Plum And Apricot Jam Muffins Food

STONE FRUIT JAM

Steps:

• Toss fruit and sugar together in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight, tossing periodically to coat and to dissolve the sugar. (This will help coax the juices out of the fruit.)
• Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• Bring the fruit to a strong simmer over medium heat until the skins burst and the juices start to boil, 10 to 15 minutes. If using a vanilla bean as an add-in, put it in the pot now.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the jam, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or spatula at first and more frequently as juices thicken until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has begun to break down, about 25 to 35 minutes. How much it breaks down will depend on the type of fruit and how ripe it is. (For example, peaches are likely to retain their shape, while plums and apricots will break down almost entirely.)
• As the jam cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles. This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate there, increasing the chance that the fruit will burn.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the jam reaches a slow, thick boil, add lemon juice and any of the add-ins (see note). Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. To test the consistency, spoon a bit of jam onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it's not there yet, cook it a few minutes more.
• Remove from heat, and pick out vanilla bean, if you added it earlier. Divide between jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top of the jar, and seal immediately. Can the jams (see our How to Make Jam guide for more instruction), or store in the refrigerator, using them up within a couple of weeks.

EASY JAM MUFFINS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease bottoms only of 12 muffin cups or line with baking cups.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well. In a small bowl, combine milk, oil and egg; blend well. Add dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will be lumpy.)
• Fill cups 2/3 full. Place 1/2 teaspoon any flavor jam on each muffin before baking; press into batter. If desired, sprinkle with finely chopped nuts.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 minute before removing from pan. Serve warm.

APRICOT MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or line with paper muffin cups. Place apricots into a small bowl, and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, buttermilk and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended. It is okay for the batter to have some lumps. Drain water from apricots, and mix them into the batter. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan over a wire rack.

JAM MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl beat egg, milk and oil together. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Mix quickly and lightly until moistened, do not beat. The batter will be lumpy. Gently stir in jam.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until golden.

JAM MUFFINS, APRICOT ETC

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 200°C (400°F).
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a baking bowl. Make a hollow in the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs and milk together and add with melted butter into the middle of the dry ingredients mixing just enough to moisten the mixture.
• Spoon a largish tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of the muffin form,making certain that it covers the bottom of the muffin form. Make a small hollow in the middle if the muffin mixture and set a teaspoon of apricot jam into the hollow, try not to let the jam run out to the sides very much.
• Cover the apricot jam with another spoonful of the muffin mix and run a clean finger around it so that the jam is as enclosed by the muffin mixture as possible.
• Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes or until cooked.
• Ease the muffins out of the form while warm and put onto a wire rack to cool.
• Once cool, dust the tops with powdered sugar.

APRICOT BREAKFAST MUFFINS

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 6 muffin cups with no-stick spray.
• COMBINE flour, SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener, baking powder and salt in medium mixing bowl.
• BEAT together egg, oil and milk. Blend in preserves and almond extract. Add to flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Fill muffin cups evenly with batter.
• BAKE 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Spread tops with a thin layer of preserves before serving.
• SPLENDA® is a registered trademark of McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.

APRICOT MUFFINS

Steps:

• Soak apricots in water for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until fluffy. Add sour cream; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Drain apricots, discarding liquid. Fold apricots, orange zest and nuts into batter. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

JAM-DANDY MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Cut in shortening until particles are fine and about the size of peas.
• Add milk and egg; mix just until thoroughly blended. There will probably be lumps.
• Spoon into a greased muffin tin or paper liners. Place 1 teaspoon of jam on top of each muffin, pressing into batter slightly.
• Sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched lightly.
• Serve warm. These can also be drizzled with powdered sugar glaze for added sweetness.