Recipe: Reduced-fat "Anginette" muffins

Lately, I've been on a muffin-baking kick, which is kind of ironic because I don't even eat muffins. I was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance a while back, so I mostly bake for other people now. My most loyal customer is my husband, Steve. I try out all of my new muffin recipes on him and I also get to live vicariously through him. A couple of days ago, I decided to try to make some low-fat muffins that would taste like my favorite Christmas cookie: anginettes. I made a few batches of anginettes before Christmas for family members and friends, so I guess I still had them on the brain.

If you aren't Italian, or just haven't tasted an anginette before, let me tell you what they are. Anginettes are small, cake-like cookies flavored with lemon and orange juice, topped with a sugary glaze and sprinkles. They are so simple, but so delicious. The trick with anginettes is not to overbake them. Many of the anginettes you might find in a bakery cookie platter have been dried out from too much time in the oven. A properly cooked anginette will be soft and moist and will stay that way for many days.

I came up with the following recipe in an attempt to recreate the taste of an anginette, in a muffin form. Unfortunately, because I don't eat gluten, I cannot vouch for them myself. However, Steve's reaction when he tasted them and the speed with which they disappeared assures me that they are in fact good.

Note that the nutrition facts provided here are based on a recipe yield of 8 muffins and the assumption that you use half of the glaze (no need to completely enrobe the muffins in sugar!).

Anginette Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs lemon extract

Cooking spray

Glaze

½ cup confectioner’s sugar

2-3 tbs. whole milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°

Combine all-purpose flour and other dry ingredients (including sugar) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine juice, applesauce, egg, and extracts in a separate bowl. Stir into flour mixture. Spoon batter into 8-12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the glaze:

Pour confectioners sugar in a small bowl. Add 1 tbs. of milk and mix until absorbed. Add 1 tsp of milk at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, until the glaze reaches desired consistency (it should be thick enough to coat the muffin tops without running).

When muffins are completely cooled, turn each upside down and dip in the glaze to coat. Place muffins on a plate or baking sheet and sprinkle with decorative candy sprinkles before the glaze dries.