Thursday, June 23, 2011

Cherry Orange Muffins

Cherry Orange Muffins
Cherry Orange Muffins

Cherry season has a special place in my heart. I remember going cherry picking with my brother when we were kids. I don't remember picking any cherries (I think the grown ups were on the ladders) but I remember eating mounds of them. They are also one of the first summer fruits to arrive at my farmer's market...thereby signaling the start of my favorite stone fruit season.

I don't bake with cherries much...I'm too busy eating them raw! :) I prefer the hard, dark cherries over the rainier cherries. Sorry if I have some typos in the post...I'm busy eating cherries while typing!

Cherry Orange Muffins collage 1
I adapted a blueberry muffin with streusel. I think if you scatter some streusel on top of a shoe, it would be tasty. Forget pixie dust, Tinkerbell should sprinkle streusel on everything. That'll bring world peace - for sures.

Cherry Orange Muffins
One cup of pitted and quartered cherries along with the zest of one Golden Nuggest mandarin tangerine.

Cherry Orange Muffins
Bring these into a meeting and you won't have to take minutes. Guaranteed.

Cidney - May 2011
Here's a photo of Cidney the Girl Dog. She had absolutely nothing to do with the making of these cupcakes. I keep trying to teach her how to do the dishes, vacuum and laundry, but she mumbles something about "my lack of thumbs." Whatever. Anyway, she's in this blog post because she's cute. And that's always a good thing to read about, no?

Cherry Orange Muffins
Stop yourself from eating a cup of cherries and make these muffins!

Cherry Orange Muffins

Recipe:
Printable recipe here
Cherry Orange Muffins
Adapted from "Blueberry Muffins" from the beautiful Sarabeth's Bakery book

Streusel (page 62 of her lovely book)
6 T all-purpose flour
1 T superfine sugar
1 T light brown sugar
1/8 t ground cinnamon
2 1/2 T unsalted butter, melted
1/4 t vanilla extract

Mix together in a small bowl until crumbly. Set aside until ready to use.

Adapted from the Blueberry Crumb Muffins - makes 12 cherry muffins

1 large orange (I used a golden nugget mandarin)
2/3 cup corn oil (I used a light olive oil)
1/2 cup plus 1 T whole milk
2 large eggs, room tep
2 1/4 c bread flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 T baking powder
1/4 t fine sea salt (I used kosher salt)
1 cup cherries, pitted and quartered (the blueberry recipes calls for 1 C fresh or frozen blueberries)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. I used paper liners in 12 muffin cups
2. Zest the orange. Set aside zest.
3. Juice the orange to get 1/3 cup juice.
4. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt).
5. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a medium bowl (oil, milk, OJ, zest, eggs).
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Don't overmix.
7. Fold in cherries.
8. Scoop into muffin cups. Sprinkle with streusel.
9. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce temp to 375 and bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean - 15 more minutes or so.
10. Cool in pan for a few minutes then remove to cool completely. Enjoy!

Sarabeth says you can also use raspberries (fresh or frozen) in this recipe. So adaptable! You should put her lovely cookbook on your wish list!

13 comments:

  1. I have tried to rally Pippin & Vash to the same calling as yours to Cidney...no luck here either. Your muffins look great. I want to bookmark these for sometime when I have guests because I know I could not be trusted in the same room with a dozen of these...I would definitely be telling the guys this recipe only made 9 or 10. lol Great photos.

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  2. I always enjoy my berries raw but this recipe is definitely going to change that. These muffins look awesome Mary.

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  3. I have a hard time baking with cherries too because I want to eat them all raw. I agree that streusel would taste good on just about anything.

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  4. I have been to the fruit stand twice this week trying to get cherries! The produce man told me Utah has been to wet this season, but they keep trying to find them.
    Can't wait to get some to eat raw! okay and maybe try these muffins, look tasty!

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  5. i do love this combo.
    must try these. think this would work in a loaf version? can't see why not.

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  6. What a fabulous combination. No matter how many muffin recipes I try, I can't wait to try another.

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  7. I'm OBSESSED with cherries right now. I eat them every day. I love where we live!

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  8. lovely and yummy cherry muffins! gloria

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  9. I can't wait until fresh cherries arrive here! These also look great and Cidney looks like a sweetheart :)

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  10. Perfect muffins. These would be perfect for this weekends breakfast.

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  11. Oh, interesting to use bread flour instead of all purpose or pastry flour. I also prefer dark over Rainier cherries. They're so good, but beware their red stain!

    Such an adorable dog! She's gorgeous!

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  12. You can bake with cherries!! Who knew? I am usually too busy eating them to ever think about baking with them....

    But these are definitely worth saving a few.

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