French Breakfast Puffs

Around the internet these little gems are being called Doughnut Muffins.  It's a dirty rotten shame.  Wanna know why, because I've always known them as French Breakfast Puffs.  Isn't that better?  Paints a picture doesn't it?  Doughnut muffins...pshh, boring. 

I had my first taste of these muffins when I was in college.  I worked at the most amazing salon in Minneapolis.  Down the hall from the salon, a little coffee shop sold these amazing muffins called French Puffs.  I had never heard of them before, but I love to try new baked goods and these looked simple and delicious.  I was right.  Very straightforward in flavor, unlike any muffin I had ever eaten.

The nutmeg is light, as it should be, but rolling the hot muffin in melted butter and then in a cinnamon/sugar mixture make these pure heaven. You must make these. Chances are you already have all of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge, so no excuses.

I used a recipe from my 1956 Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook, just like the chocolate cupcake recipe.  Something that I adore about vintage cookbooks is that most recipes have a little introduction beneath the title. It can be as simple as a short description of the recipe to a personal account from the person that created the recipe.  This one is no exception. 

French Breakfast Puffs  (as written in the cookbook)
Like delicate, glorified doughnuts.  Miss Esoline Beauregard of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said, "Please try my mother's recipe."

Mix thoroughly. . .
     1/3 cup soft shortening
     1/2 cup sugar
     1 egg
Sift together. . .
     1 1/2 cups sifted flour
     1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
     1/2 tsp. salt
     1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Stir in alternately with. . .
     1/2 cup milk
Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake unitl golden brown.  Immediately roll in. . .
     6 Tbsp. butter, melted
Then in a mixture of. . .
     1/2 cup sugar
     1 tsp. cinnamon
Serve hot.

TEMPERATURE: 350 degrees
TIME: 20 to 25 min.
AMOUNT: 12 med. muffins

Note from me: When rolling the hot muffin in the butter and then cinnamon sugar, roll the enitre muffin in both mixtures.  It creates a wonderuful flavor and an amazing 'crust' on the muffin.