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| chorizo gruyere cheese muffin (Photo credit: boo_licious) |
Gruyere cheese is a cow's milk cheese that was originally produced exclusively in Switzerland in huge wheels and aged for nearly a year, but is now made outside the country as well. Considered a gastronomic delight, it has a sweet, nutty flavor, is pale yellow in color, and has a firm texture dotted with pea sized holes. Gruyere is a premier cheese for cooking, as it melts perfectly. Although domestic Swiss cheese may be substituted, it lacks the distinctive flavor of Gruyere.
Home cooks are fond of substituting hard-to-find ingredients in their menu and oftentimes they just skip recipes that have uncommon ingredients. May this will never be the case to all home bakers, it is still good to extend the extra mile in our cooking by following what is really meat for the ingredients and trying to cook what we know is best for our family. Gruyere cheese is the best cheese for your Bacon and Gruyere Muffins recipe!
BACON AND GRUYERE MUFFINS
You will need:
7 or 8 thin slices smoked bacon
2 cups (10 oz/315 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
4 tablespoons (2 oz/60 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) milk
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
3/4 cup (3 oz/90 g) finely diced Gruyere or Swiss cheese
Here's how:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 9 standard muffin cups with butter or butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray; fill the unused cups one-third full with water to prevent warping.
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon slices until crisp, 6-8 minutes, turning as needed. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain. Let the bacon cool, then crumble. Set aside.
In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter, milk, and sour cream until blended. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the bacon and cheese just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. Do not overmix.
Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it level with the rim of the cup.
Bake until golden, dry, and springy to the touch, 20-25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes: For added bacon flavor, replace 2 tablespoons of the melted butter with 2 tablespoons bacon fat. If not serving the muffins immediately, store them in the refrigerator.
Serving Tip: These muffins make great accompaniments to soups, salads, and omelets.
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