Baking Zen, When We All Need It Most…

I have always found happiness in baking. I’ve also found comfort, solace, and a sort of zen in the familiar movements (measuring, kneading, rolling) of baking. It’s something primarily done alone, just with your thoughts or perhaps with your favorite music in the background. And then, of course, there is that moment when you take the cake (muffin, cookie, whatever) out of the oven and taste it. It could be an entirely new taste from something you’ve never made before. Or it could be a memory taste, from your childhood, or from a trip you took. Either way, it’s wonderful. And I always find joy in sharing my baked goods (I subscribe to the Dorie Greenspan theory of “bake and release.”).

This past week I felt the need to bake after hearing about the second mass shooting in our country in less than a week. I know you come to this blog for food-related stories, so I will not stray too far from that focus today. But I must say that when it is legal for an eighteen year old to buy a gun but not to buy cigarettes or alcohol, there is something seriously wrong with our country’s morals. So if you care about your children being able to sit in a classroom without fear, or for anyone to go grocery shopping, or go to a house of worship without fear of being gunned down, write/call/visit your elected representatives and beg them to vote for sensible, meaningful gun control. Thank you.

Have some very ripe bananas hanging around your fruit bowl? Make these muffins! They are deliciously moist and tender with a terrific cinnamon-crumb topping. I made them just as the recipe outlines, but next time I might add some chopped walnuts to the crumb topping for a little more texture. But they are absolutely wonderful as is. You may want to bake some this weekend to share with friends or family in need of a little baking love. We can all use it right about now.

Banana Crumb Muffins (King Arthur Flour)

Topping:

1/2 C AP flour

1/4 C sugar

1 t cinnamon

4 TB (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temp*

Muffins:

1-1/2 C AP flour

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

3 large, ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 C sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 C butter, melted*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. For the topping, in a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Add butter and mix with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly. Put aside while preparing muffin batter.
3. For muffins, in large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, combine mashed bananas, sugar, slightly beaten egg, and melted butter. Mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
5. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full (do not use paper muffin cups). Using hands, arrange coarse, pea-sized crumbs over muffin batter.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done with a cake tester. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to wire rack.

*The original recipe calls for butter or margarine, so feel free to use margarine if you prefer.