fidget smile wave

I come bearing muffins in an attempt to apologize for my absence.  Sorry!

If any muffin is going to make up for my utter scheduling woes and my pure laziness when I did have free time these are the ones to do it.

We could solve some real world problems with these muffins.  You will definitely have some nation building happening, you know if muffins are served during those sorts of things.  They should be if they are not if you ask me but no one has asked so we will just have to enjoy them. What?

They are a muffin, they are a macaroon, they are a tart, they are amazing!

But back to my disappearance.  You already know I joined roller derby and am flat-out obsessed.  It kicks my tush and I love it.  I was driving 2 hours away once a week to get to practice and it really was having an exhausting effect for the rest of my week.  With summer season coming the drive was going to only get worse.  I was torn, I just found this amazing sport that I’m loving but I can’t be a zombie for the rest of my week. Folks, I was bummin’.

Well luck would have it, right around the time I started roller derby some ladies right here on the Cape were trying to start a league, I met them for some open skates and well the practical thing occurred.  I talk to my other league about the distance and I ended up joining the Cape league. YAY Salty Dolls!  What?

We are all just starting out but we are determined to make this happen plus I love that I can be in a league and fundraise and all that jazz in the community I live in.  Sure we don’t have a roller rink and are currently using a melted ice rink so we have some hurdles to get through but we are having so much fun along the way.  If you happen to know anyone who wants to build and own a roller rink on Cape Cod there are some ladies who would be ever grateful, I’m looking at you Bill Murray.

So that’s my month absence trying to figure this all out.  Now I get to skate twice a week.  I have some down time.  I not exhausted all day at work and I can still bake you these off the hook muffins.  Win, Win, Win!

P.S. I’m not kidding, if you know someone who would build a roller rink on Cape Cod you send them my way please!

Blackberry Macaroon Tart Muffins

adapted from this recipe

makes 12 muffins

ingredients

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 + 1/2 Cups Flour

3/4 Cup Coconut Flakes

3/4 Cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

4 Egg Whites

2 Cups Coconut Flakes

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Blackberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper wrappers.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, 3/4 cup coconut, 3/4 cup sugar and salt.  Add the melted butter and mix together to form a crumbly dough.  Divide dough among the 12 muffin cups and press firmly down.  It will come up to about 1/2 to 3/4  of the liners.  Make sure it is a level top.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

While muffin tart bottoms are baking, add egg whites to bowl of an electric mixer and beat until they are slightly bubbly and frothy, about a minute.  Add sugar and coconut and mix until blended.

After tart bottoms have come out of the oven divide the blackberries on top.  I got about 4 on each.  Scoop the macaroon topping over each blackberry tart bottom.  You can let some blackberry peek out a bit to make it look pretty once baked.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until the tops are a bit golden.  Enjoy!