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5.06.2012

Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins with Brown Sugar Streusel


  Don't give me that knowing look.  Yes, this is the fifth muffin recipe I've posted.

  Yes, this is the second one with streusel topping.

  Yeah...this is the second one with blueberries.

  And...okay, fine.  Yes, this is my second brown butter muffin recipe.

  Brown butter brown butter brown butter.  It's so good, you can't just type it once.


  So it's not technically brown...it's golden.  The browned butter bits make up the brown-ness of brown butter.  Hence, we have butter of the browned quality.  Did I mention brown yet?

  Who knew brown could be so hip, all because of butter?  Butter has that effect on things.
 


  So, lemme explain.  Like I really have to, it's totally legal (if not encouraged) to have more than one brown butter blueberry muffin recipe. 

  Anyway, I joined this group on facebook called Sundays with Joy (think Tuesdays with Dorie), started by the fabulous Carrie of Bakeaholic Mama.  We're baking/cooking through Joy the Baker's Cookbook, a book I may or may not have mentioned a few times before.

  It's so heavenly to be surrounded by people who love bacon, brown butter, and Joy.


  That Blueberry Lemon Brown Butter muffin recipe I did was different.  First, it wasn't Joy the Baker-ized, and second, it includes lemon zest-y sugar and no streusel.

  Differences!  I told ya.

 
  Which do I prefer?  Oh, lordie... I guess I'd have to say this one.  But hey!  That's absolutely just me, and I still believe both have their superior qualities and loveliness.

  That being said...I'm sorry, you can't beat brown sugar streusel.  You just can't.



Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins with Brown Sugar Streusel
Yield: about 12-15 muffins

Ingredients for the muffins:
  • 7 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries (If using frozen, thaw the berries and drain the liquid before using.  Another good tip is to lightly toss them in a few tablespoons of flour before adding to the batter.)

For the streusel topping:
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 tbsp. brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a muffin pan with liners and set aside.

To make the muffins, brown your butter.  Do this by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Keep an eye on the butter while it melts, froths, and begins to crackle.  No worries, that's just the water cooking out of the butter.  The crackling will subside and the butter will begin to brown fairly quickly.  Remove from heat when butter solids become a medium brown color and smells slightly nutty.  Immediately pour the butter into a small, heatproof bowl, to prevent the butter from possibly burning in the hot saucepan.  You just browned butter, yay!

In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.  Add the browned butter, whisking to combine.  In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add the milk mixture all at once to the flour mixture and stir gently to combine.  Gently but thoroughly fold in the blueberries.  Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups.

To make the topping, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and rub together with fingertips until crumbly.  Sprinkle evenly over the muffin batter.

Bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden and crisp, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing.  Serve warm or at room temp, best eaten the day made.


Sources: adapted from Joy's Joy the Baker Cookbook