100 Morning Treats: With Muffins, Rolls,

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 with Muffins, Rolls, Biscuits, Sweet
and Savory Breakfast Breads, and More

KIEFF
RAH ER
SA

Text and photographs © 2023 by Sarah Kieffer.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form without written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.
ISBN 978-1-7972-1617-1 (epub, mobi)
ISBN 978-1-7972-1616-4 (hardcover)
Prop and food styling by Sarah Kieffer.
Design by Lizzie Vaughan.
Typesetting by Katy Brown.
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tered trademark of Windway Capital Corporation.
 I C AT I O N
DED

TO A DA M­—
Aimee Nezhukumatathil wrote, “Flour on the floor makes my sandals slip and
I tumble into your arms,” and that image sums us up quite nicely. This book, well,
all the books, wouldn’t be here without your encouragement and support.
All your dishwashing helped too. Thank you for making me laugh every single day.
Thank you for being my best friend. You’re my favorite one.
Contents Introduction 11

1
N ES, AND Q
UI
S CO C
, K
S

BR
IN
FF

EA
MU

DS
1) Blueberry Muffins 23
13) Maple Oatmeal Scones 52
2) Almond Poppy Seed Muffins 25
14) Traditional Scones 55
3) Mixed Berry Muffins 27
15) Cinnamon Scones 57
4) Caramel Apple Muffins 31
16) Ginger Orange Carrot Bread 60
5) Double Chocolate Banana Muffins 33
17) Apple Brandy Bread 63
6) Rhubarb Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins 35
18) Lemon Meringue Bread 64
7) Grapefruit Glazed Muffins 38
19) Brown Butter Banana Bread 67
8) Carrot Cake Muffins 40
20) Maple Poppy Seed Bread 71
9) Whole-Wheat Yogurt Muffins 42
21) Milk Chocolate Rye Bread 72
10) Happy Birthday Muffins 45
22) Pumpkin Bread 74
11) Apricot White Chocolate
Overnight Scones 47 23) Streusel-Bottom Bread 76

12) Banana Bread Scones 50 24) Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Bread 78
 3
S TED AND FR
IE
Y EA D
T

T
EE

RE
SW

AT
S
38) Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls 117

S
CO

2 KE
39) Maple Bourbon Caramel Rolls 120
FF

E
A
E 40) Toasted Sesame Sweet Buns 122
C

CA T
KES ND 41) Giant Carrot Cake Cinnamon Roll 125
AND BU
42) Cherry Rhubarb Streusel Buns 129

43) Orange Buns 131

44) Kolaches 133

25) Streusel Coffee Cake 83
45) Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Bread 135
26) Passion Fruit Crème Fraîche 46) Blood Orange Poppy Seed
Breakfast Squares 85 Pull-Apart Bread 139
27) Chocolate Hazelnut Crumb Cake 88
47) Cardamom Pistachio Twist 142
28) Creamy Jammy Coffee Cakes 91
48) Raspberry Caramel Bubble Bread 146
29) Simple Citrus Breakfast Cake 93
49) Brioche Bagels 148
30) Everything Bundt Cake 96
50) Everything Breakfast Pretzels 151
31) Tiramisu Bundt Cake 98
51) Lemon Curd Bostok 155
32) Marble Bundt Cake 101
52) Cinnamon Swirl Bread 156
33) Chocolate Pudding Bundt Cake 102
53) Strawberry Knots 160
34) Cardamom Bundt Cake with 54) Pumpkin Caramel Monkey Bread 162
Coffee Glaze 104
55) Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts 165
35) White Chocolate and Fig
Pound Cake 107 56) Old-Fashioned Doughnuts 169

36) Pumpkin Doughnut Bundt Cake 109 57) Apple Cider Crullers 171

37) Pear Bundt Cake 111 58) Banana Fritters 175

 5
E WEEKEND
TH

72) Cinnamon Swirl French Toast 216

73) Overnight Crème Fraîche Waffles 219

74) House Pancakes 221

LA 4 S 75) Mini Dutch Babies 222

MI E
N AT T RI 76) Popovers with Fig Butter
E D PA S
224

77) Prosciutto Gruyère Croissants 227

78) Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches 229

79) Southwest Turkey Breakfast

Sandwiches 231
59) Cream-Filled Danish 179
80) Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sliders 234
60) Raspberry Hazelnut Danish Braid 183
81) Sheet Pan Breakfast 237
61) Morning Buns 186
82) Individual Quiche Bakes 238
62) Rum Raisin Buns 188
83) Cheesy Croissant Casserole 240
63) Kouignettes 190
84) Pesto Pull-Apart Bread 242
64) Streusel Danish 193
85) Roasted Fruit with Toasted
65) Sheet Pan Danish 194
Pound Cake 244
66) Cinnamon Twists 197
86) Amaretto Tart 246
67) Apple Flips 200
87) Good Morning Berry Crisp 248
68) Pear Turnovers 202
88) Granola 250
69) Cruffins 205
89) Peanut Butter Granola Bark 253
70) Almond Croissants 209
90) Sesame Chocolate Rye
71) Blackberry Puff Pastry Tartlets 213 Breakfast Cookies 254
 7
EXTRAS

Pomegranate Sparkler
6
284

Rhubarb Lemonade 284

GHS AND Easy Strawberry Smoothie 285

U BR
DO EA Fruit-Flavored Syrup 285
SE
Coffee Syrup 287
BA

D
S

Quick Berry Jam 287

Lemon Curd 288

91) Brioche Dough 259 Pastry Cream 288
92) Milk Bread Dough 262 Caramel 289
93) Sweet Dough 266 Crème Fraîche 290
94) Buttermilk Dough 268 Whipped Cream 290
95) Pull-Apart Bread Dough 269 Streusel 291
96) Sour Cream Dough 270 Pecan Streusel 291
97) Cheater Croissant Dough 271 Whole-Wheat Streusel 291
98) Danish Dough 276 Candied Nuts 291
99) Rough Puff Pastry 278 Almond Cream 292
100) Toasting Bread 280 Caramelized Onion Jam 292

Brown Butter 293

Maple Mustard Dressing 293

Morning Tunes to Bake To 295 Resources 298

Conversions 296 Acknowledgments 299

Bibliography 297 Index 300

 11

Introduction

Introduction
Throughout college I often worked the morning shift at the Blue Heron
Coffeehouse, in Winona, Minnesota. Our front door opened at seven
o’clock sharp, so I was scheduled for a disquieting start time, where
I began brewing coffee and pulling test shots of espresso as soon as I
stumbled through the door. When I moved back to Minneapolis a few
years later and began baking full time at Bordertown Coffee, that time
moved up even earlier, to five o’clock. All the scones, muffins, and cook-
ies needed to be baked, nestled on trays, and then neatly tucked into
the bakery case when our little shop opened for business each morning.

I had never considered myself a morning person
before, yet with each new day of rising early, I
gradually found myself embracing those morning
hours. Yes, when I threw those covers off after
hitting the snooze button twice and left my warm
bed behind (sometimes in the dead of winter!
with wind chills of -20°F!), it was bleak. But after
a few splashes of water from the faucet met my
sleepy eyes, and as I felt the brisk air hit my face
minutes later, I soon grew to love the quiet of the
early morning. With most of the city still asleep,
those dark hours were mine, and I spent them in
solitude, quietly whisking, mixing, and stirring.
Those many mornings alone in the kitchen
allowed my mind time to wander on the present
and the past. I thought of my grandma Ethel,
her towering frame hovering over her speckled
countertop, her long fingers confidently rolling
out pie dough. Baking scones took me back to
the Blue Heron, where pots of soup simmered
on the stove top and coworkers hummed along
to Joni Mitchell’s melancholy falsetto flowing
from the cheap stereo speakers. Some days I
couldn’t shake the news, listening to custom-
ers and staff discuss in dismay as individuals,
nations, and humanity repeated their mistakes
12
again and again. As I baked each morning, I throughout the years are still before me. First, I
slowly understood that everything was new, and see the yellow laminate counters that my mom
100 Morning Treats

everything was old, and I was never alone: The always hated but still used to teach me how to
ritual of preparing food in the morning con- roll out cookie dough and stir together boxed
nected me with so many people, recipes, and cake batter on. The white counters with tiny,
stories across the years. The philosophers were colorful speckles at my grandma’s house are
right: We all belong to each other. not as clear, but I remember watching through
tears as she shaped bread dough while firmly
Today my alarm now goes off a little later. Ella
telling me that I would never find a husband
Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong greet me each
because I couldn’t keep my bedroom clean.
morning with clear voices singing sweetly, and
There was the single foot of counter at the
two kittens knead their paws and purr gentle
apartment my husband and I made our first
encouragement to prod me out of bed. I am
home in; I baked so many cakes for so many
no longer rushing to a coffeehouse but rousing
birthdays in that tiny space, piping borders and
sleepy children and frantically making lunches
flowers with homemade buttercream. Then, of
to go, in desperation
course, all the stainless
not to miss the bus. It’s
steel surfaces at the
still often chilly at the
bakeries I worked in, the
bus stop here, but a
hours and hours of wash-
few moments later I’m “I want our summers to ing dishes and baking
home, and the house is
always be like this—a for ten-hour stretches.
suddenly quiet. I hold
my warm cup of coffee
kitchen wrecked with Last, my own well-worn
slab of butcher block
between my hands; often love, a table overflowing
that I work at each day,
Mary Oliver speaks in with baked goods
where all my cookbooks,
the silences between sips:
warming the already including this one, were
It is a serious thing /
warm air. After all the created, and where
just to be alive / on
hundred of cookies and
this fresh morning, / in pots are stacked, the
cinnamon rolls have been
this broken world. I am goodies cooled, and
cooled and devoured.
grateful for each of all the counters wiped Here, at this station, my
these fresh mornings.
clean—let us never be musings and work from
Soon after my cup is rescued from this mess.” the past intertwine with
empty I make my way those of the present, and
to the kitchen counter. –Aimee Nezhukumatathil, I imagine a connection
I may work from home “Baked Goods” to the myriad bakers
now, but all the count- before me: their delight
ers I leaned up against in creating something

beautiful, their laughter in failed attempts, and
the pleasure in biting into something delicious
that their hands set out to make.
I wrote this book, 100 Morning Treats, to cele-
brate the morning hours and to represent the
baked goods and pastries I developed while
working in coffee shops and in my home. The
recipes on the following pages are the result of
nearly three decades of baking. My work hasn’t
always been easy, but there has been so much
joy I’ve discovered along the way. I hope that this
book brings you the same joy and fulfillment in
your life and in your kitchens in the years to come.
H OW TO USE THIS BOOK
Most of the recipes in this book require basic
baking skills, such as creaming butter and add-
ing ingredients to create a batter. A few are a
bit more complicated or require more of a time
commitment. Be sure to follow the baking tips
in the next pages and read through the lists for
extra advice.
This book is divided into seven chapters, start-
ing with Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads,
a chapter full of (mostly) quick and delicious
breakfast treats. I included simple classics like
Blueberry Muffins (page 23, totally revamped
from my first book!) and Traditional Scones
(page 55), but also some twists on the old
standbys, like Lemon Meringue Bread (page 64)
and Streusel-Bottom Bread (page 76).
Coffee Cakes and Bundt Cakes are next, and
you will want to try Cardamom Bundt Cake
with Coffee Glaze (page 104) and the Streusel
Coffee Cake (page 83). Creamy Jammy Coffee
13
Cakes (page 91) are a personal favorite and
have become a breakfast staple in my house.
Introduction
Sweet Yeasted and Fried Treats are tucked
cozily in the middle, and you’ll find a range
of recipes from Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls
(page 117) and Maple Bourbon Caramel Rolls
(page 120) to Raspberry Caramel Bubble
Bread (page 146) and Everything Breakfast
Pretzels (page 151).
Laminated Pastries is a slightly more advanced
chapter. I especially love the Sheet Pan Danish
(page 194) and Cinnamon Twists (page 197), but
you’ll also find Kouignettes (page 190) and Rum
Raisin Buns (page 188).
Recipes focusing on “The Weekend” follow, and
for the first time ever I have included some
savory recipes in a cookbook. All the recipes
here are perfect for weekend mornings, from
the simple Sesame Chocolate Rye Breakfast
Cookies (page 254) and Peanut Butter Granola
Bark (page 253) to the slightly more elevated
Prosciutto Gruyère Croissants (page 227).
The Base Doughs and Breads come next, and
they are used repeatedly throughout the book.
I am very excited to introduce my Brioche
Dough (page 259) and a new, laminated Danish
Dough (page 276), as well as Milk Bread Dough
(page 262). There are also instructions on how to
shape brioche, milk bread, and Danish loaves.
And, as always, I have a chapter of “Extras,”
recipes to use with other recipes in this book
or just by their merry selves: Quick Berry Jam
(page 287), Pomegranate Sparkler (page 284),
and even an Easy Strawberry Smoothie
(page 285).
14
G E NE R AL BAKIN G A DVICE
100 Morning Treats
G E T T I N G TO KNOW A RE CIPE It is vital to read
the entire recipe through before beginning a
baking project. It is essential to know all the
ingredients, details, and timing at the start to
help ensure the recipe succeeds. Once you feel
confident about how a recipe works, you can
then think about personalizing it.
M E A SU R I N G F LOUR Throughout this book,
1 cup of flour equals 142 g (or 5 oz). This is on
the higher end of the scale (1 cup of flour can
range anywhere from 4 to 5 oz [113 to 142 g],
depending on the baker), but I found that after
weighing many cups of flour and averaging
the total, mine always ended up around this
number.
Because most people scoop flour differently,
I highly encourage the use of a digital scale
when measuring ingredients to get consistent
results, and I have provided weight measure-
ments for that reason.
I recommend the dip-and-sweep method for
flour if you are not using a scale: Dip the mea-
suring cup into the bag or container of flour,
then pull the cup out with the flour overfilling
the cup. Sweep the excess off the top with a
knife, so that you have a level cup of flour.
M E A SU R I N G SE M IS OL IDS Yogurt, sour cream,
peanut butter, pumpkin purée, and the like are
all examples of semisolids: ingredients that
fall somewhere between a liquid and a solid. I
always measure these types of ingredients in a
liquid measuring cup, which gives a little more
volume than a dry measuring cup because the
cup is slightly bigger. If you are not using a
scale to measure these ingredients, I highly rec-
ommend using a liquid measuring cup, so your
baked goods will turn out correctly.
PINC H OF SALT This is called for occasionally
throughout these pages. It is a little more than
1/8 teaspoon, but less than ¼ teaspoon.
EGG WASH To make an egg wash, use a fork to
whisk 1 large egg, a pinch of salt, and 1 table-
spoon of water together in a small bowl.
MAK ING FR EEZ E-DR IED BER RY POW DER I often
call for freeze-dried berry powder. I find that it
really bumps up the flavor of the fresh berries
in baked goods and also helps them retain
their vibrant color. If a bite of a blueberry
muffin lasts three seconds, I find that the fresh
blueberries are present for up to two seconds,
but the freeze-dried fruit hits in that last third
second and really helps the berry flavor linger.
In most recipes, though, the powder is optional,
and the recipes will still taste good without it.
To make berry powder, in a food processor,
put an amount of freeze-dried berries equal to
the amount of powder called for in the recipe.
Pulse until the berries are broken down into a
powder. You can sift the powder to get rid of
seeds if desired. Store the powder in an airtight
container at room temperature. The longer it
is stored, the harder it gets, but it will last for
2 weeks.
LINING A PAN W ITH A PARC HMENT PAPER
SLING A parchment paper sling makes it much
easier to get a bread or pastry out of the pan.
Cut two pieces of parchment paper the same
width as the bottom of your pan, and long

enough to come up and over the sides. Spray
the pan with cooking spray, and then place the
pieces of parchment in the pan, perpendicular
to each other so each side has a bit of parch-
ment overhang, making sure to push the sheets
into the corners.
TEM P E R I N G C H O CO L AT E Tempering chocolate
allows it to set properly and gives the chocolate
a glossy, smooth finish. Throughout the book
I use a “cheater’s method” to temper choc-
olate, which is to melt most of the chocolate
called for, and then finely chop the few ounces
of chocolate left and stir it into the melted
chocolate until they are also melted, so that
the finished melted chocolate ends up around
88°F [31°C]. This method isn’t foolproof, but it’s
worked for me 99 percent of the time.
A FE W I M P ORTANT NOTES
On Ovens
In his cookbook A Jewish Baker’s Pastry Secrets,
George Greenstein wrote, “Ovens are often
like divas or temperamental bakers, and each
has its own personality.” I couldn’t agree more.
Ovens are the most important piece of ­baking
equipment and can often be the source of
baking issues. Most home ovens have hot
spots, and possibly malfunctioning lights, fans,
or ­thermometers—or all of the above. These
factors can, of course, cause problems when
baking, and it is imperative to really get to
know your oven. Take time to know your hot
spots, how the temperature fluctuates, and
how long your oven takes to preheat. Here
are some ways to help your oven out.
15
BUY AN OVEN THER MOMETER Many ovens are
not properly calibrated, and a wrong oven
Introduction
temperature can greatly affect the outcome
of your baked goods. If your oven is running
too hot, the outsides of your baked goods can
bake faster than the insides, resulting in burning
and undercooked centers. If it is too cold, your
baked goods may not rise properly or brown
properly. I have an inexpensive oven thermome-
ter that I keep hanging from the middle rack of
my oven, so I can keep an eye on the tempera-
ture inside. I also have an instant-read ther-
mometer (the DOT Simple Alarm Thermometer
by ThermoWorks), which I use to check my oven
temperature once a week.
PR EHEAT THE OVEN This ensures that you are
placing your pan in the oven at the correct
temperature. Most ovens need at least 30 min-
utes to reach the correct temperature.
ROTATE THE PAN HALFWAY THROUGH BAK ING
Oven walls radiate heat differently, due to how
they vary in thickness, as well as other factors.
As noted previously, most ovens have hot spots,
so shifting the pan can promote even baking.
But . . .
DON’ T OPEN THE DOOR TOO MANY TIMES
Whenever you open the oven door to check
on things, hot air spills out, causing the oven
temperature to rapidly fall. Most ovens take
a while to heat back up, and this can affect
baking. Clean your oven window and fix that
broken light so you minimize the need to open
the oven door.
16
The Temperature and Humidity
100 Morning Treats
of Your Kitchen
Humidity and temperature can greatly impact
your baked goods. If your kitchen is too hot
or humid, butter can soften and melt faster.
If you’ve let a dough or batter sit out in a hot
kitchen, the butter can also separate from the
dough, resulting in streaks and uneven baking.
Ingredients such as flour, sugar, salt, and baking
soda all soak up humidity that is lingering in
the air. Over time, they will retain moisture,
and this can affect the outcome of the recipe.
Storing your ingredients in airtight containers
will keep out moisture and help them stay fresh
longer.
If your kitchen is too cold, this can cause prob-
lems too. Butter will take longer to come to
room temperature and to cream with sugar. In
all these cases, it important to pay close atten-
tion to your environment. Which brings us to . . .
Use Your Senses
I am here to guide you as best I can through
each of these recipes, but my oven, equipment,
ingredients, weather, and state of mind will
be different than yours. External factors can
influence baking, but internal factors can too.
Feeling depressed or anxious can influence your
concentration and, therefore, could possibly
alter how you read a recipe. Because I am not
there with you to guide you should any of these
things occur, you need to rely on your senses. If
you open the oven and the cake looks like it is
browning too quickly, check to see if it should
come out early. If the pumpkin bread is still
doughy in the middle even though the baking
time has elapsed, keep it in the oven longer.
Using your eyes and nose will help you recog-
nize when your baked goods are done. Your
palate and hands are also good tools.
I N GR ED I EN TS
The following is a list of ingredients used in this
book. Most of these ingredients should be avail-
able at your local grocery store, but for the few
that are specialty items or hard to find, I have
included a resources section at the back of the
book (page 298) to help you locate them.
Just like women’s pant sizes, many baking
ingredients vary from one brand to the next.
For example, each brand of flour labeled “all-­
purpose” on your grocery store shelf contains a
different amount of protein, ranging from 9 to
12 percent. Flour protein levels can also vary
within a brand from season to season, depend-
ing on the harvest. Butter has different levels of
water and fat content, depending on the brand.
And one brand of granulated sugar may be
coarser or finer than the next. These differences
can and do affect baking outcomes. In the
ingredient categories below, I list the brands I
use for many of these staple items to help you
achieve similar outcomes.
Dairy and Eggs
BUTTER All the recipes in this book call for
unsalted butter. If you are a fan of salted
butter and decide to use it instead, you will
want to use a little less salt overall in the
recipe. European-style butter cannot always
 17
be swapped for regular butter; the high fat lower-fat milk, as this may change the outcome
content can cause extra spreading or other of the recipe.

Introduction
problems. If European-style butter is used, it
will be noted in the recipe. For grocery store Cooking Oils
brands, I prefer Land O’Lakes unsalted butter. I
CANOLA AND VEGETABLE OIL Canola and veg-
do not suggest substituting oil for butter.
etable oil are the most common oils you’ll find
CR E AM C H E E SE I prefer Philadelphia brand in this book because of their neutral flavor.
cream cheese in my recipes; it tastes best over-
OLIVE OIL Use a good-quality extra-virgin olive
all and gives baked goods a “creamier” feel.
oil so the flavor shines in the final product.
CR È M E F R A Î C H E This is a matured cream
TOASTED SESAME OIL I love the flavor of
with a tangy flavor and a smooth texture. It
toasted sesame oil, and while it is often used
is used occasionally in this book, and there is
in savory cooking, I think pairing it with sugar
a recipe for making it at home (page 290) in
is delicious. I have a few recipes in the book
the “Extras” chapter. I use Vermont Creamery
that include it. I prefer toasted sesame oil over
crème fraîche when I’m not making my own.
regular sesame oil; I find it has a more intense
EG GS All the recipes here call for Grade A flavor that works well with sugar and vanilla.
large eggs. In its shell, a large egg should
weigh 2 oz [57 g]. For egg-rich recipes (such Salt and Spices
as Pastry Cream, page 288), I like to use local,
FLEUR DE SEL This is a delicate, moist salt that
farm-fresh eggs because they typically have
is usually used as a finishing salt. Because the
beautiful orange yolks. If the recipe calls for
crystals are larger, the salt takes longer to
room temperature eggs, you can place the
dissolve, and the taste lingers a bit longer.
cold eggs in a large bowl, cover them with
warm water, and let them sit for 10 minutes. If SPIC ES Make sure your spices haven’t been
you need to separate the egg white and yolk, sitting in your cupboard for years before using
it’s generally easier to start with a cold egg them. Although they appear to last forever,
because the yolk will be firmer. they do have a shelf life and can grow stale or
rancid over time. Spices retain their freshness
HEAV Y C R E A M Look for a heavy cream that
for 6 months to 1 year.
is pasteurized, but not ultra-pasteurized, if
possible, especially when making crème fraîche. TABLE SALT I use table salt rather than kosher
Heavy cream is also known as double cream. salt in all the recipes in this book unless other-
wise noted.
MIL K I tested all the recipes in this book with
whole milk unless otherwise noted. In most
cases, I don’t recommend replacing it with a
18
ALMOND FLOUR Almond flour is found in most
Sweeteners
grocery baking aisles or can be ordered online.
100 Morning Treats

B ROW N SU GAR Light brown sugar was used for
recipe testing in this book. If dark brown sugar
is needed, it will be specified in the recipe.
CO N F E C T I O N ERS ’ S UGAR Confectioners’ sugar
is also known as powdered sugar and icing
sugar.
Look for blanched almond flour, which removes
the almond skins before processing.
HAZ ELNUT FLOUR Hazelnut flour is found in
most grocery baking aisles or can be ordered
online. To make it, you can pulse skinned hazel-
nuts in a food processor until finely ground.

CO R N SY RU P Do not substitute dark corn syrup

for light; it has a more robust flavor and is not
a good replacement in these recipes.
G R A N U L AT E D SUGAR Granulated sugar (also
known as white sugar) was used to test all
the recipes in this book. Cane sugar can be
substituted, but please note that it often has a
coarser grain than regular white sugar, which
means it won’t melt as quickly as more finely
ground sugar. If cane sugar is preferred, it
can be processed in a food processor until it is
finely ground before using.
SANDI NG SU GAR Sanding sugar is a large-­
crystal sugar that doesn’t dissolve while baking.
It is used mainly for decorating.
Leavenings
BAK ING POW DER I use nonaluminum baking
powder when I bake, as brands with aluminum
can give off the taste of metal. Baking powder
can expire. To check if your baking powder is
still potent, add a spoonful of it to a cup of hot
water. If it bubbles, it is still good to use.
BAK ING SODA In order for baking soda to rise,
it needs to be paired with an acidic ingredient,
such as buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt, vinegar,
coffee, molasses, brown sugar, or pumpkin. You
can check baking soda for freshness the same
way you would check for baking powder.
Nuts

Flour I usually toast nuts as soon as I purchase them

and then store them in the freezer, as nuts can
A L L- P U R P OSE F LOUR Different brands of flours
turn rancid. To toast nuts: Position an oven rack
have varying levels of protein, ranging from
in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven
low to high, which can result in very different
to 350°F [180°C]. Line a sheet pan with parch-
outcomes when baking. I’ve found Gold Medal
ment paper and place the nuts in the prepared
all-purpose unbleached flour to be the best
pan in a single layer. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes,
option for many of the recipes in this book; I use
until the nuts darken and are fragrant. Let them
it in all the baked good that don’t use yeast.
cool, and then store them in a plastic freezer
For yeasted doughs that call for all-purpose
bag in the freezer for up to 1 month.
flour, I like to use King Arthur brand.
 19
hold their shape when melted. This does mean,
Chocolate
however, that they are not always a good sub-

Introduction
BIT T E RSW E E T A N D S E M IS WE E T CH OCOL AT E stitute for bar chocolate.
When shopping for semisweet and bittersweet
COCOA POW DER There are two kinds of cocoa
bar chocolate to use in baking, look for one
powder: Dutch-process and natural. Dutch-­
that falls between 35 and 60 percent cacao,
process cocoa is treated; it is washed with an
and don’t use anything over 70 percent, as this
alkaline solution that neutralizes its acids and
can alter the taste and texture of the recipe.
gives it a more mellow, nutty flavor and a richer
(Bittersweet and semisweet can be confus-
color. Natural cocoa powder is left as is, and is
ing terms, as both can mean chocolate with
a very acidic, sharp powder. The recipes in this
a cacao percentage of anywhere from 35 to
book all call for Dutch-process cocoa powder.
99 percent.) Most recipes in this book call for
semisweet chocolate. W HITE C HOCOLATE White chocolate is made
from cocoa butter. Not all white chocolate is
When melting chocolate, chop the bar into fine
created equal, so use a brand you trust when
pieces. This will help the chocolate melt more
baking with it; Valrhona is a personal favor-
quickly and evenly and will give it less opportu-
ite. White chocolate chips do not always melt
nity to burn. Make sure that there is no water
well. White chocolate also melts more quickly
in your bowl when melting, or on your knife and
than dark chocolate, so be sure to stir it more
spatula, as contact with water can cause the
frequently than you would dark chocolate,
chocolate to seize, turning it grainy. Adding 1 or
especially when using the microwave.
2 tablespoons of hot water to the seized choco-
late and then stirring it can sometimes save it.
Vanilla
To melt chocolate in the microwave: Place
VANILLA BEANS To use a vanilla bean: With a
the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe
sharp knife, split the bean lengthwise, and then
bowl, and microwave the chocolate on medium
scrape the seeds out of the bean with the dull
for 1 minute, then stop and stir the ­chocolate.
side of the knife or a spoon. Use the seeds in
­Continue to microwave the chocolate in
the recipe as called for. The leftover pod can
20-­second intervals, stirring after each one,
be dried and then finely ground in a food pro-
until the chocolate is almost completely smooth.
cessor to make a vanilla bean powder.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and then
stir until completely smooth. VANILLA EX TR AC T All the recipes in this book
use pure vanilla extract, and I don’t recommend
CACAO NI B S Cacao nibs have a complex, bitter
substituting artificial vanilla. However, pure
flavor and crunchy texture.
vanilla extract is expensive, and if you have a
CH O CO L AT E C H I P S Chocolate chips have less brand of artificial vanilla you enjoy, it will work
cacao than bar chocolate, which allows them to in these recipes.
 H APTER
C 1

Muffins,
Scones, and
Quick Breads
 “I came down
as soon as I
thought there
was a prospect
of breakfast.”
—Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
 23
My blueberry muffin baking experience started with a blue boxed mix, complete with tiny
dried blueberries. My mom would often make them to accompany dinner, and we would

Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads

devour them slathered in too much butter. I started baking them from scratch while work-
ing at the Blue Heron Coffeehouse; I always loved that their recipe added nutmeg and I
took that little trick with me when I left. This recipe is revamped from my first book, The
Vanilla Bean Baking Book; I found adding almond flour keeps the crumb tender and light,
and bumping up the baking powder helps those muffins dance beautifully over the rim.
I did keep nutmeg involved, and incorporated it into a perfectly sugary top.

M A KE S
1 2 M U F F IN S

Blueberry Muffins
SU GA R TO PPING ¾ cup [180 g] buttermilk, 1) Position an oven rack in the middle of
½ cup [100 g] granulated at room temperature the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F
sugar
5 tablespoons [70 g] [190°C]. Grease two standard twelve-cup
¾ teaspoon freshly unsalted butter, melted muffin tins (see Muffin Tins and Greasing
grated nutmeg the Pans, page 24). 2) FOR THE SUGAR
1/3 cup [75 g] vegetable
or canola oil TOPPING In a small bowl, whisk together
MUFFINS
¼ cup [60 g] sour cream, the granulated sugar and nutmeg. 3) FOR
2 cups [284 g] all-
purpose flour at room temperature THE MUFFINS In a large bowl, whisk
2 large eggs, at room together the all-purpose flour, almond
½ cup [50 g] almond
flour temperature flour, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, and

1 tablespoon lemon juice baking soda. Make a well in the center. In

2 teaspoons baking
powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup [200 g] granulated
sugar
a large bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
together the granulated sugar, buttermilk,
extract
melted butter, oil, sour cream, eggs, lemon
7½ oz [215 g] fresh or
juice, and vanilla until completely combined.
frozen blueberries
cont’d
24
Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the
100 Morning Treats
dry ingredients and mix gently until almost
combined. Fold in the blueberries until just
incorporated, being careful not to overwork
the batter. It should not be completely smooth;
there should be some visible lumps and bumps.
The muffin batter can be stored, covered,
in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before
baking. 4) Scoop a scant 1/3 cup of the bat-
ter into every other muffin cup (see Muffin
Scoops, page 29). The batter should fill the cup
and mound slightly (using a scoop helps the
tops mound). Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of the
sugar-nutmeg mixture evenly over each muffin.
5) Bake until the muffins are light golden
brown and a toothpick inserted into the center
of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs,
rotating the pan halfway through baking, 17 to
20 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the tin for
about 5 minutes, then gently remove them and
transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few more
minutes before serving. 6) Muffins are best
eaten the day they are made, but they can be
stored in an airtight container in the refrigera-
tor for up to 2 days.
NOT E If your berries are out of season, adding
a little “berry boost” can help ramp up the
flavor. Combine 2 tablespoons [8 g] of freeze-
dried berry powder (see page 14), 1 tablespoon
of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of water,
a pinch of salt, and the blueberries in a small
saucepan. Cook over low heat until the berries
are warm and coated in the sugar powder,
about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool, then swirl
into the recipe where the blueberries are
called for.
Greasing the Pans
If you’re using muffin liners, you don’t
have to grease the pan. Otherwise, it
is absolutely necessary. Your best bet is
to use a pastry brush to “paint” butter
into the cavities and then dust them with
flour, but pan spray works well too. If
the muffins are not in liners, I also like to
give the top of the pan a spray, so the
muffin tops don’t stick as much. I use a
floured pan spray in the cavities, and a
non-floured pan spray for the top (the
flour can burn on the top of the pan). I
find this usually ensures an easy release.
Muffin Tins
Standard muffin pans are ­surprisingly
varied. After baking thousands of muffins
in dozens of different pans over the last
two decades, I can report that nearly
every brand of muffin pan is slightly
different. Because of this, your muffins
may not bake up exactly like mine. When
testing recipes for this book, I found
that I preferred Nordic Ware Naturals
twelve-cup aluminum commercial pans.
My round scoop (see Muffin Scoops,
page 29) matched the dimensions of the
muffin cups perfectly, and I liked the way
my muffins baked up. In each recipe, I
try to give both the amount of batter for
each cup and how full each cup should
be. But baking a test muffin in your pan
to see how it performs is always a good
idea. Muffins also often rise better when
every other muffin cavity is filled.
 25
There was a time when I couldn’t imagine a muffin that didn’t fall into one of four
­categories: blueberry, lemon poppy seed, chocolate, or cranberry-orange. Those flavor

Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads

choices held every bake case hostage in my suburbia bubble, and I never questioned my
limited options. Then Colleen Wolner happened. She was (and is) co-owner of the Blue
Heron Coffeehouse, and the first time I encountered her baking, she had the audacity
to put other ingredients in her muffins. Strawberries! Ginger and pear! Chocolate with car-
damom! And of course, almonds. There were almonds combined with cherries (a customer
favorite) but also almonds and poppy seeds, and I loved those muffins so dearly that they
quickly replaced blueberries in my heart. In my version, I swirl in some Almond Cream
(page 292) to keep the muffins moist, but your favorite jam would be delicious here too.

Almond Poppy Seed

Muffins MAK ES 12
MUF F INS

TOPPING 1 cup [200 g] granulated 1) Position an oven rack in the middle of

1 cup [120 g] almonds, sugar
the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F
toasted and chopped
¾ cup [180 g] buttermilk, [190°C]. Grease a standard twelve-cup
1/2 cup [100 g] coarse or at room temperature muffin tin (see Muffin Tins and Greasing the
fine sugar
5 tablespoons [70 g] Pans, page 24). 2) FOR THE TOPPING In a
unsalted butter, melted small bowl, ­combine the toasted almonds
MUFFINS
1/3 cup [75 g] vegetable and sugar. 3) FOR THE MUFFINS In a large
2 cups [284 g] all-
purpose flour or canola oil bowl or mixer bowl, whisk together the all-­
¼ cup [60 g] sour cream purpose flour, almond flour, poppy seeds,
½ cup [50 g] almond
flour baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Make
2 large eggs, at room
temperature a well in the center.
3 tablespoons poppy
seeds 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
extract cont’d
2 teaspoons baking
powder ¾ teaspoon almond
1 teaspoon salt extract

¼ teaspoon baking soda ½ cup [100 g] Almond

Cream (page 292, see
Note)
26
100 Morning Treats
4) In a large bowl or liquid measuring cup,
whisk together the granulated sugar, butter­
milk, melted butter, oil, sour cream, eggs,
vanilla, and almond extract until completely
combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the
well in the dry ingredients and mix gently until
almost combined, being careful not to overwork
the batter. It should not be completely smooth;
there should be some visible lumps and bumps.
Dollop the almond cream over the top of the
batter, then use a spatula to swirl it into the
batter with two or three turns until just incor-
porated; there will still be streaks of cream.
The muffin batter can be stored, covered,
in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before
baking. 5) Scoop a scant 1/3 cup of the batter
into each muffin cup. The batter should fill the
cups and mound slightly in each cavity (using a
scoop helps the tops mound). Top each muffin
with a generous amount of the almond-and-
sugar mixture. 6) Bake until the muffins are
light golden brown and a toothpick inserted
into the center of a muffin comes out with a
few crumbs, rotating the pan halfway through
baking, 18 to 23 minutes. Let the muffins cool in
the tin for about 5 minutes, then gently remove
them and transfer to a wire rack to cool to
room temperature. 7) Muffins are best eaten
the day they are made, but they can be stored
in an airtight container in the refrigerator for
up to 2 days.
NOTE If you do not have almond cream on
hand, you can swirl in 1/3 cup [100 g] of lemon
curd or your favorite jam.
 27
In between school years during college, I spent my summers working the afternoon/evening shift at the
Blue Heron Coffeehouse. This meant several things: I spent my entire shift drinking coffee, I stayed up

Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads

until dawn arrived because of said coffee, and I spent the mornings sleeping in, only to realize too late
that I had minutes to spare before my shift started. I would then frantically ride my bike across campus
to relieve the morning barista at three o’clock and make myself an iced latte before business started
to pick up. If the fates were kind to me, there would be some kind of berry streusel muffin left in the
bake case. My favorite at the time was strawberry; the sweet berries and bitter flavor of the coffee
never failed to balance each other out perfectly bite for bite. I still love streusel muffins, but now I
enjoy mixing up my berries: blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry are all there.

Mixed Berry Muffins

MAK ES
10 MUF F INS

B E R RY S WIRL ½ cup [120 g] buttermilk, 1) Position an oven rack in the middle of

3 oz [85 g] fresh or at room temperature
the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F
frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons sour [190°C]. Line a standard twelve-cup muffin
3 oz [85 g] fresh or cream, at room tin with tulip liners or grease the pan
frozen blueberries temperature
(see Muffin Tins and Greasing the Pans,
2 oz [57 g] fresh or 1 teaspoon lemon juice page 24). I prefer tulip liners here, as they
frozen strawberries, keep the streusel in place.
8 tablespoons [1 stick or
hulled and chopped into
113 g] unsalted butter, at
bite-size pieces
room temperature
cont’d
2 tablespoons granulated
¾ cup [150 g] granulated
sugar
sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt

MUFFINS 1 large egg, at room

temperature
1½ cups [213 g] all-
purpose flour 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
extract
1½ teaspoons baking
powder 1½ cups [210 g] Pecan
Streusel (page 291)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
 29

2) FO R T H E SW I R L In a small saucepan, stir 7) Bake until the streusel is golden brown and

Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads

together the raspberries, blueberries, straw- a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin
berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Heat over low comes out with a few crumbs, rotating the pan
heat, stirring and gently mashing the berries, halfway through baking, 25 to 30 minutes. Let
until the sugar has dissolved and the berries the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes,
are just starting to release their juices but still then gently remove them and transfer to a wire
have some shape, 2 to 4 minutes (this will take rack to cool for a few more minutes before
longer with frozen berries). Remove from the serving. 8) Muffins are best eaten the day they
heat and set aside to cool. 3) FOR T H E M UF- are made, but they can be stored in an airtight
F IN S In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
baking powder, and baking soda. In a large
bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together
the buttermilk, sour cream, and lemon juice. Muffin Scoops
4) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a Every bakery I worked in used a portion
paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until scoop to dish the batter into the muffin
creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated pans. It ensured both consistency and
sugar and salt and beat until light and fluffy, a well-rounded top, which helped the
3 to 5 minutes. Lower the speed to low and muffins bake up pretty. I still use one in
add the egg, beating until incorporated and my home kitchen. I found that the 2 oz
scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. scoop from Vollrath works perfectly with
Beat in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of my Nordic Ware pans.
the bowl again and, still on low speed, add
one-third of the flour mixture, beating until just
combined. Beat in the buttermilk mixture and
the remaining flour mixture in halves, alternat-
ing between the two and ending with the flour
mixture, mixing just until combined. 5) Pour
the cooled berry mixture into the mixer bowl,
and use a spatula to swirl the mixture into the
batter with two or three turns until just incor-
porated; there will still be streaks of fruit. The
muffin batter can be stored, covered, in the
refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.
6) Scoop a scant 1/3 cup of the batter into each
tulip liner. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the
tops of the muffins.
 31
Caramel apples always bring to mind crisp autumn afternoons and the sound of
crunching leaves underfoot. I didn’t grow up with an apple tree in my yard, but at least

Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads

once every October my mom would pick up a caramel apple kit at the grocery store
and we’d dip our Granny Smiths in sticky sweetness. These muffins are a nod to that
memory, with rich caramel icing draped over apple muffins.

Caramel Apple Muffins

MAK ES
8 MUF F INS

MUFFINS 1 tablespoon applejack 1) FOR THE MUFFINS Position an oven rack

1½ cups [213 g] all- brandy (optional)
in the middle of the oven and preheat the
purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure oven to 375°F [190°C]. Grease a standard
1½ teaspoons baking vanilla extract twelve-cup muffin tin (see Muffin Tins and
powder
1 cup [150 g] grated Greasing the Pans, page 24). 2) In a small
½ teaspoon ground Gala apples bowl, whisk together the flour, baking
cinnamon
powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. In a
IC ING
¼ teaspoon baking soda medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk
3 tablespoons Caramel,
¼ cup [60 g] apple cider, together the apple cider and sour cream.
homemade (page 289) or
at room temperature store-bought 3) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with
¼ cup [60 g] sour cream, a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed
1 to 3 tablespoons
at room temperature apple cider until creamy, 1 minute. Add the granulated
sugar and salt and beat again on medium
8 tablespoons [1 stick or 1 tablespoon unsalted
113 g] unsalted butter, at butter, melted speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
room temperature Add the egg and beat on low speed until
½ teaspoon pure
¾ cup [150 g] granulated incorporated, scraping down the sides of
vanilla extract
sugar the bowl as needed. Beat in the brandy,
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon salt if using, then the vanilla. Scrape down the
1 cup [120 g] bowl again and add one-third of the flour
1 large egg, at room confectioners’ sugar
mixture.
temperature
1 cup [120 g] Candied
Pecans (page 291) cont’d
32

Continue beating on low speed until just com-

100 Morning Treats

bined. Beat in the apple cider mixture and the

remaining flour mixture in halves, alternating
between the two and ending with the flour
mixture, mixing until just combined. Add the
grated apple, and then mix until just incorpo-
rated into the batter, 30 seconds. 4) Scoop
1/3 cup of the batter into the prepared tin; the
batter should fill the cups and slightly mound
in each cavity (using a scoop works best here
to help the tops mound). Bake until a skewer or
toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin
comes out with a few crumbs, rotating the pan
halfway through baking, 20 to 24 minutes. Let
the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes,
then gently remove them and transfer to a
wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. 5) FOR T H E

ICING While the muffins are cooling, make the

icing. In a medium bowl, combine the caramel,
1 tablespoon of the apple cider, the melted
butter, vanilla, and salt. Add the confectioners’
sugar and mix until smooth, adding more apple
cider, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired
consistency is reached; the icing should be thick
but pourable. Drizzle the icing over the top
of each muffin, and sprinkle with the candied
pecans. 6) Muffins are best eaten the day they
are made, but they can be stored in an airtight
container in the refrigerator for 2 days.
 33
Double chocolate muffins probably aren’t the most nutritious way to start
the day, but adding banana always makes me feel better about indulging

Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads

in something sweet first thing in the morning. I’ve made these muffins for
years, both in shops and at home, and decided this time around to do some
upgrading—a little more banana and a lot more chocolate did the trick.

Double Chocolate
Banana Muffins
MAK ES AB OUT
14 MUF F INS

1½ cups [213 g] all- 5 tablespoons [70 g] 1) Position an oven rack in the middle of
purpose flour unsalted butter, melted
the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F
¾ cup [75 g] Dutch- 3 large eggs, at room [190°C]. Grease two standard twelve-cup
process cocoa powder temperature muffin tins (see Muffin Tins and Greasing
2 teaspoons baking ¼ cup [60 g] sour cream, the Pans, page 24). 2) In a large bowl,
powder at room temperature whisk together the flour, cocoa powder,
¼ teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons pure vanilla baking powder, and baking soda. Make a
extract well in the center.
1¼ cups [250 g]
granulated sugar ¾ teaspoon salt
cont’d
1 cup [227 g] mashed 4 oz [113 g] semisweet
bananas (about 3 chocolate, finely
bananas) chopped

½ cup [120 g] buttermilk, Turbinado sugar, for

at room temperature sprinkling
34
100 Morning Treats
3) In a large bowl or liquid measuring cup,
whisk together the granulated sugar, bananas,
buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, sour cream,
vanilla, and salt until completely combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry
ingredients and mix gently until almost com-
bined. Fold in the chopped chocolate until just
incorporated, being careful not to overwork
the batter. It should not be completely smooth;
there should be some visible lumps and bumps.
4) Scoop a scant 1/3 cup of the batter into each
cup. The batter should fill the cups and mound
slightly in each cavity (using a scoop helps the
tops mound). Sprinkle the tops of the muffins
generously with the turbinado sugar. 5) Bake
until a toothpick inserted into the center of a
muffin comes out with a few crumbs, rotat-
ing the pan halfway through baking, 18 to
23 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the tin for
about 5 minutes, then gently remove them and
transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few more
minutes before serving. 6) Muffins are best
eaten the day they are made, but they can be
stored in an airtight container in the refrigera-
tor for 2 days.
 35
In Minnesota, rhubarb is the first sign that spring is actually, finally here, and b
­ akers
everywhere use it in abundance until berries make their debut later in the year.

Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads

­Rhubarb contains quite a bit of liquid, so I like to cook it down first, which helps ensure
the finished muffin is not soggy while also concentrating the flavor.

Rhubarb Cream Cheese

Swirl Muffins
MAK ES 10
MUF F INS

R H U BAR B S WIRL ½ cup [120 g] buttermilk, 1) Position an oven rack in the middle of
1½ cups [150 g] chopped at room temperature the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F
rhubarb, in bite-size
2 tablespoons sour [190°C]. Line two standard twelve-cup muf-
pieces (see Note)
cream, at room fin tins with tulip liners (see Muffin Tins and
1/3 cup [65 g] granulated temperature
Greasing the Pans, page 24). 2) FOR THE
sugar
8 tablespoons [1 stick or R HUBAR B SW IR L In a small saucepan, com-
1 tablespoon water 113 g] unsalted butter, at bine the rhubarb, granulated sugar, and
room temperature
water. Heat over low heat, stirring occa-
C R E A M C H E E SE S WIRL ¾ cup [150 g] granulated sionally, until the rhubarb has broken down,
3 oz [85 g] cream sugar
12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat
cheese, at room
temperature ½ teaspoon salt and set aside to cool. 3) FOR THE C R EAM

1 large egg, at room C HEESE SW IR L In a small bowl, combine the

1 tablespoon granulated
sugar temperature cream cheese and granulated sugar, and
1 teaspoon pure vanilla stir until smooth.
MUFFINS extract
1½ cups [213 g] all-
1½ cups [210 g] Streusel cont’d
purpose flour
(page 291)
1½ teaspoons baking
powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

36
4) FO R T H E M UFFINS In a small bowl, whisk
100 Morning Treats
together the flour, baking powder, and baking
soda. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring
cup, whisk together the buttermilk and sour
cream. 5) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted
with a paddle, beat the butter on medium
speed until creamy, 1 minute. Add the granu-
lated sugar and salt and beat until light and
fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the speed to low
and add the egg, scraping down the sides of
the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Scrape
down the sides of the bowl again, and add
one-third of the flour mixture. Beat on low
speed until just combined. Beat in the butter-
milk mixture and the remaining flour mixture in
halves, alternating between the two and ending
with the flour mixture, mixing until just com-
bined. 6) Pour the rhubarb and cream cheese
mixtures into the bowl, and use a spatula to
swirl the mixtures into the batter until just
incorporated with two or three turns; there will
still be streaks of fruit and cream cheese. The
Muffin Liners
For many of the recipes in this book I
don’t use muffin liners, but there are a
few exceptions. I like to use tulip liners
(which stand taller in the pan) for muffins
with streusel, as it helps the streusel stay
on the batter, so it won’t spill all over the
pan and oven floor. If you’ve never used
a liner, you can bake a test muffin and
see how it works in your particular pan.
muffin batter can be stored, covered, in the
refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.
7) Scoop a scant 1/3 cup of the batter into each
tulip liner. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the
top of each muffin. 8) Bake until the streu-
sel is golden brown and a toothpick inserted
into the center of a muffin comes out with a
few crumbs, rotating the pan halfway through
baking, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool in
the tin for about 5 minutes, then gently remove
them and transfer to a wire rack to cool for a
few more minutes before serving. 9) Muffins
are best eaten the day they are made, but they
can be stored in an airtight container in the
refrigerator for up to 2 days.
NOTE If your variety of rhubarb doesn’t cook
down into a pretty shade of pink (many don’t),
you can add a thin slice of red beet or a hand-
ful of raspberries to the pan with the rhubarb,
or add a few drops of pink food coloring to the
rhubarb mixture.
38
This recipe is based on the Grapefruit Cake Bars from my cookbook 100 Cookies (which, in turn,
is based on a Bundt cake from Yossy Arefi’s book Sweeter Off the Vine). I love the tart flavor
100 Morning Treats

of grapefruit, and Yossy’s method of adding the segmented pieces and juice to the batter is
genius. “To ease each pale pink segment out of its case so carefully without breaking a single
pearly cell” makes for delicious muffins. (Craig Arnold, “Meditation on a Grapefruit”)

Grapefruit Glazed
MA KE S 1 6
MUF F IN S Muffins
M UFFINS GLAZ E 1) FOR THE MUFFINS Position an oven rack
1 medium grapefruit 1½ cups [180 g] in the middle of the oven and preheat the
confectioners’ sugar
1½ cups [300 g] oven to 375°F [190°C]. Line two standard
granulated sugar Pinch of salt twelve-cup muffin tins or grease the pan
3 cups [426 g] all- 2 to 3 tablespoons (see Muffin Tins and Greasing the Pans,
purpose flour grapefruit juice page 24). Line a sheet pan with parchment
1 tablespoon baking 1 tablespoon grapefruit paper and set a wire rack on top. 2) Scrub
powder liqueur (optional) the grapefruit with warm, soapy water (to

½ teaspoon baking soda remove any excess wax), rinse, then dry
the fruit. Put the granulated sugar into a
1 cup [2 sticks or 227 g]
medium bowl and grate the grapefruit zest
unsalted butter, at room
temperature directly over the sugar, being careful not
to include any of the bitter white pith. With
1 teaspoon salt
your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until
2 large eggs, at room
combined and fragrant. 3) Cut the top and
temperature
bottom off the grapefruit, then cut away
1 teaspoon pure vanilla any remaining peel and the white pith from
extract
the surface of the fruit. Over a bowl, care-
1 cup [240 g] buttermilk, fully cut the sections of the grapefruit away
at room temperature
from the membrane, letting the fruit and
juices fall into the bowl. Remove any seeds
that have fallen in, and break up the fruit
into small pieces, about ½ in [12 mm] wide.

4) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour,
baking powder, and baking soda. 5) In the
bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle,
beat the butter on medium speed until creamy,
1 minute. Add the sugar-zest mixture and salt
and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Lower the speed to low and add the eggs, one
at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl
as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Scrape down
the bowl again and add one-third of the flour
mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined.
Beat in the buttermilk and the remaining flour
mixture in halves, alternating between the
two and ending with the flour mixture, mixing
until just combined. Remove the bowl from the
mixer and gently fold in the grapefruit seg-
ments and their juices. The muffin batter can
be stored, covered, in the refrigerator, for up
to 24 hours before baking. 6) Scoop a scant
1/3 cup of the batter into the prepared tins; the
39
Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads
batter should fill the cups and mound slightly
in each cavity (using a scoop helps the tops
mound). 7) Bake until a toothpick inserted
into the ­center of a muffin comes out with a
few crumbs, ­rotating the pan halfway through
baking, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool
in the tin for about 5 minutes, then gently
remove them and transfer to the rack in the
prepared sheet pan and let cool for 15 more
minutes. 8) FOR THE GLAZ E In a medium bowl,
stir together the confectioners’ sugar and salt.
Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the grapefruit juice
and add the liqueur, if using. The glaze should
be thick but pourable. If it seems too thick, add
a few more drops of grapefruit juice. Pour the
glaze over the warm muffins and let set before
serving. 9) Muffins are best eaten the day they
are made, but they can be stored in an airtight
container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
40
Is it cake, or is it a muffin? Today, we will convince ourselves it is a muffin.
Yes, it truly is, even with that generous heap of Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing.
100 Morning Treats

MAK ES 14
MUF F INS

Carrot Cake Muffins

M UFFINS BROWN BUT T ER C R EAM 1) FOR THE MUFFINS Position an oven rack
2/3 cup [150 g] vegetable CH E ESE IC ING
in the middle of the oven and preheat the
or canola oil 12 tablespoons [1½ sticks
oven to 350°F [180°C]. Line two standard
or 170 g] unsalted butter,
¾ cup [150 g] granulated twelve-cup muffin tins (see Muffin Tins and
at room temperature
sugar
Greasing the Pans, page 24); these muffins
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup [50 g] brown bake best with liners. 2) In a large bowl,
sugar 4 oz [113 g] cream whisk together the oil, granulated and
cheese, at room
2 large eggs, at room brown sugars, eggs, triple sec (if using),
temperature
temperature cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, ­baking
2 cups [240 g]
1 tablespoon triple sec soda, salt, and cloves until completely
confectioners’ sugar
(optional) combined. Add the flour, stirring until just
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1 teaspoon ground combined, then add the carrots, stirring
extract
cinnamon until incorporated. The muffin batter can
1 teaspoon ground be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for
ginger up to 24 hours before baking. 3) Divide

¾ teaspoon baking the mixture evenly among the fourteen

powder muffin cavities; the batter should come up

½ teaspoon baking soda halfway in each cavity. Bake until a tooth-

pick inserted into a muffin comes out clean,
½ teaspoon salt
rotating the pan halfway through baking,
Pinch of ground cloves 18 to 22 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack
1½ cups [213 g] all- and let cool for 15 minutes, then remove the
purpose flour muffins and let them finish cooling on the
2 cups [200 g] finely rack before icing.
grated carrots

4) FO R T H E I C I N G Brown 8 tablespoons [1 stick
or 113 g] of the butter (see page 293). Pour the
brown butter into a heatproof, freezer-safe
bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Place the bowl
in the freezer until solid, but not frozen, about
30 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a stand
mixer fitted with a paddle. 5) Add the remain-
ing 4 tablespoons [56 g] of butter and the salt
to the brown butter and beat on medium speed
until smooth, 1 minute. Add the cream cheese
and beat again until smooth and creamy. Lower
41
Muffins, Scones, and Quick Breads
the mixer speed to low and slowly add the con-
fectioners’ sugar, beating until well combined
and creamy and stopping to scrape down the
sides of the bowl as necessary, 4 to 5 minutes.
Beat in the vanilla. Using an offset spatula or
piping bag, spread or pipe a generous amount
of icing over the top of each muffin. 6) Muffins
are best eaten the day they are made, but
these can be stored in an airtight container in
the refrigerator for 3 days.
42
This recipe is for when I find myself needing a little whole-wheat flour in my life. I use
a little all-purpose and almond flour to keep the base light, and mashed bananas and
100 Morning Treats

yogurt also contribute to keeping things delicious and moist.

Whole-Wheat
Yogurt Muffins
M AKE S 1 2
M U F F INS

TOPPING 1 cup [240 g] Greek or 1) Position an oven rack in the middle of

1/3 cup [65 g] granulated full-fat plain yogurt, at the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F
sugar room temperature
[190°C]. Grease a standard twelve-cup
¾ teaspoon ground 5 tablespoons [70 g] muffin tin (see Muffin Tins and Greasing the
cinnamon unsalted butter, melted
Pans, page 24). 2) FOR THE TOPPING In a
1/3 cup [75 g] vegetable small bowl, whisk together the granulated
M UFFINS or canola oil
sugar and cinnamon. 3) FOR THE MUFFINS
1½ cups [213 g] whole-
2 large eggs, at room In a large bowl, whisk together the whole-
wheat flour
temperature wheat flour, all-purpose flour, almond flour,
½ cup [71 g] all-purpose
2 tablespoons orange baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Make
flour
juice a well in the center. 4) In a large bowl or
½ cup [50 g] almond
1 teaspoon pure vanilla liquid measuring cup, whisk together the
flour
extract granulated sugar, yogurt, melted butter,
2 teaspoons baking oil, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla until
1 cup [226 g] chopped
powder
bananas completely combined. Pour the wet ingre-
1 teaspoon salt dients into the well in the dry ingredients
½ cup [60 g] pecan
¼ teaspoon baking soda halves or your favorite and mix gently until almost combined. Fold
nut, toasted and in the bananas, pecans, and raisins until just
1 cup [200 g] granulated chopped
sugar incorporated, being careful not to over-
½ cup [60 g] raisins, your work the batter. It should not be completely
favorite dried fruit, or
smooth; there should be some visible lumps
mini chocolate chips
and bumps. The muffin batter can be
stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up
to 24 hours before baking.
 Freezing Muffins
To freeze muffins, wrap cooled muffins
in plastic wrap and place in an airtight,
freezer-safe container or plastic bag.
Store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
The night before serving, put the muffins
in the refrigerator to thaw.

5) Scoop a scant 1/3 cup of the batter into each

muffin cup. The batter should fill the cups and
mound slightly in each cavity (using a scoop
helps the tops mound). Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons
of the sugar topping evenly over each muffin.
6) Bake until the muffins are light golden
brown and a toothpick inserted into the center
of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs,
rotating the pan halfway through baking, 18 to
23 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the tin for
about 5 minutes, then gently remove them and
transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few more
minutes before serving. 7) Muffins are best
eaten the day they are made, but they can be
stored in an airtight container in the refrigera-
tor for up to 2 days.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
acquired great éclat from their numerous cartoons, in which John Bull was
invariably represented as being in extremis.

Meanwhile, the volunteers who had responded to the President's call,

were being rapidly mobilized and equipped; and camps were established at
Plattsburgh and Buffalo and Detroit; as well as at a point on the Pacific
coast near Victoria in British Columbia. Thus the Dominion was threatened
with invasion at points nearly three thousand miles apart; and the prospect
was that before the summer was over, the military operations on both sides
would assume proportions as gigantic as those which had astonished the
world during the War of the Rebellion.

Many of the volunteers were veterans of that war; and therefore the work
of drilling them and making competent soldiers of them, went forward with
incredible rapidity; and within less than sixty days from the issuing of the
President's proclamation, the United States had a thoroughly well armed,
well drilled, and well equipped force of over 200,000 men in the field,
ready to march across the frontier. On the fifteenth of April the first entry
was made on Canadian Territory. Ten thousand men in two detachments
crossed the Detroit River, and took possession of Windsor, opposite Detroit.
A slight opposition to the landing of this force was attempted by a small
detachment of Canadian Militia, who after firing a scattering volley at the
ferry-boats containing the Americans, beat a hasty retreat when the latter
began to return the fire.

Two days later, a force of about 25,000 men crossed the Niagara River
near Buffalo, and at once marched inland, with a view of taking possession
of the Welland Canal, and damaging it in such a manner as to prevent the
passage of some British gunboats, which had been reported as on their way
from Halifax to the Upper Lakes. This was a most wise and timely
movement; for if these vessels had gotten through the canal, the cities of
Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, Sandusky, Detroit and Chicago, would
have been completely at their mercy; as under an old treaty between the
United States and England, neither power could have more than one war
vessel at any time on the Lakes.

For this reason, the news of the success of this detachment in destroying
the locks of the Welland Canal, so as to effectually prevent these vessels
from reaching Lake Erie, was hailed with great delight by the entire press of
the United States, and a grand chorus of jubilation was echoed from one
end of the country to the other. The main body of the American troops,
however, had been concentrated near Plattsburgh, in New York State, and
were intended to operate against Montreal and Ottawa. This consisted of
75,000 men, under the immediate command of General Schofield, and this
army crossed the Canadian frontier at the point where the Irish fenians had
established their camp the preceding season, on the first day of May, 1890.
No opposition to speak of was encountered, and the army advanced at once,
by easy marches, towards the St. Lawrence River, with a view to the rapture
of Montreal.

The movements of the detachment on the Pacific Coast had not been so
prompt us those of the others. Numerous delays occurred in the arrival of
equipments and supplies, and therefore that division of the force found
itself utterly unable to move at the time specified—which had been fixed
for not later than the 1st of May. This was the general situation on the 1st of
May, 1890.

CHAPTER VI.

THE BRITISH FLEET ARRIVES OFF SANDY

HOOK.

On the morning of the 10th of May, the telegraph operator stationed at

Fire Island, telegraphed to New York that four large war vessels were in
sight, proceeding slowly westward towards Sandy Hook.

Later in the day, numbers of other vessels were reported as also passing
in the same direction; and it became evident that the long expected fleet had
at length reached our shores. The excitement which this news caused in the
cities of New York and Brooklyn was intense and indescribable.
 Although it had been the uppermost thought in people's minds for
months past, and in spite of the fact that there had been scarcely any other
subject of conversation among the citizens, and notwithstanding the almost
universal feeling of confidence which had possessed them in the efficiency
of their defensive preparations, the news of the actual arrival of a hostile
fleet—representing the most formidable naval power in the world, and
presumably containing all the best and most approved offensive weapons
known to modern science—seemed to exert an almost paralyzing effect
upon the inhabitants of the two cities. The noisy and boisterous ebullitions,
which usually accompany occasions of great public excitement, were
entirely wanting. Business of all kinds was suspended, and in all of the
down-town centers, groups of anxious and pale-faced men were to be
encountered at every corner and street crossing, engaged in earnest, but
quiet conversation. The lively spirit of braggadocio and bravado, which had
heretofore been such a prominent feature of every gathering, large or small,
when the pending "invasion" happened to be the subject of conversation,
was noticeable by its total absence. Conversation was carried on almost
entirely in hurried and anxious whispers; and anybody who raised his voice
above a colloquial tone—whether it was an excited newsboy, shouting out
the latest extra; or a half intoxicated tramp, yelling patriotic defiance to the
hated British—was looked upon, much as the deliberate violator of some
sacred spot would be regarded, by an enthusiastic believer in its sanctified
character.

A complete hush seemed to have fallen upon the two cities; and a
subdued air, as if some impending calamity had proclaimed its near
approach, seized upon the people. For the first time, a faint idea of the real
gravity of the situation seemed to dawn upon the public mind. Here was
war, bitter, relentless, destructive, cruel war, at their very doors. In a day or
two at the latest, possibly within a few hours, the thunder of distant cannon
would be faintly heard, and the bursting and crashing of deadly shells
would involve the city in ruin and desolation. What was to be done? How
could this frightful downpour of dynamite shells be averted? What if those
formidable marine monsters were able to defy the attacks of our
insignificant looking little torpedo boats and rams. Supposing some of them
should be destroyed; what if two, or three, or even one, should remain
uninjured, and should proceed to pour its hail of deadly projectiles upon
these defenseless and exposed cities? Who could tell where the shells might
strike, or who would be safe from their deadly work? Many of the more
timid of the inhabitants took time by the forelock and sought safety in
flight. The newspapers, however, did much to avert what threatened to
become a panic, by treating the whole subject in a light and cheerful vein,
and their optimistic predictions were regarded as gospel truths by the great
majority of the citizens.

CHAPTER VII.

THE BATTLE OF THE SWASH.

On the morning of the 11th of May, 1890, the British fleet crossed the
bar, and steamed leisurely past Sandy Hook, and into the Swash and main
ship channels. The movements of the fleet seemed to be characterized by
great deliberation; as though there was nothing to fear, and no occasion for
haste. The larger vessels were especially slow in their movements, and felt
their way along in the most cautious manner, each one being guided or
piloted by two or more torpedo boats, which kept a good distance in
advance, and sounded the channel carefully and constantly, indicating by
signals the course for the larger vessels to pursue. There was no haste, no
confusion, no noise or cheering, and no apparent notice was taken of the
balls and shells with which the antiquated guns on the forts on Long and
Staten Islands,—with much noise and banging, but no harmful results,—
managed to splash the water about half a mile or a mile away from anything
that they were aimed at. Most of the smaller vessels gathered together near
the point of Sandy Hook, with the evident intention of anchoring in the
Horseshoe. Here the first real fighting took place. Some old wooden
gunboats, (relics of the War of the Rebellion) had been hastily repaired and
equipped with one or two guns; and had been stationed in the Horseshoe to
act as a sort of a harassing or observing force. The intention had evidently
been for them to watch the movements of the enemy from behind the
shelter of Sandy Hook, possibly exchanging a few shots with some of his
weaker vessels; and then, having acquired some knowledge of his
movements and intentions, as well as a taste of his quality, to retire up the
harbor, and join the remainder of the American fleet in the Upper Bay. They
acquired much more knowledge than they bargained for; and, instead of a
mere taste, they got a surfeit of the enemy's quality.

As the first large iron-clad—the "Camperdown,"—came within range,

they opened fire on her from their eight-inch guns. Having to fire across the
land (Sandy Hook) their first shots went away over the "Camperdown," and
the shells exploded harmlessly in the shallow water miles away near the
Coney Island shore.

The gunboats sat so low in the water, that their crews were obliged to
elevate their guns considerably, so as to have the projectiles go clear of the
land. This, of course, sent them away over the vessels at which they were
aimed; and although the low point of Sandy Hook afforded them protection
against the guns of the British, it also prevented their own guns from being
of any service. This attack, however, seemed to spur the British Admiral
into counter-action. A vigorous exchange of signals was made between
various members of the fleet, and in a short time several of the torpedo
boats and smaller armored cruisers ran close in, by Sandy Hook, and
running up past the point and around into the Horseshoe, brought the
American gunboats into plain sight, and point blank range. Of course the
result of the contest between these modern iron-clads and the antiquated
wooden tubs of the Americans, was a foregone conclusion, and in less than
fifteen minutes from the time that the first gun was fired, the latter were
disposed of in the most summary manner. One sank where she lay, her
wooden hull having been perforated from stem to stern with the projectiles
fired from two rapid firing machine guns on one of the British gunboats.
Another one was disabled by a huge ten-inch shell, which struck her nearly
amidships, and literally blew her all to pieces. The third one sought such
safety as she could, by running aground, and her crew, having first set her
on fire, took to their boats, and rowing ashore, disappeared in the thick
cedar forest which covers this part of Sandy Hook. No appreciable loss or
damage was inflicted upon the English vessels—all but one of which
proceeded quietly to anchor in the Horseshoe. This one steamed rapidly out
to the Flagship, communicated the result of the action to the Admiral, and
received orders to escort the remaining smaller vessels of the fleet to the
sheltered anchorage which had been so quickly and easily won. The
merchant cruisers, "Umbria," "Etruria" and "City of New York" also
anchored in the Horseshoe. Shortly after these vessels had anchored, fire
was opened upon them from an earth-work on the Highlands of Navesink,
which had been hastily thrown up, and mounted with five or six old
smoothbore Dahlgreen guns.

A few well aimed shells soon drove the men away from this battery, and
although on occasional shell was sent in that direction at intervals during
the remainder of the day, the Dahlgreens were thenceforward dumb.

Meanwhile the balance of the fleet, consisting of the larger iron-clad

battle ships and cruisers, had anchored in the Swash Channel, in a line
extending nearly a mile and a half southeasterly from the point of
intersection of the Swash with the Main Channel, near buoy fourteen. This
position had evidently been previously selected by the English Admiral as
the best one outside of the Narrows; which were supposed to be thoroughly
protected by torpedoes and other submerged obstructions. Nothing had as
yet been been of the American fleet. It was known to be assembled in the
Upper Bay; but it seemed strange that it should thus permit the enemy to
establish himself in a position of his own choosing, without any hindrance
or opposition.

The position was a remote one, it is true; but, still, if the enemy's guns
had a range as claimed—of over eleven miles,—a very large part of New
York, and nearly the whole of Brooklyn, were within reach of his shells.
There has never, so far as I can learn, any satisfactory reason been given for
this strange lack of action on the part of the Americans. The only plausible
explanation of it lies in the fact that they appreciated the vast disproportion
between their own fleet and that of the enemy, and realizing the utter
hopelessness of attacking the latter successfully by daylight, and on equal
terms, determined to husband such strength as they possessed, and
concentrate the whole of it in the night attack upon the English, which had
been determined upon.
 Thus it happened that the afternoon of the 11th of May passed quietly
and uneventfully, save when the silence was broken by the distant reports of
the guns from the Staten Island forts, or by the occasional shelling of the
abandoned earthwork on the Highlands. Towards sundown a sort of a
reconnaisance was made in the direction of the Narrows by three torpedo
boats; but, as they approached within closer range of the guns of the forts,
they abandoned their purpose without reaching the first line of submerged
obstructions. One of them was disabled by a solid shot from Fort
Richmond, and was towed back to the Horseshoe by her two consorts in an
apparently sinking condition. As nightfall approached, there was an evident
increase of excitement and activity on all the English vessels. Torpedo boats
and steam launches, darted hither and thither from one of the anchorages to
the other, evidently conveying orders and instructions for the coming night.
Torpedo booms and nets were placed in position, and elaborate instructions
were issued to each separate commander what to do in case of attack—
steam was kept up on all vessels, and the electric search lights were
thoroughly tested, so as to leave no doubt of their being in perfect order.
Every preparation which experience or ingenuity could suggest, was made
to resist any attack, no matter what its character might be, and no matter
whence it came.

For the first time in the memory of living men, there were no harbor
lights lighted that night. Orders had been given by telegraph to all the
different light-house keepers not to light their lamps, for fear that the enemy
might want to make some movement by night, which the lighthouses would
aid him in accomplishing. So from Sandy Hook to Bobbin's Reef, in the
Upper Bay, not a light was to be seen, except such as was shown by the
English vessels.

As soon as darkness set in, the firing both from the forts and from the
ships ceased; and an utter stillness fell upon the scene, broken only now and
then by the shrill whistle of some boatswain, or the hoarse murmur of some
loud-voiced petty officer, giving orders to the watch on duty.

This quiet condition of things continued until after midnight. At one

o'clock A.M. all the light-houses in the harbor were lighted simultaneously,
and the surprised Englishmen saw themselves surrounded with stationary
and revolving lights, from Sandy Hook and the Navesink Highlands on the
south, to Cheesequake and Princess Bay on the southwest and west; Elm
Tree and Toad Hill on the north-west, and the Narrows and Robbin's Reef in
the distant north.

A hasty consultation of their charts convinced them that these were

merely the regular light-houses of the harbor; but if so, why had they not
been lighted earlier? Evidently their darkness all the evening, and their
simultaneous lighting at this late hour, proved that instructions had been
given to their keepers in advance, and if so, must have been given with
some object in view. So guns were fired, and signals were exchanged, and
orders were given to the whole fleet to prepare for instant action, and the
whole surface of the Lower Bay seemed to be illuminated as if by magic, by
the powerful electric search lights which were turned in all directions,
making everything plainly visible almost to the horizon.

A faint sound, as of the distant rushing of waters, was heard in the

direction of the Narrows, and the word was passed quietly from officers to
men: "They're coming now, boys. Look sharp; and be ready for them." It
was the last of the ebb tide, and aided by it the American fleet made rapid
progress down the bay.

Suddenly, to the great bewilderment and dismay of the English, a vast

number of powerful electric lights seemed to spring out of the water in
almost every direction around them. These were nearly as powerful as the
search lights on their own vessels; and dazzled the eyes of the British so
completely, that their search lights were rendered comparatively useless.
Presuming, of course, that each of these was on board of a vessel, and
therefore represented something to be destroyed, the English commenced
blazing away with their guns, both great and small, directing them against
these lights.

"I had no idea the beggars had such a big fleet," said the British Admiral
to an officer standing near him on the dock of the flagship. "Why there must
be nearly two hundred of them. But they must be small things, or we would
know all about them. We have a list of every ship in their navy up to last
winter, and all told, there were less than forty, so I don't fear them much."
 If the admiral had only known then, what he discovered later on, he need
have had still less fear of these lights, and moreover, might have saved a
vast amount of valuable ammunition which was needlessly wasted; for
these powerful lights, instead of proceeding from the deck or spars of
hostile ships, were nothing more than decoy lights on long spar buoys,
whose lower ends being loaded, permitted them to float upright with the
tide, with about half their length out of water, thus raising the lights about
fifteen to twenty feet above the surface of the bay. The lights were fed by
powerful storage batteries, and had been turned on as they had been
launched overboard from two swift little torpedo launches about a mile up
the bay. The tide being ebb, carried them quickly down to where the
enemy's fleet lay at anchor, and the latter, almost before they could realize
their position, found themselves, as they supposed, in the midst of the
American fleet.

These "Blinding buoys" as they were called, were one of the numerous
ingenious devices which had been called into existence by the supposed
approach of war.

They served their purpose of blinding and confusing the enemy

admirably; and if the Americans had only had force enough to have enabled
them to take advantage of the fright and confusion they occasioned, the
result of the conflict would have been very different from what it was.
When we consider however, the very limited means at their disposal, it will
be seen that they accomplished results which seem well nigh incredible.
The time of launching the "blinding buoys" had been carefully chosen, so as
to utilize them for the longest possible period. The idea was to have them
reach the anchored vessels about a quarter of an hour before the tide turned,
so that they would remain among them as long as the slack water ebb
lasted. So the Englishmen kept blazing away at them for nearly half an
hour, without either inflicting any damage, or discovering their fraudulent
character. In the noise and confusion, it became impossible to signal the
other vessels of the fleet; and the wisdom of issuing detailed orders in
advance was now apparent.

In pursuance of these orders, the "Etruria," and "Umbria," and "City of

New York," and several of the other unarmored cruisers, slipped their
cables, and ran quietly out to sea. The smaller gunboats, at anchor in the
Horseshoe, extinguished all their lights, and gave no indication whatever of
their presence. But the torpedo boats hastened to the scene of battle, eager
to come to the assistance or the rescue of their more formidable consorts.
And it was one of these, which first discovered the fraudulent character of
the "blinding buoys."

This boat—the "Terror"—having fixed upon one of these electric lights

as her own especial prey, made a dash for it, with the idea of affixing a
torpedo to it, and blowing it skyward. Nearer and nearer it came—its
dazzling brilliancy illuminating every part of the deck of the little vessel,
whose officers and crew stood with bated breath, waiting for the crash
which would indicate that their prey was within their reach.

"Now! Lookout! Hold fast! Here she is!" Every man braced himself and
grasped some portion of the vessel nearest to him;—the rail—a stanchion—
a rope—anything to steady himself by, until the force of the collision should
have spent itself—when—behold! the light disappears under the bow; and
reappears a moment later, swaying wildly from side to side, a dozen yards
or more astern. There is no crash—no collision—no shock—no tangible
thing against which to launch the waiting torpedo; only an exclamation by
the man who had been quietly waiting for the proper moment to launch his
deadly missile, of—"Well! I'll be d——d!" That was all.

The true character of the buoys having been thus discovered, no time
was lost in conveying the information to the nearest of the large ships;
which immediately ceased firing, and endeavored to signal her consorts to
do the game. Owing to the smoke, however, it was some time before she
could make her signals understood; and just she did so, an immense
explosion took place under her side, which seemed almost to lift her,
(monster though she was) out of the water; a shivering and crashing of
machinery and iron work ensued, and the rushing waters poured into her
hull, through a vast yawning chasm, which the dynamite shell had made in
her side. She sank in about fifteen minutes—the first victim of Zalinski's
dynamite gun. Most of her crew were rescued; although quite a number
went down with her.
 By this time, the smoke had cleared away, and the search lights were
again beginning to be of some service, because the flood tide had
commenced running, and had carried the buoys away in towards Staten
Island. The lights enabled the English to discover several vessels; among
which was the dynamite gun boat "Vesuvius," whose maiden effort had
been so successful.

The slanting muzzles of her three guns could be plainly seen projecting
above her deck; and their attendants were evidently getting them ready for
another discharge. Two fast gun-boats, armed with rapid firing four-inch
guns, were signalled to attack her, and disable her at once—which they
proceeded to do with great promptness and despatch.

The vessel herself withstood the onslaught fairly well; but the muzzles of
the long guns being entirely exposed, they were soon rendered useless; and
the commander of the "Vesuvius," seeing that her usefulness was ended,
sought safety in flight up the Bay.

Meanwhile the numerous torpedo boats were rushing to and fro, now
and then succeeding in exploding a torpedo in the vicinity of one of the
larger English vessels; but more frequently kept at a safe distance by the
torpedo booms and nets.

The submarine boat "Destroyer," succeeded in partially destroying two

iron-clads before she met destruction herself.

As this occurred in a most unexpected and curious manner, I will give an

account of it, while describing the battle; although the particulars as to the
manner of her destruction were not known until long after the conflict was
over. She had successfully exploded large torpedoes directly under the
bottoms of two of the English ships; completely disabling one, and nearly
sinking the other; and had retired to a short distance from the scene of
conflict, where she lay partially submerged, evidently preparing to attack
the "Camperdown," one of the most formidable vessels of the fleet.

After a delay of about a half an hour, she was seen to start in the
direction of the "Camperdown," and shortly before reaching that vessel, to
disappear under water; presumably to go under her great adversary's
bottom.

This was the last that was seen of her. The panic and excitement on the
"Camperdown" was intense, as the officers and crew waited minute after
minute for the inevitable crash, which would in all probability, sink their
vessel, and involve the majority of themselves in certain death. But
notwithstanding the suspense and terror which possessed them, not a man
left his post, or refused to obey the orders of his superiors. The whole crew
was mustered on deck, the boats were manned, life belts distributed among
the men, crews were told off to each boat; and in a grim and deathlike
silence they awaited the shock which would be the signal for them to leave
their vessel, and trust themselves to the mercy of the waters. But they
waited in vain. The shock never came. The "Destroyer" not only failed to
destroy her vast antagonist, but failed also to re-appear herself on the
surface of the water.

"Something must have happened to her!" exclaimed the American

admiral, who was watching her movements with a night glass, as well as the
smoke and the uncertain light from the search lights would permit, from the
bridge of the "Baltimore," his flagship, which was manoeuvring around
about two miles up the harbor.

"Something" indeed had happened to her; but it was not until several
weeks afterwards that anybody knew exactly what it was. Then divers
found her "standing on her head," with her ram so deeply imbedded in the
muddy bottom of the bay, that it required the united efforts of two or three
of the most powerful derricks in the harbor, to extricate her. When she was
finally brought to the surface, the dead bodies of her crew were found on
board of her. They had evidently tried in vain to open the manhole, and take
the desperate chance of getting out, even in the face of the inrushing water,
in preference to the certain death from asphyxiation, which otherwise
awaited them. Their efforts for some reason had been unsuccessful, and the
supply of fresh air becoming exhausted, they had evidently died from
suffocation.

As yet, the American cruisers had taken no part in the struggle. They
were unarmored, and their guns were of comparatively short range; and it
would have been folly for them to have attacked their heavily armored and
armed opponents. The three American turret ships, however, had at length
come within range, and opened fire from their revolving turrets upon the
Englishmen. The heavy balls from their smoothbore guns seemed to have
but little effect on the thick armor coating of the English ships; and as they
could only fire at each revolution of the turret, their fire was as slow, as it
was ineffectual.

Moreover the turrets soon proved utterly inadequate to resist the

tremendous penetrating power of the heavy English guns, and were either
absolutely perforated by the shot and shells; or else were so bruised and
battered and jarred and jammed, that they could no longer be revolved on
their carriages, and became utterly useless.

The most complete and phenomenal success on the American side,

however, was achieved by two insignificant looking little boats which
involved an entirely new—albeit a very simple—principle of marine
warfare as applicable to Harbor defense. These boats had been built by
private subscription as experiments, at a cost of about $50,000 each. Their
inventor had appealed in vain to Congress to authorize the construction of
at least thirty or forty of them, which he claimed would be amply sufficient
to protect all of our principal seaports, at an aggregate cost of about
$2,000,000; or less than that of a single first class iron-clad war vessel. His
idea was strongly backed up by the Secretary of the Navy, who urged
Congress to make an appropriation for the purpose of testing it thoroughly.
When, however, the inventor explained to the members of that intelligent
and brilliant body, that the principle upon which he based his invention was
that of self-destruction; and that to use his craft in actual warfare, was to
destroy it, these back country gentleman, whose sole idea of statesmanship
seemed to be limited to posing and shouting like howling dervishes before
the shrine of what they called "economy," posed and shouted more violently
than ever; and holding up both hands in holy horror, had exclaimed: "What!
waste two millions of the people's money on things that are good for
nothing without you destroy them? Never! never! Let us rather reduce the
terrible taxes which now burden our struggling and poverty-stricken people;
or if the surplus must be spent, let us put it in the rivers and harbors and
public buildings of the country;" and straightway the appropriations for
those admirable purposes were doubled, and the hare-brained inventor
packed off from Washington with a very large sized economical flea in his
ear.

He had, however, at length succeeded in impressing some wealthy New

Yorkers with the value of his invention, and sufficient money had been
raised to build two boats, according to his plans. These boats being intended
for harbor defense only, did not need to be especially seaworthy; nor did
they require large quarters for crew, or much space for fuel. Consequently,
nearly their whole interior could be occupied by engines and boilers; thus
ensuring them a speed which approximated thirty miles an hour. They were
propelled by twin screws, and could therefore turn around in nearly their
own length. They carried no arms or ammunition of any kind, except a
gigantic tube or cartridge, containing two tons of dynamite, which was
carried in a hollow place left for the purpose in the long steel ram, with
which their bows were armed. A full crew for one of these boats consisted
of eight men—two engineers, four firemen, and two pilots, one of whom
acted as deck-hand when required.

These men had been carefully selected from the marine militia, and for
several weeks had been drilling constantly in the upper and lower bays. The
drill was a peculiar one, and consisted simply of running at high speed for a
mile or so; then, at the stroke of a bell, the four firemen would rush on deck,
and leap over-board; a few moments later, at the sound of a second bell, one
engineer, and one pilot would follow them; and lastly, just as the headway
of the boat began to slacken, the remaining engineer and pilot did likewise,
striking out, and swimming away from the boat, as rapidly as they could.
Being provided with cork jackets, they had no difficulty in sustaining
themselves until they were picked up by a steam launch, which always
accompanied them as a tender, and on which they would rejoin their
abandoned boat, which by that time would be drifting lazily about with the
tide, a mile or so away. The men had become thoroughly accustomed to this
service, and enjoyed it vastly, although the summer was backward and the
water was cold. These boats were also arranged with large water tanks,
which when filled, brought them very low down in the water. Their roofs
were a sort of combination of dome and turtle back, composed of four-inch
steel plates.
 Thus, when submerged to their "fighting depth," they offered but a small
target as they approached the enemy, and if a shot or shell should strike
them, it would in all probability glance off without injury, owing to the
angle at which it would strike. An electric wire led from the pilot house to a
clock-work arrangement, attached to a percussion cap, which
communicated with the two tons of dynamite in the hollow bow of the boat.
The problem was simply to rush at the broadside of the opposing vessel
from a distance of a couple of miles or so, and as soon as possible, to give
the engineers and firemen the signal to jump overboard. Then, the pilots
having remained at their post until they were certain that the boat would
strike the enemy, to fasten the wheel amidships, with lashings provided for
that purpose, touch the button communicating with the clock-work, jump
overboard and swim for their lives during the seventy or eighty seconds in
which the clock arrangement was doing its deadly work; and then, after the
tremendous explosion, which would blow both their own and the enemy's
vessel into a thousand fragments, to float quietly about until picked up by
their tender.

In was a perfectly simple and feasible thing to do, and in this, its first
trial in actual warfare, it worked to a charm.

The "Victoria," the largest and most formidable of the turreted ships, and
the "Camperdown," the largest of the armored ships, were the two vessels
selected for the two experimental dynamite rams to operate against.

These rams bore the suggestive names of "Suicide" and "Samson."

The smoke having partially cleared away, the position of the two English
ships could be accurately determined, and the two small rams at length
received the expected signal to proceed to the attack. Making a circuit of
about a mile, to get under good headway, they headed straight for their
respective victims, and rushed towards them at a frightful rate of speed.
They were followed at a considerable distance by their respective tenders.
Their presence was soon discovered by the aid of the electric search lights,
and a severe fire was opened on them from all the British vessels within
range. Owing to their peculiar construction, this fire had little or no effect
upon them; and they continued their headlong race towards the two giant
ships, lying quietly at anchor in fancied security.
 Suddenly several figures were seen to rush wildly astern and jump
overboard. But still the rams kept up their tremendous speed, and were
pointed directly at the amidship section of the two iron-clads. Nearer and
nearer they came, in spite of the deadly and continuous firing from the
enemy's guns, both great and small, which seemed utterly impotent to check
their progress. At last, when they were within a couple of hundred yards or
so of the iron-clads, each blew a short sharp single blast with its whistle,
and two men were seen to run aft, and roll down the inclined surface of the
turtle-backed roof of each ram, into the water. The rams themselves kept on,
however, and a collision was seen to be inevitable. Orders were given to the
English crews to hold themselves in readiness to repel boarders. But in
vain! The tireless little rams rushed onward—madly, wildly, triumphantly,
gladly—to their own destruction; but to the destruction also of their
enemies. A jar, a sound—not so very loud—of snapping bolts and crushing
iron plates; a sound of confused voices, saying: "She has struck us," "She
has gone half way through us!" a few instants of comparative silence,—
during which the officers consult hastily as to what had better be done. An
order or two given in quick sharp tones; and then—with a mighty rumble
and flash; with a frightful tossing and splashing of the water; with a
thunderous roar, and a soul sickening shiver, which seemed to impart itself
even to the sea, the two great ships, and their two little adversaries met a
common fate—being both blown to atoms—and disappeared forever
beneath the waves.

The loss of life was terrific on the two English ships; as most of their
crews went down with them; but a few were rescued by boats, which were
quickly lowered from the remaining vessels of the fleet; and quite a number
were picked up by the launches, which were acting as tenders to the two
rams, and gathering up their swimming crews. These latter had diminutive
electric lights on their caps, and having turned these on, as soon as they
jumped overboard, were easily discovered and picked up.

The effect of these tremendous explosions of dynamite was demoralizing

in the extreme, to the English officers and crews: and although the attack
was not pressed by the Americans, the order was given, to such of the fleet
as remained, to hoist anchor, and proceed out to tea. It was now nearly
daylight, and at six o'clock that morning (May 12th) the telegraph operator
at Navesink Highlands telegraphed to the N.Y. Associated Press, as follows:

"British fleet all apparently lying at anchor just outside the bar. Three or
four of the largest iron-clads missing. They are supposed to have been
captured or sunk in the battle last night. The distance is too great to
distinguish those which remain; but there seems to be considerable activity
among the smaller vessels; and the launches are moving about from one
ship to another, as if for consultation, or giving or receiving orders. The
fleet is probably repairing damages, as far as possible, before proceeding to
sea. It is supposed here that they will sail direct for Halifax for repairs and
refitting."

This despatch was published in extra editions of all the newspapers in

New York and Brooklyn; and, taken in connection with the accounts
received from the officers and crews of the American fleet, which had
returned to its anchorage in the upper Bay after the fight was over, and
which united in describing the affair as a complete and glorious victory, it
occasioned great rejoicing in those cities. Cannon were fired, flags were
hoisted, thanksgiving services were held in many of the churches, and the
citizens testified their delight and satisfaction in the wildest and most
extravagant manner.

To add to the public excitement, and to intensify, if possible, the patriotic

enthusiasm of the people, despatches arrived from General Schofield, to the
effect that he had met a large body of the enemy, and had not only repulsed
their attack, but had put them completely to rout and captured several
thousand prisoners; and the flying remnants had been pursued by his
cavalry to the St. Lawrence River, opposite Montreal.

So much simultaneous good news was decidedly exhilarating; and it is

not to be wondered at, that pandemonium seemed to have broken loose in
New York and Brooklyn that evening.

Bonfires were lighted; fireworks were set off; improvised torchlight

processions made night hideous with their cheers, and drums and fifes, and
cannon firings; and banners and transparencies, in which poor old John Bull
was shot, and stabbed, and drawn and quartered, and in many other
ingenious and hitherto unheard of ways, put an end to for ever and ever,
were to be seen in every street.

In one of these, Ireland, represented as a broad shouldered, strapping

young woman, with a suspiciously rubicund countenance (especially about
the tip of her nose), dressed in green silk—decolleté—had thrown her
brawny arms around the neck of Uncle Sam, who obligingly bent over, half
way across the Atlantic, to permit this trans-oceanic caress. This
transparency was wildly cheered, and was followed by a tremendous crowd
of shouting and yelling men and boys, until the candles went out, and the
bar-rooms closed for the night.

The newspapers of the 13th of May, in all parts of the country, indulged
in the wildest jubilations, and the "croakers," who had theretofore called
attention to the weakness of the American navy, and the defenseless
condition of American seaports, were ridiculed and abused in the most
unmeasured terms throughout the length and breadth of the land. American
ingenuity was lauded to the skies, as being equal to every emergency, and
able to bid defiance to all the antiquated Old World methods of war-making.
The American Eagle—never a very modest bird—flapped its wings, and
screamed in a manner which put to shame its most extravagant previous
efforts in that line.

In England the situation was exactly reversed. The French cable had of
course carried the news of the British defeat to Paris; and from them it had
been wired to London, with such additions and exaggerations as French
unfriendliness to England could suggest; and London was in an uproar.
Lord Randolph Churchill was burned in effigy in various parts of the city
and country, and a general chorus of "I told you so's," coupled with
estimates of the cost in pounds, shillings and pence, of the destroyed fleet,
went up like a National wail, from one end of Great Britain to the other.
Bonfires were lighted on every hill-top in Ireland, and the streets of Dublin
and Cork were fairly green with millions of Irish flags. The continental
newspapers, especially the German and French ones, all contained labored
articles, giving various accounts of the battle, and paying the highest tribute
to the inventive genius of "those wonderful Americans," and condoling with
England in rather a sarcastic vein upon her loss of prestige as a naval power.
For a wonder, the French and German journals had at length a subject upon
which they could agree, and they seemed to vie with each other in the
publication of articles in which their intense hatred and jealousy of
England, was but thinly disguised, under the most polite expressions of
sympathy for her fall from a place among the highest, to a position among
the third or fourth-rate powers of the world. The immediate dissolution of
the "so called British Empire" was spoken of as a matter of course, and
while it was generally conceded that Australia would be able to maintain
itself as an independent power, the probable fate of British India was a
subject upon which these writers displayed for three or four days, the
customary combination of ignorance and ingenuity, for which the
continental press of Europe is to justly renowned.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE RETURN OF THE FLEET.

On the 13th and 14th of May, there was a thick fog, which rendered it
impossible to see anything at a greater distance than a few yards. It did not
extend more than a mile or two inland, but shrouded the whole coast in an
impenetrable darkness.

The rejoicings and congratulations still continued in New York and

Brooklyn; but in a diminished degree. Even patriotism requires breathing
spells, and the citizens were fairly worn out with their celebration.

A quiet air of cheerful contentment, under which was plainly evident a

feeling of serene self-satisfaction, had replaced the boisterous and
exuberant manner of the previous two days; and when the sun rose clear
and bright on the morning of the 15th of May, aside from the super-
abundance of American flags, which gave the city a holiday look, there was
nothing to indicate any unusual excitement.
 Although the weather was perfectly clear in the city, the fog still
continued very thick in the lower bay, and outside of Sandy Hook, so that
until nearly noon, when it began to clear away, nothing could be seen from
the Highlands.

About noon, however, despatches began to arrive from the operator

there, describing the gradual lifting of the fog.

"11.45 A.M. Fog lifting slowly. Sandy Hook now plainly visible.

"11.55 A.M. Scotland Lightship now in sight. Several coasting vessels

lying near her at anchor. Nothing else in sight.

"12.10 P.M. Sandy Hook Lightship now visible. Several vessels lying
near her. Impossible to make out just what they are. Weather still hazy.

"12.30 P.M. British fleet evidently not all gone yet. Probably waited for
disappearance of fog. Forty or fifty large and small vessels lying near the
Lightship."

"1.15 P.M. Smoke now issuing from the funnels of several of the fleet.
They are evidently about to get under way."

"1.30 P.M. A small vessel, evidently a gun boat, is now steaming rapidly
in towards Sandy Hook. She probably desires to communicate with the
shore; but shows no flag of truce as yet."

"2 P.M. British gunboat referred to in last despatch has just passed Sandy
Hook, and is now heading up the Swash Channel at somewhat reduced
speed."

"2.45 P.M. Gunboat, after stopping and apparently examining the battle
ground of the 11th, now steaming slowly up towards the Narrows."

These despatches attracted considerable attention in the city, and when

they appeared in the evening papers, there were numerous surmises as to
the reasons for the return of the English gunboat. Not much attention was
paid to the matter, however.