muffins for the win!

Anyone who knows me will know that baking is something I absolutely love to do.  It's one branch of culinary expertise that I can actually bless Joey in.  I can cook few meals that can even compare to his amazing cooking abilities, but baking?  THAT I can do.

Enter these muffins.

I know.  They are beautiful.  And totally not my invention.  I happened to stumble upon a pretty little blog by Joy the Baker.  All it took was for me to read over the recipe, and I was sold.

Are you interested?  Then, happily I present to you

Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins
makes 12 glorious muffins

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 the butter will begin to go brown fairly quickly after that.  Keep a close eye.  Remove from heat.

Whisk milk, egg, 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 once and stir gently to combine.  Gently but thoroughly fold in the blueberries.

Divide the batter among the 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.

And there you have it!  So simple, but so good.