Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
  
• 1 tsp. baking soda
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
  
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 2 c. granulated sugar
  
• 1 c. Libby's solid pack pumpkin
  
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
  
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  

Directions:

In large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and coriander; set aside. In small bowl, combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla; mix well. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; stir just until moistened.

FILLING
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 tbsp. granulated sugar

In small bowl, combine cream cheese, egg and sugar; mix well.

TOPPING
3/4 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

In small bowl, combine coconut, pecans, sugar, and cinnamon.

To assemble: Spoon 1/2 of batter into 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 1/2 full. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over partially filled muffin cups. Spoon remaining batter over cream cheese, carefully spreading to edges. Sprinkle pecan topping over muffins. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

Aebleskivers

2 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2+ cups buttermilk
3 eggs (separated)
3 Tablespoons melted butter

oil or butter/oil mixture for coating the aebleskiver pan.

Powdered sugar
Raspberry Jam and/or Real Maple Syrup

Mix the flour, soda, baking powder, salt together with a fork. Set aside. Blend egg yolk and buttermilk. In a mixing bowl, whip egg whites still stiff. Gently blend the dry and milk mixture and melted butter and then fold in the whipped egg whites.

Heat the aebleskiver (able-skeever) pan (a cast iron pan that has molded, rounded "cups" that hold the batter and help form the aebleskiver "pancake" balls). When the pan is hot, you will “paint” each aebleskiver cup with oil. (I use a ½ & ½ mixture of oil/butter) When the pan is hot, fill each cup with batter and immediately start “turning” the aebleskivers with a knitting needle. Quickly turning quarter turns at a time until all sides are cooked and the center is cooked through. This is tricky the first couple of “pan-fulls” and then you’ll get the hang of it. Then pluck the aebleskiver balls out of the pan with the knitting needle. Set on a plate and dust with powdered sugar and then serve with raspberry jam or maple syrup. Repeat process each time of coating the pan-cups with oil and making the aebleskivers. A typical serving size is 3 aebleskivers (the equivalent of 3 or so pancakes).