happy 3rd Blogniversary.....hope to see many great posts from you many more years to come.

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  5. Wow 3 years! Congrats, Joyce and here's to many more to come. Love these muffins. So flavourful with the dried fruits and orange oil and rum.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Mich,
      Thank you! These muffins have that fruity fragrance, especially very nice with the rum! Keeps well too for a couple of days! Very nice with a cup of tea!

      Delete
  6. Congrats for 3rd blog aniversary. Muffin looks so soft and healthy also..

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  7. Congrats on your 3rd blognivesary. No party? :) Look forward to seeing more goodies from you.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Chris,
      Thank you! After all the Christmas feast, this party will have to wait!
      Haha!

      Delete
  8. Happy 3rd blog anniversary, Joyce! Keep it up! These are new muffins for me to try. Always love the easy recipes :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Phong Hong,
      Thank you for your encouragement! Do try these muffins, great with tea or even coffee!

      Delete
  9. Happy 3rd Blog Anniversary! Keep baking and producing yummy treats!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Kelly
      Thank you! I love baking, but very bad for the waistline! What's your secret for staying in shape? :)

      Delete
  10. i've wanted to try baking panettone too, this looks great.

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    Replies
    1. Hi muppy,
      Panettone has always been on my list of to-do, I finally made it, even though it was done muffin way, I'm glad I gave it a try. These are delightful!

      Delete
  11. Three great years! Love to stop by and see the wonderful food you have made. May you continue, for as long as you enjoy it! Congratulations Joy, have a great new year.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Melynda and Terry,
      I like it that you've added, we are the Browns!
      Thank you for your nice words!
      Happy New Year to you too!

      Delete
  12. Happy Birthday to your blog, Joyce :)
    And Happy new year too !
    I just ADORE panettone. Those little muffins could help me to not feel guilty when I eat some of them !!!!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Axelle,
      Thank you so much!
      Happy New Year to you too!
      Make some of these panettone and go ahead, have a few, nobody would know!

      Delete
  13. happy 3rd blog anniversary!! panettone muffins on one hand, champagne on the other hand and together we YUUUM SENGGG! Keep baking, keep cooking and keep blogging!!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lena,
      Yummmm Sengggggg!!! Yeah, keep baking, keep cooking, but I can't keep the weight off! Kakakakaka!

      Delete
  14. Happy anniversary. Food blogging is a labor of love, isn't it? Lovely blog you have here and the muffins look fantastic.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Mother Rimmy,
      Thank you for your kind wishes. Yes, I quite agree with you, food blogging is indeed a labor of love! Thank you for stopping by! Will be visiting you soon!

      Delete
  15. Happy blog anniversary! Thank you for sharing you muffin experience with us. Looking forward to reading more of your posts.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lara,
      Thank you! It is nice to know a new fellow member of ABC! Looking forward to our future bakes together!
      Thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  16. Panettone Muffins??? How enticing, Joyce. Thank you so much for sharing, especially those tips of yours and a very Happy Blogoversary to YOU!!! Wishing you many more years of blogging fun and friendships!!! Louise

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    Replies
    1. Hi Louise,
      I'm so happy you've stopped by! Thank you for your lovely wishes! How are you! Hope that you had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year! Any chances we'll be seeing you again in bloggerland? wink, wink, just asking..... Take care!

      Delete
  17. Congrats and happy blog anniversary..

    Panettone muffins,that truly awesome.

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  18. Happy Blog Anniversary. Keep up baking and keep blogging. Happy New Year to you, Jocye.

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  19. Happy 3rd blog anniversary and happy 2013... wish you much joy and happiness with your cooking adventures in the new year...

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lrong,
      Thank you! I have not been visiting my gardening friends! Will do that soon! Wish you all the best in 2013!

      Delete
  20. Happy 3rd blogversary! I love the idea of using rum to plump up the fruit. You did a wonderful job!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Becca,
      Nice to see you back in ABC! Thank you for your kind wishes!
      Yes, the dried fruits are really good, plumped up by the rum!
      Thank you!

      Delete
  21. Congratulations Joyce! 3 years is a long journey especially for a blog. Keep it going!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Chef and Sommelier,
      Thank you! Yes, time really flies, I did sit back a while and start counting with my fingers! Hahaha!

      Delete
  22. Happy Anniversary Joyce, may you have many more years of lovely blogging ahead. Panettone muffins sound very festive, I'll have to remember this for mid-January when we have friends arriving from the states for a few days visit.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Eva,
      Thank you for your lovely wishes! Do give this a try, these muffins are lovely! I appreciate you're dropping by! Happy New Year!

      Delete
  23. 3 years of blogging is quite an achievement. And so are your beautiful muffins.
    I will follow your lead and reduce the amount of sugar.
    Happy Baking, Joyce, and keep up the good works!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Hanseata
      Time really goes by! Thank you for your kind words.
      Thank you for stopping by and wish you all the best in 2013

      Delete
  24. Happy 3rd Anniversary , Joyce !!! May you have many more years of cooking/baking adventures ahead :D

    Those panettone muffins look delish ! Baking panettone is one on my list :D

    I'm a regular lurker at King Arthur ! lol

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    Replies
    1. Hi Anne,
      Thank you!! I for one, am really looking forward to more adventures in my kitchen!
      Go lurking at KAF and bring us some goodies!
      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  25. Happy 3rd Anniversary! Its been marvelous visiting your blog and enjoying the recipes you shared; looking forward to more from you and baking along with you too!

    These Panettone Muffins look awesome!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Emily,
      Thank you! I have always enjoyed baking together with you, Super Baker!
      I can't keep up with your three bakes a night! Have yet to try, and not sure that I'm trying that! Cheers!

      Delete
  26. Joyce, these are wonderful looking muffins - I love panettone - it's totally the flavour of the festive season.

    Congratulations on your blog anniversary, and very best wishes for the New Year.

    Sue xo

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    Replies
    1. Hi Sue,
      Thanks! These muffins are delightful and are great with a cup of tea.
      Happy New Year to you too!

      Delete
  27. Eileen, Hundred Eighty DegreesFriday, January 04, 2013

    Hi Joyce, Happy 3rd blog anniversary :) wish you all the best in your baking & cooking attempts. Awesome blog and I enjoy very much :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Eileen,
      Thank you for your wishes and your sweet words!
      Missed your posts!

      Delete
  28. Happy 3rd anniversary, Joyce
    I've been a fan of your great blog and will always be, especially for bread recipes!
    The panettone looks great! Will make it real soon :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Alice,
      Thank you for your kind wishes!
      And thank you for your sweet words! I have not baked any bread in December, as I was really busy! Finally made two loaves yesterday!
      It is always a learning experience for bread making!
      Looking forward to see your panettone post soon!
      Have a great 2013!

      Delete
  29. Congrats on your 3rd bloggiversary! The panettone muffins look fantastic!

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  30. Hi Joyce ,
    Wow! It's your 3rd anniversary!
    Congratulations!
    Should have a drink to celebrate , a toast for Joyce clink clink' ...
    May you have more fun and exciting baking/cooking year to come :p
    The panettone I know is like a can shape with round top. Yours are so lovely in muffins style! Just love it:)
    mui

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  31. Happy 3rd Bloggiversary!!!! Your muffins look wonderful! I always love to visit your blog!

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