Have you ever added strawberries to muffins and were unhappy with the soggy results?
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Strawberries and poison ivy go together for me like strawberries and Valentine’s Day for most people. Some of my earliest memories include staining my 5-year-old hands with incredibly sweet but tiny berries from the ditches of the tar-covered road in front of my house. I ate organically before it was cool…and expensive.
The price for sampling one of God’s most popular fruits was not entirely free, however. I would itch and scratch for days after. Now that I’ve learned to avoid “leaves of three” and no longer live on that Indiana farm, I don’t have to endure Calamine lotion whenever I eat strawberries. I don’t even have to wait for summertime anymore between year-round availability and frozen strawberries.
One of my favorite ways to eat strawberries is a Strawberry Balsamic Muffin with Goat Cheese from the Central Market Bakery. I’m not claiming to have THE recipe. I don’t know how to get it since I don’t work there or know anybody who does, but I wish I did. Doesn’t that sound like a fun job? Maybe my next career.
A few weeks ago, I shared my super quick and easy method for making strawberry-balsamic sauce using frozen strawberries. It has two ingredients and cooks in only 6 minutes. The result is something similar to strawberry preserves but not as thick or sugary. It’s perfect for these muffins. The strawberries are already cooked, leaving no soggy spots inside after baking.
6-Minute Strawberry Balsamic Sauce
Goat-cheese crumbles give these muffins a distinctive flavor. I love it but prefer the lesser amount listed in the recipe below. You could also leave it out or use toasted pecans instead for equally delicious results.
Start the day out right by making these for Valentine’s Day! Serve with strawberry or cherry preserves for maximum strawberry flavor.
| Strawberry-Balsamic and Goat Cheese Muffins |
|
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1-1/2 cup all-purpose, unbleached flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon soda
- 1/2 cup unflavored, non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup strawberry-balsamic sauce (See note)
- 1-2 ounces crumbles goat-cheese (depending on how much you like goat cheese)
- Sanding or sparkling sugar for sprinkling on top
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Melt butter in microwave for one minute on HIGH. Allow to cool.
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and soda in a medium mixing bowl.
- Combine yogurt, egg, and melted butter in separate bowl. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Do not overmix.
- Lightly fold in strawberry-balsamic sauce and goat cheese.
- Portion evenly into muffin pan that has been greased and floured. (I use an aerosol flour/butter mixture.) Muffin pans vary, but I usually end up with 9 smallish muffins.
- Sprinkle liberally with sanding sugar.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
To make strawberry-balsamic sauce:
Chop 1-1/2 cups frozen strawberries. Place in a Pyrex dish no smaller than 1 quart. Add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Cook in microwave, UNCOVERED, for 6 minutes, no stirring required.
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
hummmm, Don’t think I have ever tasted goat cheese. These muffins look great and I really need to do something different for my valentine besides chocolate. This may be just the recipe for the special ones in my life. I just might take these on. Happy Valentine’s and again as always thanks for the motivation of trying something new and exciting.
I have oodles of strawberries in my freezer left from last spring, and need to use them before strawberry season rolls around again. These muffins look really tasty! I’ve never had goat cheese in a muffin, but the combination of the cheese with those sweet balsamic strawberries has my mouth watering!
Betty @ scrambled hen fruit recently posted..Paula’s Meatless (but you’d never know it) Chili
Great, great, great!! These muffins must be terrific. We love the combination of goat cheese and sweet ingredients.
Lovely.
Thanks for sharing. Cheers!
cocidodesopa recently posted..PAN BLANCO DE LINDA COLLISTER
A great trinity of flavors, for sure. And “spring” strawberries are beginning to show up in supermarkets now.
Gary recently posted..Oeufs en Concotte (Baked Eggs)
I’m not a fan of goat cheese but if the flavour was not overwhelming in these muffins I’d be willing to give them a go. They look delicious Paula.
Paula recently posted..Introducing Angelyn!
Yum sound delicious, Paula what if your not huge fan of goat cheese what could you use instead? maybe cream cheese?
`Suzanne recently posted..Lemon Olive Oil Roasted Carrots
Great way to start the day.
Mimi
mimi recently posted..Heart Cakes
Can I use another yogurt if I do not have the greek?
okay, I made them. I used regular yogurt and I also put them in cupcake papers. They didn’t come out neatly- but maybe that was the yogurt substitution OR the reason Paula used greased muffin pan.
They were YUMO. I went with maximum amount of goat cheese. You don’t have to be a goat cheese lover to adore these! I actually cored the middle and made a filling of strawberry jam, the leftover balsamic mixture and cream cheese (light). Delicious!
Scarlett,
Yes, you won’t need quite as much if you use regular yogurt. I imagine you could even use buttermilk or sour milk but would need to experiment with the amount. pr
Scarlett,
I like the way you bake. Adding jam and cream cheese to the middle would absolutely put these muffins over the top!
I do not generally use cupcake papers for the very reason you stated. They are just so much neater and prettier coming out of non-stick muffin pans. Thanks so much for coming back to tell me about your success. pr
I discovered your blog a few weeks ago when your “salad in a jar” video made its way to my Pinterest page. I have since done that and found it to be THE KEY to eating salads. When the lettuce is “at the ready,” there is no excuse to not have a salad. Thanks for sharing that great tip.
Anyhow, these muffins sound delicious. I’ve pinned the recipe to my page. A muffin with a piping hot cup of Earl Grey would be a delightful morning treat.
Thanks…have a blessed day,
Patti
Patti recently posted..The Lodger (4 stars)
Hi Patti,
Thanks for taking the time to write. Glad you like the salad. It is so convenient to have it ready to grab and eat! pr
what a fabulous idea for muffins! I would never think to make something savory like this but I can imagine how good it tastes!