Welcome to 48 Sugar Street! 

I believe that food made with love and shared with others is the most delicious kind of food there is. 

I also really, really like dessert. 

Like really. 

I've spent countless hours over the last several years reading about baking, actually baking, and eating the fabulous results of that baking with friends and family. 

Do you know what I've learned? 

Other people really really like dessert too. 

Like really. 

For instance, consider the collective joy and conversation that a springtime strawberry rhubarb crumb pie can elicit. The gasps and oohs and ahs! The sighs (and then silence) upon tasting. The remembrances of the pies made by a loved one in the past. There's something about sharing a well-made dessert with others that's magical.

Food brings people together, and I believe in bringing people together. 

So my intention for this space is to do that: to bring people together around glorious, delightful, delicious food. 

I'll be sharing some of my favorite sweet (and sometimes savory!) recipes that I've picked up over the years. I'll reflect on the art of hospitality through cooking and baking. How can food allow us to be present in the lives of our neighbors? I'll also take you along on my journey to master desserts I've never had the courage to attempt. 

First up: donuts. Yes, donuts. Really tasty, fried, fancy DONUTS. There are no words for my excitement about this. 

I'm thankful you're here. I wish we were sitting together over donuts right this minute, but instead I'll do the next best thing: share with you a recipe for what my family calls Donut Muffins. You may know them as French Breakfast Puffs. I bet we both call them delectable.

I found this recipe on the very helpful Tasty Kitchen website years ago. I made it often for my family, sometimes as written, sometimes a bit healthified with whole wheat flour and less sugar and butter. The very best version, however, is the one I made for sale when I ran a baking business from my home. It is pure cinnamon sugar indulgence. A man contacted me after having the muffins I'd made at his daughter's house for Easter brunch. "I just can't stop thinking about those muffins." This I understand. "Can I order some to bring to my office? Can I have four dozen?" 48 Donut Muffins, coming up, sir! 

Donut Muffins

Adapted from: Muffins That Taste Like Donuts

Ingredients:
Muffins:
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup whole milk

Topping:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. In a separate large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, egg, and milk until well combined. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredient mixture, and stir gently with a rubber spatula just until combined, making sure to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. (I like to use a #24 serving scoop for this.) Place in oven and bake until the top of a muffin springs back when lightly touched, 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool for 1 minute before shaking out onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. Immediately after removing muffins from oven, heat the butter over medium heat on the stove or in the microwave until melted (cover in the microwave with a sheet of wax paper to prevent splattering. Trust me). Once muffins have been removed from the pan, dunk one muffin at a time into the melted butter, then immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar until thoroughly coated. Place on wire rack and repeat with remaining muffins. These muffins are best enjoyed slightly warm but are still wonderfully delicious next day. I can't attest to what they taste like after that point because, well, I like I said, I really like sweets. Yields 12.