

December is a hectic month. Socializing, vacation plans, festive madness all around. More so for me as it was my son’s 3rd birthday on 4 December and I took on myself what only a few crazy (foodblogger) moms would – ie. Catering to a small crowd of some 18 kids and 2 dozen adults all by myself (a couple of things ordered from outside though, including the cake) and also hand making all the decorations and buntings.
A N got the most amazing cookies to the party which had the kids all quiet and focussed on eating. They were called World Peace cookies by Dorie Greenspan for a reason, but given that we had kids from a few different countries from around the world, it was almost like the World Peace cookies were being served to a mini UN delegation (which is what our friend Vinod remarked). Since I went through quite some dilemma on what to serve in a kiddie’s birthday party with adults, I’m sharing the menu with you, in case any of you plan to do the same, it can give you an idea.

Kids’ Menu
Juices
Potato wafers
Banana- Blueberry Bread
World Peace Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cucumber Sticks
Tomato Cheese Spread Sandwiches
Jam Sandwiches
Jelly Boats (Tarla Dalal’s recipe)

Kokum Sherbet in recycled Olive / Jalapeño bottles
For Moms Dads
Kokum sherbet with mint sprigs
Masala Chai (was perfect for the outdoors on a cold winter afternoon)
Rosemary Shortbread
Peanut Butter Brownies (Rachel Allen’s recipe)
Hummus with Cucumber Sticks
Kachori with sweet chutney
Jalebis
Everyone, including me had loads of fun and the food was well liked by everyone. The rosemary shortbread was the star for me. What an amazing discovery from the NYTimes website! I have made another batch within a week and nearly everyone whom I’ve shared it with is in love with this buttery-melt in your mouth-dainty smelling cookie. Because I am a good girl and I believe in sharing, here is the recipe link for you. Remember me for good karma when people want to kiss your fingers after eating this.
Another fun thing that happened this week and it was to get featured in Bangalore TimeOut, complete with a picture of me in my cluttered not so spic-n-span kitchen. But that’s how busy kitchens look like, right? Right! If you subscribe to Bangalore Time Out, check out Page 62.

Back to the subject of this post, these jam filled muffins are a wonderful treat for your kids. Imagine the surprise in their eyes when they break open a plain boring-looking muffin to find their favourite jam oozing out, like a cute Jack in the Box
Not just kids, I’m sure adults will love it too. Especially if you fill a little adult something inside, like Orange Marmalade or Vodka-infused Jam (Ideas credit : Monika, Sin-a-mon)
I made these in 30 minutes to surprise a friend on her birthday. So it’s something you can rustle up in a jiffy even when your kid brings his/her friends home without a notice 😉 The muffins were soft and mildly sweet to contrast the sweet jammy filling inside. And a little dusting of icing sugar makes everything look pretty

Jammy muffin with little extra bit of bitter marmalade for me
Jam Filled Muffins
Adapted from Muffin Bible
Makes 12 regular sized muffins or
24 mini muffins


Easy Jam Filled Muffins - A perfect kiddie treat
Ingredients
- 1 xbd Cups All purpose flour
- xbd Cup Sugar
- 1.5 tsps baking powder
- xbd tsp baking soda
- xbc Cup Butter
- xbd Cup yogurt
- Egg .
- tsp Vanilla Extract .
- 12 tsps Jam (I used black currant jam)
- Icing sugar .
Instructions
- Preheat the oven.
- Line a 12 muffin tin with paper liners or grease well and keep aside.
- In a large bowl, mix well (with a fork) flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar.
- In a microwave safe glass bowl, melt butter (20 seconds).
- Add to this cold yogurt, juice and vanilla extract.
- Check if this mix has come to room temperature and then add one beaten egg.
- (If you add egg to hot melted butter, it will scramble, hence the precaution).
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and lightly combine with a fork until they come together. Do NOT beat or overmix. This will make your muffins rock like.
- Spoon a little over a tsp of batter in each muffin liner. Place around a tsp of jam over this and cover with 1-2 tsp of batter, dividing the batter evenly between 12 cups.
- Bake at 180 C for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. (some melted jam may stick to skewer, but that is okay).
- Remove and dust with icing sugar.
I love the little party you catered! the jelly boats are adorable! What did you use for the shells? Orange peels? Looks like you did a wonderful job. The little jam muffins are adorable. I bet the mini muffins are great, especially because they have more jam to muffin ratio P:Love the new “Saffron Trail” header you have too.
Its a lovely recipe. Was wondering if you could suggest an alternative for the egg. Thanks!
Not easy catering to so many, so a big thanks for the menu and recipe link…I may just bake these muffins and the world peace cookies for the xmas day celebration party at my school! Belated birthday wishes to your son :-)..Also, I was wondering where to source baking supplies in blore and I serendipitiously found the answer in here.. Do share any other stores you find in blore, will be a huge help!
Looks great…and so easy! have to try this now 🙂
The jam muffins sound heavenly….and the jelly boats look so, so good.
Love those boats and muffins. Did the kids like kokum sherbet? and a belated happy birthday to your kiddo!
I loved the kids party menu, especially the jello boats must be exciting for kids.