When I first explored this Nolen Gur Cream Cheese Muffin recipe using the season's first Date Palm Jaggery, known as Nolen Gur from Earth Story Farms, memories of Nolen Gur Sandesh came to my mind. However, I also wanted to create something that pairs well with coffee, as winter is the perfect time for enjoying a cup of coffee alongside homemade bakes. I thought about making something that would be a cross between sandesh and a cupcake, but suitable enough to enjoy at any time of the day. That's when I decided to make these muffins with cream cheese.
Combining a touch of cream cheese with the freshest, most flavourful Nolen Gur resulted in muffins that were surprisingly delicious. It was difficult to stop at just one! The next question I received was, “When are you planning to bake the next batch?” I replied, “As long as the Khejur Patali lasts.” The Khejur Patali sourced from Bankura, West Bengal, reminded me of my childhood when we used to receive plenty of Khejur Patali during winter from local stores near my home in Kolkata. Back then, we didn't have to worry about the adulteration that sometimes plagues seasonal Khejur Gur these days, which is why I'm careful from where I’m getting them. With products from Earth Story Farms, my peace of mind was restored.
The patali I used in this recipe was softer on the inside, regardless of how firm it appeared on the outside. Its tender interior and unique aroma define the authenticity of this jaggery. This type of jaggery is a perfect natural sweetener for any dessert you make—it's unrefined and packed with nutritional value, making it one of winter's most precious gifts. Be sure to make good use of it throughout the season, and keep some refrigerated to use in your favourite Nolen Gur recipes all year round.
Returning to the muffins, the recipe is fairly easy and doesn't take much time to prepare. I used two different baking temperatures to achieve that desirable bakery-style look, complete with high domes and craggy tops. The muffins turned out exactly as I had imagined. I’m excited to share this recipe with you all, and I hope you enjoy baking a batch as much as I did!
Nolen Gur Cream Cheese Muffins
Yields: 9 Muffins
Ingredients
● Flour- 1¼ cups
● Khejur Patali / Date Palm Jaggery- 190g (powdered)
● Unsalted butter- ¼ cup
● Egg- 1
● Baking powder- 1 tsp
● Baking soda- ½ tsp
● Salt- ¼ tsp
● Milk- ¼ cup + 1 tbsp
Cream Cheese Top
● Cream cheese- 150g
● Cornflour / Corn starch- 1 tbsp
● Liquid Khejur Gur- ¼ cup
● Egg- 1
Method
Preparing the Muffin batter
Before I started, all the ingredients were at room temperature.
Mix flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl, keep aside.
In another bowl, whisk butter, next add powdered jaggery and whisk well to combine.
Add egg and whisk well.
Next, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with milk, and mix well. The batter would be thick, not flowy. Set the batter aside.
Preparing the Cream Cheese mixture
In a bowl, add the cream cheese, cornflour, egg and nolen gur, whisk well until a lump-free batter forms, keep aside.
Baking the Muffins
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Prepare a muffin tray with paper liners, keep aside.
Fill each groove of the muffin tray with muffin batter halfway up, then add 2-3 tablespoons of cheesecake batter on top. Fill the muffin cups to ¾ full.
Tap the muffin tray gently on the kitchen counter a couple of times to release the air bubbles.
Swirl the top of the batter filled cups with a wooden skewer.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180 degrees C and continue baking for another 8-10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
After baking, transfer the muffins onto a cooling rack, and live there until they cool completely.
Enjoy them with a generous drizzle of liquid Nolen Gur on top.
Refrigerate the rest of the muffins in an airtight container, and consume within 5 days.
Author: Chandrima Sarkar (Not Out Of The Box)
About the author:
Chandrima Sarkar is a food writer and the founder of the award-winning blog 'Not Out of the Box.' As a self-taught expert in her craft, she is best known for her inspiring photographs and recipes. In addition to developing easy and workable recipes, she works closely with food and beverage brands to create high-quality digital content for them.