I’m going to need you to do a little something for me this weekend.  

Yes.  It’s Wednesday.  We’re planning ahead.  This is important.  

I think you and I should make it a point to seriously relax this coming weekend.  See… it might be our last chance to really take it easy before the new year.  Before we know it we’ll be swept away by Thanksgiving, festive flavored lattes, contemporary holiday music, visiting relatives, cranberry cocktails and company parties.  

This weekend though… this weekend we can take it easy.  

To help us with our plan, I’ve come up with the perfect weekend breakfast:  yeast risen waffles with maple and black pepper bacon.  

We’re taking it slow this weekend.  Are you in?

**But wait!  You don’t have a  waffle iron?  It’s ok.  These Milk Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes with a side of Maple Black Pepper Bacon should put  you in an equally great food coma.  Not to worry.

Yeast risen, overnight waffles are pretty stellar.  

Make the batter Saturday afternoon, let it rise on the counter for an hours or so.  Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready for breakfast on Sunday morning.  

On Sunday I stirred my batter a bit and let it to rest on the counter for an hour to come to room temperature and rise a bit.

The batter will be goopy, but don’t let that deter you.  These beauties bake up crisp and full of yeasty, maple sugar, nutty flavor.  Adding white whole wheat flour adds a touch of nuttiness to compliment the brown butter.  Yes… these waffles are full of character.  

Don’t even get me started on the bacon.  It sweet and spicy and… bacon.  It’s inherently perfect.  

Weekend Waffles

     adapted from King Arthur

     makes 2 big square (four sectioned) waffles, enough for 2 and a half people.

     Print this Recipe!

1 1/2 cups whole milk

7 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted until browned bits appear

3 Tablespoons maple syrup (the real stuff or simply use brown sugar)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

Heat the milk until it is hot but not boiling.  Place it in a large bowl (you’ll need the room for expansion) and mix in the browned butter, maple syrup (or brown sugar) salt and vanilla extract.  Stir until the mixture has cooled to lukewarm.  Add the eggs, flour, salt and yeast and stir all together.  If there are a few lumps, that’s fine!

Cover mixture with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel and leave to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  The mixture will begin to bubble.  

You can cook the waffles at this point, or place the batter in the refrigerator to rest and develop flavor overnight.  

Remove the batter from the fridge about an hour before you’d like to eat breakfast.  Stir the batter and let it come to room temperature.  When ready to cook, preheat the waffle iron and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Add 1 1/2 cups of batter (depending on the size of your waffle iron) and cook until golden brown.  

Top with butter and syrup and anything good. 

Maple Black Pepper Bacon

     this couldn’t be easier!  thanks for the recipe Rachel!

as much bacon as you’d like

maple syrup (the real stuff)

black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.  Place bacon strips on sheet, close but not overlapping.  Drizzle with maple syrup, about 2 or 3 Tablespoons per 10 bacon strips.  Sprinkle with as much black pepper as you like. Bake for 10 minutes then remove pan from the oven and carefully flip bacon strips over.  Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the bacon reaches your happy point of doneness.

or should I just call it Brown Rice Pudding?

When I was a little one, I remember lulling myself to sleep by listing off in my brain all of the things that I might like to find in heaven should I find myself there.  I started off with important things like:

I’d like to find my little sister Lauren in heaven, but I don’t want to have to share my toys with her if I don’t want to.

I’d like to find my best friend Natalie in heaven because I love to play with her hair.

I’d like to find Grandmother, Granddaddy and Aunt DeeDee in heaven because they make the best hamburgers every Friday night .

And then this list would surely devolve into something that resembles my Christmas wish list:

I want an Easy Bake Oven in heaven…

I want a Barbie Dream House in heaven.

I want mechanical pencils in heaven… I had a serious thing for mechanical pencils.  Still do.

Nowadays I’m barely awake enough to get my socks off before I’m zonked out on my pillow.  I’d like to put this down on record now, if you’ll indulge me.

I want Rice Pudding in heaven.  Rice pudding with raisins.  Rice pudding with dried cherries.  White rice.  Brown rice.  Any kind of rice cooked with milk and sugar.  Please.

A few mechanical pencils might be nice too.

Awesome.  Thanks.

It’s hearty.  It’s warm.  It’s creamy and sweet.  It’s filling and it might just be the most comforting bowl of goodness I’ve ever encountered.

Note:  When served cold, the brown rice has a bit of a bite to it.  I like it cold as much as I do warm, but be warned that cold brown rice pudding will be just a tad more work for your jaw.

Brown Rice Rice Pudding

serves 4 to 6

Print this Recipe!

4 cups water

1 cup brown rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter

4 cups whole milk

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons honey

1/2 vanilla bean, split open (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

1 cinnamon stick

pinch of ground cardamom

1/2 cup dried sour cherries (or any dried fruit you fancy)

Rinse brown rice in a strainer under cold water for 30 seconds.  Set aside.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in brown rice and salt.  Turn flame down to medium and simmer rice, uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.   After 30 minutes, drain rice and water.  Let rice sit in strainer for 10 seconds and then return to the pot you cooked it in (not over a flame) and immediately put a tight fitting lid on the pot.  Let rice rest and steam for 10 minutes.

Once rice is cooked, place it in a bowl and set aside. Add 4 cups of milk, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, pinch of cardamom and vanilla bean to the pan. Bring to a very low boil, stirring often so the milk doesn’t burn. Add the cooked rice, butter and cherries to the hot milk. Stir often.  Don’t ignore the milk or it might boil to furiously and curdle.  Simmer until the milk cooks down and the rice is creamy, about 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl or serving dishes to cool. Serve cold or at room temperature.

I’ve got a guilty conscience.  Here’s a little peek inside:

Dear Coworker David,  

Tonight when you were detailing the twenty one shots you had for your twenty first birthday, I stopped listening at about shot number four… the Raging Bull I think you said.  How do you remember all twenty one shots after twenty one shots anyway!?   Sheeesh!  Though I was smiling and nodding tonight, I heard not a word you said.  True. 

Dear Downstairs Neighbor,

Is it noisy down there?  Does it seems sometimes like I’m stomping around on my second floor apartment floors?  Probably.  I am.  I can have some heavy feet from time to time.  Do I do it on purpose?  Sometimes.  Yes.  To be fair, I do this because, as you know, I left cupcakes on your doorstep for you one afternoon and I watched you discover them and take them to the dumpster to throw away.  I saw you do that.  Not cool.  Not cool at all.  

Dearest Friend (pssst!… that’s you),

Sometimes I make recipes vegan simply because I’m out of eggs and/or butter.  It’s true.  A severe and persisting egg shortage in my house was the inspiration for the Vegan Pumpkin Bread.  If you’re vegan, you’re probably annoyed.  That’s ok.  I can be annoying.  If you’re not vegan, you’re probably happy to know that you can still bake up some wonders without eggs and butter.  Your call.  

Love,

Joy the Baker

Pumpkin Bread.  Ooooh, you’re a tough one to futz up.  Pumpkin adds moisture and flavor that just won’t quit.  When combined with plenty of spices, pumpkin bread becomes a treat that will stay fresh and moist for days and days.  This version is sweetened with both brown sugar and maple syrup.  I. Love. It.  

Vegan Pumpkin Walnut Bread

     makes 2 loaves

     Print this Recipe!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour ( or whole wheat flour… or just use only all-purpose flour)

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or just under two cups

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place a rack in the center of the oven.  Grease and flour two loaf pans (mine are 8×4x2) and set aside.  

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.  

In a medium bowl, carefully whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and water.  

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all of the ingredients together.  Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, finding any stray flour bits to mix in.  Fold in most of the chopped walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle on top of the batter once in the pan. 

Divide the dough between the two greased pans and sprinkle with a few walnut pieces.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven.  Let rest in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.  

Serve warm.  Maybe even wrap one loaf up in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for future munching.

Today’s Maple Pecan Muffins are dedicated to Tracey.  

Tracey, you are dear and darling… and 15, which is equal parts hard and rad, I know.  

Let me tell you a little about Tracey.  Tracey had her 15th birthday last week.  Tracey’s best friend Maggie sent me a pretty precious email asking me if I would send Tracey an autographed picture of myself for her birthday.  See,  Tracey is a great baker and a huuuuge fan of my site.  

I’m not the sort to have pictures of myself to autograph on hand… that would be totally weird,  so I sent Tracey a little birthday gift and handwritten note.  Easy enough, right?   In return Tracey sent me a very long, very excited, exceedingly adorable email to thank me for her birthday present.  Seriously friends… this girl is priceless.  

After reading Tracey’s email a handful of times (it was packed to the gills with information), here are a few things I want you to know about my new friend:

Tracey makes a mean lemon pound cake with blueberry sauce.  

Tracey almost set her house ablaze trying to make these doughnuts.  

Tracey is obsessed with muffins… and feeds them to her dog.  Let’s all just pretend like that’s normal.  

Tracey got a “Tracey the Baker” apron for her birthday.  Clearly I have competition. 

By sharing loads homemade cookies, Tracey is well on her way to becoming the most popular girl in school.  Don’t get too popular Tracey… it might be overrated.    

Tracey giggles a lot… not in emails, but this is just something I’ve surmised from being 15 and eating a lot of sugar once upon a time.

Tracey?  Is that Jesus peeking over your shoulder on your fridge there?  If so… awesome.  If not… awkward. 

Tracey these muffins are my little shout out to you because it seems like you get as excited about eggs and butter and sugar and flour as I do.  That makes me happy. Thank you. 

Oooh Maple Pecan Muffins.  Holy smokes these muffins are good. 

Here’s the trick with these muffins:  use real maple syrup.  Don’t even think about using the pancake syrup you might have hiding in your fridge.  No way friend-o!

These muffins are moist, sweet, drenched in maple flavor and just lovely for Autumn.  The pecans round out the sweetness and add just the right crunch.  Weekend breakfast?  Heck yes!  You win!

Maple Pecan Muffins

     adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

     makes 12-16 cupcakes

     Print this Recipe!

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

 3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/2 vanilla bean scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 Tablespoons browned butter (start with 6 tablespoons and melt it down just over 5 Tablespoons)

3/4 cup maple syrup, divided

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, plus 12 pecan haves (or the largest pecan pieces of the bunch for topping the muffins)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.  

In a small saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium flame.  Butter should crackle and foam and then produce little brown bits at the bottom of the pan.  Turn flame to low, scrape brown bits from the bottom of the pan (that’s where all the flavor is hiding) and remove from heat to cook a bit before using.  

In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a small bowl whisk together buttermilk, egg and vanilla bean or extract.  

Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and stir with a large spoon until just incorporated.  Add melted butter and carefully mix until incorporated.  Add the chopped nuts and half of the maple syrup (you can eyeball half of 3/4 cup) and fold until evenly dispersed throughout the batter.  

Fill the muffin cups until about two thirds full (I was able to make 16 cupcakes).  Place a large pecan piece on top of each unbaked muffin and drizzle all of the muffins with the remaining maple syrup.  

Bake muffins for 20-25 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  

Allow to cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes before removing to serve.

Pumpkin. 

It’s October and it is time.  Pumpkin.  

Hold on to your hats.  I’ll be all up in your grill with peppermint and chocolate for Christmas before you know it.  

For now….

Pumpkin.   Don’t fight it.

Sweet.  Soft.  Cake-like.  Pumpkin Cookies with Butterscotch Chips.  A-mazing.  

Pumpkin Pie Bars.  Nuts.  Oats.  Spices… and Butterscotch chips, for good measure.  

Again with the Pumpkin Cookies.  They’re that good.  Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies sprinkled with powdered sugar.  

Now… Pumpkin Pancakes sprinkled with cinnamon sugar  and topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream.  Lovely Fall weekend breakfast.  Inspires weekend napping.  What could be better?   

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

     adapted from Martha Stewart

     makes 14-18 small pancakes

Print this Recipe!

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour 

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

pinch of ground ginger

pinch of ground cloves

1 cup milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter

Whisk together flours, salt, spices, sugar and baking powder in a medium sized bowl.  

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, pumpkin and vegetable oil or melted butter.  

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.  Don’t worry if you have a few lumps.  You don’t want to over beat the batter, it’ll produce tough pancakes.  

Let the batter sit for 10 minutes while you heat the skillet.  Over low-medium heat melt a tablespoon of butter or vegetable oil .  Once skillet is hot, spoon a heaping 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the skillet.  When pancake starts to bubble slightly, carefully flip over.

Once browned and cooked through place pancakes on a oven proof plate and place in the oven set at 200 degrees F to keep warm while the rest of the pancakes are cooked.  

Serve with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar.. or maple syrup.  Delicious! 

The date was September 17th, 2009.  

Yes.  Yesterday.  

That’s the day that I finally stopped totally sucking at scone baking.  That’s the day that I didn’t pull a tray of overly sweet, super flat triangle shaped mounds out of the oven, trying to pass them off as scones.  

Summon the parade.  I’d like you to call in the marching band please.  Flag twirlers would also be nice.  This is sort of a parade worthy occasion.  Fluffy, rounded, nicely browned, fruit filled scones?  From my oven?  Yes.  Parade please.

Oh!  Just so we’re clear…  I’ve made at least twenty dozen terrible batches of scones in my lifetime.  Terrible terrible.  I just couldn’t get it right!   Let this space hold as proof that I’ve wrestled scone dough and oven temperatures and come out successful.

Here’s proof:  pink and fruity, spiced, hearty and subtly sweet scone proof.  

These scones are a combination of old fashioned oats and all-purpose flour.  Much of the oatmeal breaks down in the scone dough, creating a robust and slightly dense crumb.  The freshly grated nutmeg, believe it or not, adds a touch of mystery to the scone… like you just can’t quite put your finger on the spice or flavor… I love that.  Sweetness?  These scones aren’t too sweet.  You won’t feel like you’re eating a cakey muffin top  but rather an appropriately sweet breakfast treat perfect with sweet and milky tea.

Feel free to use fresh or frozen blueberry or raspberries for this recipe.  I used frozen raspberries.  Divine!

Oatmeal Raspberry Scones

     adapted from Dorie Greenspan

     makes 12 scones

     Print this Recipe

1 large egg

1/2 cup cold buttermilk

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups old fashioned oats

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries

1 stick plus 2 Tablespoons (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, grated on a box grater or cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside.  

Stir the eggs and buttermilk together and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Using a box grater, quickly grate the butter until all is shredded and add to the dry ingredients, using your fingers to quickly incorporate the butter and flour mixture.  If you don’t have a box grater, you can also simply cut the butter into small pieces and quickly rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it is pebbly.  

Pour the egg and buttermilk miture over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together.  Add the berries.

Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand or turn it with a rubber spatula about 8 to 10 times.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press the dough until you have a circle that is about 1 1/2-inches thick.  Use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop to portion out 12  scone dough balls.  At this point the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight.  Don’t defrost before baking, just add about 2 more minutes to the baking time.  

Bake for 20 minutes or until their tops are golden and firmish.  Transfer them to a rack and col for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for the scones to cool to room temperature.

I faked it.  

I faked it just a little bit with these croissants.  

See, these croissants were hot from the oven and onto my breakfast plate in less than 30 minutes because I used frozen, all-butter puff pastry instead of slaving over homemade croissant dough.  Real croissant dough has yeast, a bit of sugar and milk in it.  Puff pastry does not have these elements; it’s just flour, salt, water, and more butter than you care to know.  

So you see… I didn’t spend the time folding and folding and folding croissant dough, I faked it.  I don’t feel one bit of bad.  In fact, I feel so good about faking it, here’s a few other things I’ve been known to fake.

I’ve faked a tan with that new and clever gradual tan lotion.  Thank you lotion technology.

I’ve faked a smile… when I’m feeling super extra awkward, or when I don’t like your perfume but you’re a friend of the family and I don’t want to be rude, or when I’m being paid to smile.  That last one doesn’t really happen… ever.

I’ve been faking being an adult for the last ten years.  Sometimes, well… it sure feels like I’m faking it.  

Lastly, as discussed above… I fake a dang good chocolate croissant.  Here’s what’s what on that!

I hold the strict belief that any breakfast pastry that comes out of my kitchen should take me less than an hour to make.  I just don’t have the gusto to slave over a pastry first thing in the morning.  That’s where these beauties come in.  Grab yourself a package of all-butter puff pastry, some good quality dark chocolate, an egg, a pinch of salt and let’s do this!

Easy Chocolate Croissants

     inspired by Nigella Lawson (p.s. You’re super pretty Nigella.  Super.)

     Print this Recipe!

1 (14 oz) package frozen all-butter puff pastry, left to defrost in the fridge for 2 or 3 hours

1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces, 60% or 70% cocoa solids

1 egg, beaten

a sprinkle of fine sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Gently unpackage the slightly thawed puff pastry and  place on a lightly floured surface.  With a light floured rolling pin, gently roll out the puff pastry, extending the dough about 1 inch on all sides.  The dough will thaw as you work it.  That’s great.  Just make sure it isn’t sticking to your work surface too much.

With the pastry sheet horizontal, make three vertical cuts, making four strips of pastry dough.  Cut each strip in half horizontally.  You’ll have eight medium sized rectangles.  Cut each rectangle in half diagonally, creating 16 triangles.  

Place each triangle so the wider part is toward you and the point is away from you.  

Place small pieces of chocolate about 1/2-inch above the wide part of the triangle. 

Carefully roll the chocolate loaded end toward the point, pinching the dough together at the beginning of the roll to ensure that the chocolate doesn’t ooze out during baking.  Once rolled, curl the ends toward the center slightly.

Place the 16 small chocolate croissants on a lined but not greased baking sheet.  Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle each top with just a bit of sea salt if you like a little salt with your chocolate.  

Place in 425 degree F oven and immediately turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden, puffed and otherwise irresistible.

I love pancakes.

Maybe you don’t believe me.  Maybe you need proof.  

How about a list of the ways in which I totally love love love pancakes?

Perhaps you can find your deep rooted love for pancakes this weekend with one of these fine recipes.  

Milk Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes

Dad’s Buttermilk Pancakes

Vegan Jam Swirl Pancakes

Everything But the Blueberry Pancakes

Gingerbread Pancakes…

Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Pancakes, one of my all time favorites. 

Need more proof of my pancake love?  Ok!

Chai Spiced Pancakes?  Yum!

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes…

Sourdough Pancakes 

aaaaaand Carrot Cake Pancakes.

See?!  I love pancakes… something about those warm little clouds of flour and milk just get me goin’ in the morning.

Some things just shouldn’t be a luxury.  Some things are an absolute necessity.

Spending too much money at Target, for example.  Sometimes… (you know it’s true) that’s a total necessity.

Hot bath plus cold beer.  You need it.  I need it. Necessity.

A super comfortable dress that shows a little shoulder.  Everyone loves a little shoulder.

A girlfriend you can talk about your lady parts with.  Yes, I said lady parts.  Please don’t under estimate this necessity.

Aaaaand, last but not least… a little pancake love on a weekday morning.  Do it.

This recipe is super simple and straight forward.  It’s bound to put a smile on your face.  The recipe yields 12 silver dollar pancakes… minis, if you will.  It’s the perfect little breakfast to throw together for just you, or for you and your sweetie on a dirty old Wednesday morning.  Give it a go!

Vegan Jam Swirled Pancakes

makes 12 silver dollar pancakes

Print this Recipe!

2 1/2 Tablespoons sunflower or almond oil

1/2 cup soy milk, almond milk, rice milk or water

splash of vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

2 generous spoonfuls of your favorite jam, plus more for topping the pancakes

Preheat oven to 2oo degrees F to keep the pancakes warm once they’re cooked.

In a small bowl, combine milk or water, oil and vanilla extract.  In a medium sized bowl combine flours, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt.  Whisk with a fork to combine.  Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.  It’s ok if a few lumps remain in the batter.

Let the batter sit for five or so minutes while the griddle heats up.  Heat 1 Tablespoon of sunflower or almond oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Once the batter has rested, fold in two generous spoonfuls of your favorite jam, swirling into the batter, and drop generous tablespoonfuls of batter onto heated griddle.  Cook until bubbles form along the edges.  Flip.  Cook until browned.  Add more oil to the pan as needed and cook remaining batter.

Once cooked, place on a plate in the heated oven until ready to serve.  When ready to serve, spread with more jam or top with maple syrup.

There are three things I want you to take away from this post.  No foolin’ around… I’ll get straight to the point.

One.  You’ll want to stop by tomorrow if you think you might like to be one of those people that attends my (holy heck yes!) summer party.  It’s in August.  It’s for real.

Two.  You know that part of the pedicure when the lady at your feet goes to it with a pumice scrub?  It’s at that point that I have to try with every ounce of who I am, not not not to kick her in the face.  I’m ticklish.  Extremely.  Now you know.

Three.  These blueberry muffins are (yes) perfect.  Straight forward.  Simple.  Summer.  One whole hell of a lot better than the stale coffee shop version… perfect. How often do I say something is perfect?  Not often.  Fact.

Browned Butter Fresh Blueberry Muffins

adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

makes 12 glorious muffins

Print this Recipe!

7 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh blueberries

For the Topping

3 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Keep an eye on the butter.  Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan.  The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly after that.  Keep a close eye.  Remove from heat.

Whisk milk, egg, yolk and vanilla until combined.  Add the brown butter and stir to combine.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl  Add milk and butter mixture all at one and stir gently to combine.  Gently but thoroughly fold in the blueberries.

Divide the batter among muffin cups and spread evenly.

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

Bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.  Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes then remove from the pan.  Serve warm or at room temperature.