Cinnamon Coffee Puffs (success!)

With all the failures of baking that have occurred in the process of making posts for this blog, I feel it is only right to redo most of them. The first redo is of the Cinnamon Coffee Puffs. The problem with the first attempt had to do with me using too much flour and not making sure the yeast was properly proofed. If you saw the original post for this recipe, you can tell the outcome was no where near what was intended. This attempt turned out amazing and is definitely what was intended!

I've learned a lot by working with old recipes (most dating to the 1950s or so). One thing I've learned (the hard and failure paved way) is to almost always sift the flour. A long time ago in every kitchen where delicious goodies were being baked, people sifted flour religiously. This was to break up clumps and remove any "impurities". Sifting the flour makes it lighter and the measurements will be more uniform since flour settles over time. So, I suppose, the lesson is to sift flour or you will use too much. Although, some recipes specify to sift the flour before or after measuring, so take care to read closely! Most of these old and cryptic recipes, however, do not. But fear not, you have me to fail multiple times before deciphering the recipe for you.

Cinnamon Coffee Puffs (Printer-friendly PDF Version)
3 C sifted flour
1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 C warm water
1/4 t sugar
1 C milk
2 T sugar
1/2 C margarine
1 t salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 C sugar mixed with 1/4 t  cinnamon

Sift some flour and measure out 3 cups. Set aside.

Place the active dry yeast and 1/4 t sugar into the warm water. Set aside for 15 minutes or so. If the yeast results in a lovely foam, then the yeast is good to use. Otherwise, toss it out and try again.

Scald the milk and pour it over the 2T sugar, margarine, and salt. Let set 10 minutes or until lukewarm.

Add the yeast mixture, eggs, and flour. Mix well.

Add the vanilla and mix well once more.

Cover with a clean, dry dish towel and leave it alone for an hour. It will poof up!

Stir the dough down and drop by spoonfuls into greased muffin tins. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. Cover once more and let set for another hour.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Cool and enjoy. The recipe suggests serving with applesauce, but I was lacking applesauce and could not try this suggestion. Let me know if you do!