elisabeth prueitt's flax-coconut muffins
Ironically, Liz Prueitt created Tartine Bakery’s iconic, classic pastry recipes while she was coming to terms with her own gluten intolerance. This was in the early 2000s, long before a gluten-free diet was fashionable. More recently, she’s been experimenting with alternative flours and new techniques derived from her extensive knowledge of wheat-based recipes. Her 2017 cookbook, Tartine All Day, is the result.
It includes this recipe for flax-coconut muffins, which Liz first posted about on Instagram (as she is wont to do). In theory, the muffins sound as if they should taste like cardboard. They’re gluten free, dairy free, high in fiber, and low in sugar. Ground flax and oats are substituted for all-purpose flour; coconut water for dairy; and coconut sugar for white sugar. They have raisins in them, which is always controversial. But they’re also made with grated apple and dark molasses and olive oil and just the right amount of all the other ingredients, mixed in just the right way. (The flax, for example, softens up in the liquid ingredients before the rest of the dry ingredients are incorporated.) The result is a muffin that happens to fall into all of the diet-fad categories listed above, but is also magically tender and extremely good in its own right.
Elisabeth Prueitt’s flax-coconut muffins
Barely adapted from Tartine All Day by Elisabeth Prueitt.
Swap in grated carrot for all or some of the grated apple. Grated zucchini works well too, but be sure to squeeze out the excess water before using. Honey can be substituted for molasses, but the flavor will not be as robust. You can also substitute cow or nut milk for the coconut water. (See yesterday’s post for a previous Liz Prueitt recipe.)
Makes 12 muffins.
INGREDIENTS
Unsalted butter, for the pan (optional)
3/4 cup (115 grams) coconut sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) coconut water
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (95 ml) olive oil
1 1/2 cups (225 grams) ground flax seeds
1 1/3 cups (160 grams) oat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teasonn sea salt
1 cup (115 grams) peeled and grated apple, from about 2 small apples
1 cup (140 grams) raisins
12 small apple slices (optional)
2 tablespoons raw sugar (optional)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-well muffin tin or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, molasses, and eggs until completely incorporated. Add the coconut water and olive oil, whisking to blend, and then mix in the flax. Set aside for 5 minutes to let the flax soften.
In another large bowl, combine the oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Slowly add the flax mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until completely blended. Gently fold in the apple and raisins.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to portion the batter into the muffin tin, filling each well all the way to full. Place an apple slice on top of each muffin. Sprinkle the muffin tops with raw sugar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center of the largest muffin comes out clean. Set the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins and place them on the rack to cool completely.
The muffins keep, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for 5 days or in the freezer for 2 months. To defrost, let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and then warm in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 350°F for 10 minutes.