Excellent Orange Muffin

Ingredients

• Dry ingredients:
• 1 ¾ cup (210g) all purpose flour (or gluten free flour)
• ½ cup (56g) blanched fine almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 
  
• Wet ingredients:
• Zest from 2 large oranges
• 1 cup (200g) organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup (100g) freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 2 large oranges)
• ⅓ cup (75g)  whole-milk or 2% Greek yogurt*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ cup (1 stick, 113g) salted butter, melted (or sub olive oil or avocado oil)
• Sprinkle with coarse sugar or organic sugar, if desired
• 
  
• Optional:
• 1/2 cup of mini or regular chocolate chips
• 1 heaping cup fresh or dried cranberries 
•  

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners and spray the inside of the liners with nonstick cooking spray or use silicone muffin tins.
  Mix together dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add chocolate chips and/or cranberries, if using to dry ingredients.  Set aside.
  

  • In a separate large bowl add the orange zest and sugar and use your fingers to rub the orange zest into the sugar for at least 30 seconds to infuse the sugar with orange flavour.
    
    
    Mix together wet ingredients: In the same large bowl with the orange zest and sugar, add in eggs, orange juice, yogurt, vanilla extract and almond extract. (Do not mix in the butter yet!) Whisk together until well-combined and smooth.
    
    
    • Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Finally, stir in the melted butter (or oil) until well combined. Do not overmix the batter, you just want to stir it until the batter is smooth.
      Bake: Divide batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with  coarse sugar, if desired (but absolutely recommended). Bake for 15-19 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
      Enjoy!
      

      
      

 

Gwyneth Paltow (sort of) Blueberry Muffin

This is a recipe that was developed by someone who altered Gwyneth Paltrow's Blueberry Muffin recipe which I altered too.  When I run out of blueberries (but following the recipe with 2-1/2 cups of blueberries, it is really very very good!), I use chocolate chips which make delicious muffins too.   I also add nuts, whatever kind I have on hand, to top each muffin.

Ingredients:

8 TBSP unsalted Butter, melted and cooled (113 grams)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk (any kind)

2 Cups all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour)

3/4 Cups of granulated Sugar or Splenda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine kosher salt (I use fine sea salt)

2-1/2 Cups Blueberries

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Prepare muffin tin with liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  Whisk together butter, eggs and milk in a medium bowl.  

3.  In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. (If using choc chips you can add them to dry ingredients)

4.  Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients (I usually have to add an additional 1/8 cup milk otherwise batter is too thick).

5.  Gently fold in blueberries.

6.  Divide batter among 12 muffin tins.  Bake 25-30 minutes.

 TIP ... Before you bake cookies ...

DO NOT USE the Western Family brand of butter sold at SAVE ON FOODS in the cookie recipes on this site or in my books.  I don't know what is wrong with it but the cookies splay across the baking sheet and DO NOT TURN OUT.  

I have also heard that the No Name Butter, which I have used in the past, does the same thing now.  Be careful.  It may cost a bit more to purchase a brand name butter, but at least your baking with be presentable and delicious and edible.