Maple Sugar Ragamuffins

What interested me about this recipe from the March 2006 issue of Gourmet Magazine, besides the name, was the fact that the Ragamuffins took a fraction of the time a yeast dough cinnamon roll would take to make. I read all of the reviews that the recipe received and alot of bakers had good suggestions for adapting the original recipe, which I took into consideration when making mine for my March contribution for gourmetunbound.
I didn't have maple sugar so I used granulated sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon and I threw in a few dark raisins. I also added some orange zest, remembering last month's recipe.
Also, alot of reviews mentioned that the rolls unraveled during baking so I thought putting them into a muffin pan would help keep them together..and it worked!
The dough is more like a biscuit dough than a light, fluffy yeast dough but, still, delicious. And any left over can be reheated and they're just as good as first baked.
So, if you'd like to whip up a quick breakfast treat, this one would be great. One last afternote, I think an orange glaze would really make these extra special!

Throw the flour, maple sugar ( if using), baking powder and salt into your food processor and pulse to combine. Then add the cold butter and pulse til consistency is like coarse meal.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add zest ( if using) and milk and stir with a fork til a shaggy dough forms.

Dump the whole mess onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times.

Roll out the dough to a rectangle and spread with the softened butter and sprinkle with maple sugar ( if using), or your cinnamon sugar mixture. Throw in some raisins and/or nuts if you'd like.

Roll up the dough and cut slices about 1" wide. You should get about 12 slices.

Here's where I changed the recipe and used muffin pans.

See, no unraveling!

Maple Sugar Ragamuffins

2 cups AP flour

1 tbsp. granulated maple sugar ( or substitute 1/2 white sugar, 1/2 lt. brown sugar and about 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

5 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup whole milk ( I used buttermilk)

Filling:

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, well softened

1 cup granulated maple sugar ( or substitute a mix of white granulated sugar, light brown sugar and cinnamon)*Note: You could also add some nutmeg and/or chopped nuts.

Preheat oven to 400 and line a 17" x 14" baking sheet with parchment paper. (Or use the muffin pans, well buttered)

1. Whisk, (or place in food processor), flour, maple sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. Blend in butter with fingers ( or processor) til it resembles a coarse meal.

3. Transfer to large bowl ( if using processor), and add milk and stir with fork til a shaggy dough forms.

4. Gently knead 8 to 10 times on a lightly floured surface.

5. Roll out to a 13" x 11" rectangle. Spread evenly with softened butter ( you can see from my photo that it kind of went on in clumps but don't worry, it all comes out okay!).

6. Roll up snugly. Cut into 12 slices and arrange cut slices down on baking sheet ( or place in the muffin pans). Sprinkle top with some remaining maple sugar mixture.

7. Bake til puffed, 18 to 20 minutes.

If you want to make an orange glaze, mix some confectioners sugar with some orange juice and a little bit of orange zest to a smooth, thin consistency and drizzle over slightly warm muffins.