Did My "Homework": Muffins, Scones, and Carrot Cake! (Plus Started Another Sourdough Starter)

Yep, I've been busy doing my homework.  As I pointed out in a previous entry about my Professional Baking class at New School of Cooking, my assignment this week was to make Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping, Currant Scones, and Carrot Cake at home on my own.  So this morning I got started beginning with the muffins.  (All recipes will be included as soon as I check with school to be sure it's okay.)  I made the streusel topping first, then the muffin batter, filled the parchment cups with batter and topped them.  Put them in the oven to bake, and moved on to the scones.  Once the muffins came out, the scones went in, and I started on the carrot cake.

Confession: I don't know what I was thinking, but I put in shredded carrots (the long, skinny, pre-packaged kind), not grated carrots like the recipe called for, and I didn't realize it until I was mixing the wet with the dry ingredients.  At this point I figured I'd bake it and see.  If it didn't work, I'd toss it, and if it did--well, maybe I'd discover my own twist on a more carroty carrot cake.

The verdict?  My taste testers both said they liked it very much.  One said he didn't see a difference and the other preferred the slightly more carrot crunch.  It did taste very good, so I'm glad I didn't toss it.  Will I do it again?  Not sure.  I'll probably try the grated next and compare.

                                         

I was so happy with both the muffins and the scones, they are now my all-time favorite recipes.  

I also began a new starter for sourdough bread using Peter Reinhart's recipe that includes pineapple juice.  I will write in more detail once it's finished (in a week) and I attempt a loaf of sourdough bread.