Wake and Bake Breakfast Puffs for Valentine’s Day

If you’re planning to surprise your love with breakfast in bed these little love puffs are perfect!! Don’t stop there, you can even make them for dessert too!

Here’s what you’ll need

3 Cups all – purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Cup sugar
2/3 Cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup whole milk
cooking spray or anything to grease the muffin tin cups (I used coconut oil cooking spray: Kelapo Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Cooking Spray, 5-Ounce Can)

Cinnamon sugar coating:
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks) melted
1 1/2 Cups sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon

Equipment:

Oven & Wilton Nonstick 12-Cup Muffin Pan

Dipping sauces are optional but encourage. Recipe follows.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

In a separate large bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening. Next mix in the eggs and vanilla. Now alternate adding one-third of the flour mixture and one-third of the milk to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full. (I used an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups in order to ensure even measuring) Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. While the puffs are baking mix together the cinnamon & sugar for coating. After removing from oven take the muffins out of the pan immediately.

Dip the warm muffins in the butter, coating thoroughly. Then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. You now have two options…..eat them just as they are or indulge in the following dipping sauces. And it’s none of my business what you’re doing with the leftover dipping sauces after breakfast. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Oh and these must be eaten warm to appreciate the melt in your mouth goodness! If you have leftovers, I personally put mine in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them back up. This does melt the sugar coating a little but who cares they were still good!! But then again you won’t have leftovers so don’t you worry your pretty little head!!

Optional dipping sauces:

Chocolate sauce:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped

Heat the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chocolate, stirring, until it’s melted and smooth. Remove from heat and serve slightly cooled so no one is leaving breakfast with burnt taste buds.

*ghirardelli is a good brand of chocolate available in the baking aisle

White chocolate sauce:
1 1/2 heavy whipping cream
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped

In a heavy saucepan bring heavy cream to a boil. In a separate bowl with the chopped chocolate, pour the cream over the chocolate and mix until smooth.

Strawberry sauce:
1-1 1/4c fresh strawberries chopped
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

In a blender place all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Masarap!