So, I’ve been on this honey kick lately, appreciating the myriad varieties of local honey and stirring up recipes using honey in the most interesting of ways. Last week, I posted how-tos for Touch of Honey Granola, Honey-Curry Chicken Breasts and Corn Fritters with Honey Bacon Drizzle. I’ve got one more honey recipe to share with you until I move on to the bounty of comforting, earthy flavors that are the highlight of fall. This one is the most unusual of my honey recipes and is the one where the flavor of your local honey will sing the loudest. These muffins are moist and filling but also flavorful and surprising. We ate them for breakfast and snack, but they could just as easily be served like a corn bread with dinner. They are not overly sweet. But, wow, are they good.
I found this recipe at the National Honey Board’s website, which is a wonderful resource for learning more about honey and especially ways to cook with it.
Makes 12-15 standard muffins.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup local honey
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1-1/4 cups rolled oats, divided
- 2 Tbsp. zested orange peel
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1-1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line muffin pans with wrappers.
- Mix egg and ricotta. Stir in honey and butter. Add 1 cup oats and orange peel.
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to egg and ricotta mixture.
- Fill muffin cups 2/3 way full of batter. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of oats, just a bit atop each muffin.
- Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. Remove from pan. Cool slightly on wire racks. Serve warm.