Nolen Gurer Muffins

Come Winters and us in Kolkata begin our wait for the season's gem-Nolen/Notun/Patali gur. It is a special kind of jaggery collected from Palm trees where the sap collectors climb the tree and make cuts in them and then tie earthen pots below it for the sap to collect. The same sap is then boiled in shallow vessels to turn them into the nolen gur. 

This year, I got my batch of Nolen gur around Diwali time when a reader of our blog suggested me to experiment with Nolen gurer mousse and share the recipe. Since then, I have been experimenting all kinds of things with this winter sweet gem. 

Nolen gurer muffins were experimented for a sweet friend who was in Kolkata for a short visit. The ones I made for her had ugly cracked tops but the flavour was rich with that amazing nolen gur sweetness. The sweet fragrance of the baked muffins filled my kitchen and I knew I had to make them again. And what better day to make these beauties than 'Sweet day' on our blog where Vaanya turns 2 years and six months. I added almond halves on top for some crunch and they turned out a winter must. 

Ingredients : For 4-5 muffins

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup grated nolen/notun/khejur gur/date palm jaggery
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4-5 almond halves(lengthwise)

Procedure : 

Preheat oven to 160 degree Celsius. Line muffin tins with liners.

Take butter in a bowl and beat it well. If water separates from the butter, drain it. 

Add grated nolen gur and beat well again till the gur gets incorporated in the butter.

Sieve all purpose flour and baking powder. 

Beat egg in a bowl.

Add the beaten egg and flour-baking powder mixture in the butter-gur mixture in two batches and mix gently till incorporated well.

Divide and pour the batter in the prepared muffin tins and gently press almond halves.

Bake for 20-25 mins or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Notes :

• You may replace the date palm jaggery with normal jaggery.
• If the muffins brown too fast on the top, cover loosely with aluminium foil to avoid direct heat. The muffins in that case may take more time to bake.
• To further enhance the Nolen gur experience, poke some holes in the muffins and pour some diluted Nolen gur on it.

Happy Nolen Gur experimenting

Amrita