From Muffin to Cruffin

“You don’t get tired of muffins. But you don’t find inspiration in them.” George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman

While the busy mornings may start off with a muffin, a regular dose of the latter may inspire a change from the regular. What happens when the dough of the muffin is not poured but moulded in with something different? Voila, then is the cruffin, the brainchild of Kate Reid of Lune Croissanterie in Melbourne (2013). The “cruffin” is a hybrid of the croissant and the muffin. The pastry is made by proofing, shaping the laminated dough which is then baked in a muffin mould.

Although the entire procedure may sound quite simple, the delight of the cruffin lies in the filling and the garnishing. From the double choclate chip to caramel flavoured choclate or salty flavoured cream or rich strawberry jam, cruffins can be filled with a variety of creams, jams, crème pâtissières, curds and garnished with slivered almonds, pine nuts, glazed cherries, candied fruits, honey, maple syrup and the like. The entire cruffin, though a bit messy, is worth the long queue at the bakery. As far s homemade baking is concerned, cruffins are perfect for weekend or holiday baking and as far as fillings are concerned, let the favourites rule.

Extrapolating the idea over to the other morning regular, the donut; adding a little spice by making the donut dough a bit more pastry like, the cronut was born. The cronut, a croissant-doughnut pastry was invented by pastry chef Dominique Ansel of Dominique Ansel Bakery based in New York City(2013).

Made from croissant-like dough which was filled with flavored cream and fried in grape seed oil, this pastry doughnut had caught the flavour and imagination across the globe. So much so that these cronuts with flavoured cream were listed as one of the best “extremely fun” inventions by TIME Magazine (2013).

With the cronut and the cruffin, various combinations like cookie shots, zonuts have been seen. For the home chef, whether it be the standard regular recipe or not, the kitchen is a place to mix and match. As for dessert lovers, the change of taste, flavours and art are what makes the tasty moments of the day.