Fig muffins with creamy goat cheese filling
Instructions:
- FILLING:
- ¾ cup crumbled mild soft goat cheese (3 ounces), at room temperature;
- 2 tablespoons honey;
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest;
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- MUFFINS:
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour (8½ ounces);
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder;
- ½ teaspoon baking soda;
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt;
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature;
- ¾ cup packed dark or light brown sugar;
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract;
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil;
- ¾ cup lowfat buttermilk;
- 1 cup chopped dried figs, preferably Turkish or Greek, stemmed (about 10);
- 3 tablespoons turbinado or granulated sugar, for sprinkling.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Lightly butter a standard-size 12-cup muffin pan, preferably nonstick, or coat with cooking spray.
- To make the filling, combine the goat cheese, honey, lemon zest, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Beat with a fork until smooth.
- To make the muffins, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs to blend. Gently whisk in the brown sugar and vanilla extract, and then the olive oil and buttermilk until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg mixture to the center of the flour mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; the batter should look lumpy. Fold in the dried figs.
- Using a soup spoon, fill each muffin cup nearly half full. Add a bit more than 1 teaspoon of the goat cheese filling to the center of each muffin, gently pressing in. Top with the remaining batter. (The filling should not be visible.) Generously sprinkle the muffins with the turbinado sugar.
- Bake until the muffins are nicely domed, the edges start to brown, and the tops spring back when gently pressed, about 13 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before gently twisting the muffins out of the pan. Cool them completely on the rack, or eat warm.
- TO GET A HEAD START: The muffins can be baked 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature, or frozen for up to 1 month.
- TO VARY IT: Use 1 teaspoon orange zest instead of lemon zest in the filling.