PANETTONE MUFFINS

Panettone Muffins image

This recipe is from King Arthur Flours. I hesitated to make this for the longest time because I thought it would be too strong in flavor and a bit like fruitcake. They turned out moist and tasty. I used KA bread flour and for the dried fruit: apricot, cherries, pineapple, and golden raisins soaked in unsweetened apple sauce which I also used for half the oil. I couldn't find my panettone liners so I used foil lined muffin liners; filled each slightly below the top edge of the liner and they rose beautifully.

Provided by marisk

Categories Breads

Time 39m

Yield 12 muffins

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried fruit, diced
1/4 cup apple juice (or orange juice, rum, or a mixture)
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (King Arthur)
2/3 cup whole milk
2 generous tablespoons coarse white decorator sugar, for topping

Steps:

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.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. 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.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar until smooth.
Add the eggs, beating to combine.
Stir in the Fiori and vanilla.
Whisk together the Cake Enhancer, 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.
Stir in the fruit, with any remaining liquid.
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups quite full. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins generously with the coarse sugar.
Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until they're a sunny gold color on top, and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.
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.
NOTE 1: Additional Ingredients: This recipe also calls for 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (to taste) and 2 tablespoons King Arthur Cake Enhancer (optional), for enhanced freshness. (Food.com didn't recognized these ingredients and wouldn't let me add them to the ingredients list.).
NOTE 2: Prep Time: 15-25 minutes, Bake time: 18-20 minutes (Food.com wouldn't accept the range in times.).