Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins

Come. Come come. Have a seat with me. I have something I need to discuss.

Grab a chair and a muffin. Oh, and some coffee, definitely, muffin + coffee make for a deadly duo. I would argue even better than donut + coffee. Except maybe Krispy Kremes and coffee. Krispy Kreme glaze is so delicious but coats your mouth like nobody’s business and coffee cuts through it beautifully, preparing your mouth for that next bite…

Er, sorry, tangent.

Here’s what I actually wanted to discuss: I think continental breakfast gets a bad rap.

Let’s just go through the list of things one finds at a continental breakfast. Muffins, fruit, banana bread, coffee, donuts, pastries, tea, cereal.. there is nothing wrong with that list.

Sure, sometimes it’s littered with mealy muffins, hard donuts and bruised fruit, but taking those experiences and applying it to all future experiences with continental breakfast would be like me avoiding blondies for years because of one bad supermarket blondie.

Some hotels are starting to brag about their HOT breakfast and, don’t get me wrong, eggs are delicious, bacon is BACON, but it seems to me that eggs and bacon are ruined just as often as their continental counterparts. Rubbery eggs and gummy bacon anyone? So why is it that continental is the poor, ugly outcast of breakfast?

Trevor joined his team at work around the same time as 2 other guys on the team, so they always celebrate their work anniversaries together with something extra fun. This year, they’re celebrating by providing their office with… a continental breakfast.

Trevor was in charge of muffins and donuts. I helped.

We’re bringing continental breakfast back into favour, starting with these muffins. Joy the Baker does not lie, these are marvelous muffins.

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Muffins

• 14 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups fresh blueberries

Streusel

• 6 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 7 tablespoons sugar

Directions

1. Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line two muffin pans with paper or foil liners
2. 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.
3. Whisk milk, egg, yolk and vanilla until combined.  Add the brown butter and stir to combine.
4. 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.
5. Divide the batter among muffin cups and spread evenly.
6. Streusel: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until crumbly.  Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the cups.
7. 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.

Makes approximately 2 dozen muffins

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