Au Currant

I believe very strongly in tweaking recipes. I know that the magazines vet their work and try their recipes in their controlled test kitchens, but it's in the experimentation that the home cook can learn the most. I may be partially saying that because I've never been very good at following recipes. But I also spend a lot of time with music improvisers, and that's the same spirit with which I want to approach my cooking. All of those musicians are ace musicians who are capable of following the notes on the page, but it's in the anticipation of the next notes that the exciting innovation is made.

Last weekend, I couldn't resist buying a pint of red currants. They are just gorgeous, aren't they? I wanted to make those coffee cake muffins for a co-worker who requested them, but by Sunday night, I didn't have time to run around and get the ingredients. I was limited to everything I had on hand and a few things I could get from the gas station. In fact, I had to go off recipe in several different ways: I didn't have any all-purpose flour, I couldn't get any sour cream, the fruit was different, I didn't have enough muffin tins, and I didn't have milk.

Now if I were Chris Kimball, I would not be making my muffins. Or if I were, I might not feel confident I was making The Best Muffins. While I admire Cook's and their endless anal perfectionism, it's just not my style. And I don't think you can come to the conclusion that there is One Best Way to do everything.

I read cookbooks and blogs in part for instruction and in part for vicarious tasting. But in my own kitchen, I try to make my own music. If you've never tried it, you really should. Maybe your cake will fall, and maybe flavor will flatten a few times. I've certainly had my share of failures. But sometimes, in spite of variables and an uncontrolled environment, you succeed; and most importantly, you learn why you have succeeded.

This recipe produced a finer crumb than the original coffee cake muffins, with a bumpier top. I think the loaf was even better -- golden brown on all sides, it rose five inches high, with currants dispersed perfectly throughout the thick batter.

Red Currant Coffee Cake Muffins and Loaf

1/4 c. sugar
1 pint red currants
1 1/2 sticks of butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
3 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. half and half
2 1/2 c. cake flour (dumped into the cups, not spooned in)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 6-muffin tin or line with paper cups. Grease a loaf pan. Wash currants and toss them with the 1/4 c. sugar; set aside. Beat sugar and butter together by hand. Add vanilla, eggs, cream cheese and milk. Beat some more. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Mix dry ingredients into wet with a light hand til smooth but not overbeaten. Fold fruit in. Scoop into muffin tin and loaf pan. Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes til golden. Continue baking loaf for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown and done in the middle. Makes 6 muffins and one loaf.