Muffin Monday: Rice Pudding Muffins

I know that technically it's not Monday, but these are special post-election muffins. Personally, I'm terribly disappointed in America right now, but no matter what your political opinions are, these are some darn tasty baked goods. Whether you're celebrating victory, or are suffering the agony of defeat, I think you owe it to yourself to fill the house with the scent of spices and your mouth with buttery moist goodness. 


This recipe is adapted from one I found on www.bakerstreet.tv (they have a Muffin Monday too!). I've made rice pudding once before and found it delicious but time consuming. This muffin recipe makes good use of leftover brown rice and tastes remarkably similar. 

Rice Pudding Muffins

Makes one dozen muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups cooked white rice
• 1/8 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Slivered almonds and cinnamon to top

Method: 

1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Combine the rice, cream, half the milk, vanilla, and melted butter in a large bowl. Stir well, then set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
4. Whisk the egg and rest of the milk in a small bowl until smooth; stir this egg mixture into the rice mixture. Stir in the raisins until well blended. Finally, stir in the prepared flour mixture. Do not mix too much or the muffins will be heavy!
5. Fill greased muffin tins and top with a sprinkling of cinnamon and almonds. Bake for 22 minutes or until the muffins are well browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Gently rock each muffin back and forth to release and remove it from the tin.

If you want to store some leftover muffins (assuming that you actually have leftovers), let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. These freeze rather well—up to two months in a freezer bag. Warning: When using brown rice (this might not happen with white), the muffins get quite chewy once cool. They are best eaten fresh or warmed up and smeared with butter.