Una Pausa: Sugared puffs

Just returned from a wonderful trip to Sicilia. I am putting it all down, so in the mean time I leave you with these puffs.

Light, fluffy and airy dough clouds coated in sugar and lots of cinnamon, you’re likely to have all the ingredients in your kitchen. These are a cross between inflatable pancakes and choux pastry, the batter is a thick runny liquid that is poured to a 12 muffin tin and rises up in the oven to tall, proud puffs, despite the unlikely-ness of it...

Sugared puffs

Based on David Leibowitz’s recipe published in the NYTimes.

Makes 9 puffs

For the puffs:

Softened unsalted butter, for greasing the pan

2 Tbs butter, melted

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 cup flour

For the sugar coating:

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 Tbs  butter, melted.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Liberally grease a muffin pan with 1/2-cup indentations with softened butter.

For the puffs, put the 2 tablespoons melted butter, eggs, milk, salt and sugar in a blender and whiz for a few seconds.

Add the flour and whiz for 5 to 8 seconds, just until smooth.

Divide the batter among 9 greased molds, filling each 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 35 minutes, until the puffs are deep brown(Do not, under any circumstance open the oven door during the first 10 minutes of baking). Turn off the oven, open the door just a crack, and leave the puffs in for another 5 minutes to prevent a temperature shock, which would cause them to deflate.

Remove from the oven, wait a few minutes until cool enough to handle, then remove the puffs from the pans (You may need a small knife to help pry them out).

Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Thoroughly brush each puff all over with melted butter, then dredge in sugar and cinnamon mixture to coat completely. Let cool on a baking rack.