Gingerbread Muffins Recipe by Mangia

The dark molasses in these muffins lend a rich, burnt-sugar taste and almost chocolate-like color to the crumb. Lots of fresh ginger, plus some ground, ensures deep flavor. And even though real gingerbread contains no rum, there is light rum in this batter, making these truly unique. Remember this recipe at Thanksgiving, serve the muffins with the turkey dinner, and see if anyone can identify that hint of Caribbean flavor. A word about grating fresh ginger: We find it easiest to grate it on a small hand-held flat grater, as opposed to the larger box grater, which tends, even when you use the side with the smallest holes, to pulverize the root. You need ¼ cup grated for this recipe, which is quite a bit. Select a firm piece of ginger. Ginger that is soft to the touch is not as young or fresh as it could be (the color of the flesh is darker), and it can be a chore to grate.