23 January 2008

Celsius versus Fahrenheit

I'm very happy that I have an oven in my current abode (I've made some kick-ass chocolate cake, which I hope I can replicate as I'm supposed to bake lots and lots for my friends wedding this weekend!). I'm not always the brightest bulb though. Last night after baking sweet potato ginger muffins (delicious, by the way, recipe to follow) I suddenly realized that the highest temperature setting on the oven was 200 not because it is a wimpy oven, but because it is 200 CELSIUS, not Fahrenheit as I had assumed in my American head. wow. And what's really amazing is that every time I've baked I've started the oven on "max" and watched whatever was baking carefully since I didn't really know what "max" was, and had to turn it down because the top was going to burn before the inside cooked. Still the concept of a different scale of measurement did not occur to me. Luckily I've managed to save all my baked goodies from being scorched (as well as continue to impress my British house mate who is usually quite reluctant about my various random concoctions). Anyway, enjoy these muffins!

Ginger Sweet Potato Muffins

1 ¾ C all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp ground ginger *
½ tsp ground cinnamon
optional: ¼ tsp ground cardamom or nutmeg (both are highly recommended!)
¾ C light brown sugar, firmly packed
¾ C mashed baked sweet potato, cooled**
½ C fat-free milk, at room temp.
2 large eggs, at room temp., lightly beaten
3 tsp canola oil
1 ½ tsp vanilla
¼ - 1/3 C finely chopped crystallized ginger*

*I had neither ground nor crystallized ginger, so I used 1/4 cup fresh ginger (peeled and finely grated), it was perfect so I recommend it!

**I used "yellow African sweet potato", but I think either sweet potatoes or yams would be tasty.

Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In separate bowl mix sweet potato, milk, eggs, oil and vanilla.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add wet mixture just to combine.
Stir in crystallized ginger.
Lightly oil a tray of 12 muffin cups.
Spoon batter into muffin cups.
Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes (test with toothpick).
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from cups.

1 comment:

  1. am gonna cook em when i get to my momma's house... with an actual stove!! wow the novelties of the west!!

    ReplyDelete