From the menu of … Sweet Tomatoes, 6340 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Atlanta. 770-913-0203, www.sweettomatoes.com
Q: Not long ago, we had one of Sweet Tomatoes’ great muffins, (their) French Quarter Praline Muffins. They were outstanding and I was wondering if they might be willing to share that recipe. Thanks.
— Karen Walsh, Lawrenceville
A: French Quarter Praline Muffins are one of the rotating muffin offerings at Sweet Tomatoes restaurants. They'll be on the menu again in May.
The chefs at Sweet Tomatoes took their inspiration from the creamy, sugary pecan-studded pralines that have become a New Orleans signature sweet. Candy makers know pralines can be difficult to get exactly right. You’ll have no such problems with this recipe. It does make a large batch, but the baked muffins freeze and reheat perfectly.
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of restaurant in the subject line.
Sweet Tomatoes’ French Quarter Praline Muffins
Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Makes: 24 muffins
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup maple syrup
3 eggs
5 teaspoons imitation vanilla extract
5 teaspoons imitation maple extract
24 pecan halves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two 12-cup muffin tins.
In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, pecans, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla extract and maple extract. Add the sugar mixture to the flour mixture and whisk together until thoroughly combined.
Divide batter between cups in muffin tin and top each with a pecan half. Bake 20 minutes or just until muffins are done. Remove muffins to wire rack to cool.
Per muffin: 266 calories (percent of calories from fat, 42), 4 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 13 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 27 milligrams cholesterol, 110 milligrams sodium.
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