Grandma’s muffins with cream and pine nuts are a real treat. The super soft dough pairs perfectly with the rich and velvety custard cream, while the toasted pine nuts add a delightful crunchy note.
The treats I made today evoke the ingredients of the grandma’s cake, a timeless dessert that evokes the scent of homemade custard cream, with its simple and genuine flavor that has always conquered both young and old.
Grandma’s muffins are very easy to make, they don’t require special ingredients or even mixers or other appliances. To prepare them, you will need just a bowl and a hand whisk, and in a few minutes, you’ll have the batter ready for the oven.
For the custard cream, I use a very convenient, quick, and simple method: the microwave cooking. I know many don’t like it, so I’ll leave the classic method. If you have your own recipe, that’s fine, you can use the custard cream you prefer as long as it’s not too runny. If you have time, you can also make it the night before and store it in the fridge.
The softness of the dough, the creamy heart, and the crunchiness of the pine nuts make them ideal for any occasion; they are perfect for breakfast, a snack, to accompany an afternoon tea, for a birthday party, or a spring buffet.
If you like, also try the other muffins:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 223.10 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 30.24 (g) of which sugars 15.68 (g)
- Proteins 4.69 (g)
- Fat 10.11 (g) of which saturated 2.48 (g)of which unsaturated 6.91 (g)
- Fibers 0.54 (g)
- Sodium 7.86 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tbsps peanut oil
- 1 egg (large)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest (grated)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 tbsps egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp rice starch
- lemon zest (half an organic lemon is sufficient)
- 1/3 pod vanilla
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
Tools
- 3 Bowls
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Scale
- 1 Muffin pan
- 12 Cupcake liners
- 1 Piping bag
- 1 Smooth nozzle for filling
- 1 Saucepan small
Procedure
Open the vanilla pod, extract the seeds, and put them in a saucepan along with the milk, add the pod and the lemon zest in wide strips.
Bring the milk to a boil, turn off the heat and let it rest while you work on the eggs.
Crack the eggs, place the yolks in a bowl, add the sugar and mix.
Incorporate the cornstarch, the rice starch, mixing with a whisk to combine well.
Remove the vanilla pod and lemon zest from the milk, pour it slowly over the eggs while continuing to mix with the whisk.Transfer the mixture to the saucepan, place it on the stove, stirring continuously until it thickens.
Pour the cream into a bowl, cover it with cling film in contact, let it cool slightly, and place it in the fridge to chill.
The custard cream is ready.
If you want to use microwave cooking, I’ll leave you the recipe: microwave custard cream.
Before preparing the muffins, gently mix the custard cream with a whisk, it should become smooth and silky. Place it in the piping bag with the filling nozzle and store it in the fridge.
In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and sifted baking powder.
In another bowl, combine the egg, milk, oil, lemon zest, vanilla, and emulsify well with a whisk.
Combine the liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients by quickly mixing the batter.
Line the muffin pan with the appropriate liners and fill them with the batter (you should reach half a centimeter from the edge). Decorate the surface with a spiral of custard cream and finish with pine nuts.Bake the muffins in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 20/22 minutes, adjust based on the power of your oven.
Always do the toothpick test to check for doneness, if necessary extend the cooking time by a few minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool.
Take a muffin, make a hole in the center with the piping bag nozzle and fill it. Do the same with the other treats.
Grandma’s muffins with cream and pine nuts are ready. Store them in the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Tips
Storage
Grandma’s muffins with cream and pine nuts can be stored in the fridge for 3/4 days. Before serving, let them sit at room temperature for 10/15 minutes.
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