Do you know that pleasant sensation in the morning just after waking up, when the intoxicating aroma of the cake baked the night before still lingers around the house walls? I don’t know about you, but for me, thanks to this moment of pure and delicious genuineness accompanied by a super frothy cappuccino, my entire day takes a totally different turn! Lately, there’s always a feeling of something good in my kitchen! The oven works non-stop, baking cookies galore, sweet and savory pies, and so much other goodness capable of feeding entire armies! It might be that, with the “Gathering” project concluded, I can finally afford to breathe in the Christmas atmosphere! Today, swept away by the spirit of wanting to sweeten these slightly hectic days, between last-minute shopping frenzy and organizing family dinners, I was inspired to create some soft and delicious pastries made with spelt flour, as I believe it lends itself very well to this kind of preparation, but you can opt for regular all-purpose flour; even the filling, based on pistachio spread, which here in Sicily is now a must, can be varied according to your taste. But I recommend trying this version, which in my opinion is truly a delight!

[Thanks to Valentina Boccia from the blog Ho voglia di dolce for the inspiration with my personal modifications].

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Medium
Rest time: 15 Minutes
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 12
Cooking methods: Electric oven
Cuisine: International
Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring, Christmas

Ingredients

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1 3/4 cups spelt flour
1 cup pistachio flour
1/4 cups pistachio spread (spreadable)
2 eggs
6 tbsp peanut oil
2/3 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup milk (at room temperature)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 pinch salt

Preparation

Start by pouring the spreadable pistachio cream into an ice cube mold, fill 12 cavities, and place it in the freezer for about 15′.
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, namely the spelt flour and sifted baking powder, pistachio flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Mix with a hand whisk until you obtain a single and homogeneous flour.
In another bowl, combine the liquid ingredients, namely the eggs, seed oil, and milk.
Mix again with a hand whisk until you get a smooth mixture.
Combine the two mixtures and mix with the help of electric whisks for a few minutes.
Pour the batter into paper liners that you have already placed in the muffin tray and fill them 2/3 full. Place the pistachio cream heart in the center.
Cover only the center with a bit more batter and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 20′-25′. Do not bake too long otherwise muffins will harden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
And voilà… your pistachio muffins with spelt flour are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La cucina di Fefè!