Blueberry Muffins w/ Almond Streusel Topping

I'm telling you, I am loving this new baking book!  Bouchon Bakery - Thomas Keller & Sebastien Rouxel.

 

ENJOY!

Blueberry Muffins w/ Almond Streusel Topping

(Makes 6 jumbo Muffins or 12 Regular Muffins)

Muffin Ingredients:

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons (180 grams) - Frozen Wild Blueberries

1 tablespoon (10 grams) - All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (86 grams) - All Purpose Flour

3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (109 grams) - Cake Flour

1/2 plus 1/8 teaspoon (2.8 grams) - Baking Powder

1/2 plus 1/8 teaspoon (2.8 grams) - Baking Soda

3/4 teaspoon (2.4 grams) - Salt

3.4 ounces (96 grams) - Unsalted Butter (@ room temperature)

1/2 cup (96 grams) - Granulated Sugar

2 tablespoons (40 grams) - Unsulfured Blackstrap or Dark Molasses

2 1/2 tablespoons (54 grams) - Clover Honey

1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons (72 grams) - Eggs (or about 1 large egg)

1/4 teaspoon (1.2 grams) - Vanilla Paste

1/4 cup (57 grams) - Buttermilk

Procedure:

1.  Toss blueberries with the 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour in a small bowl, and place in the freezer.

Place remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour in a medium bowl. Sift in the cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add salt and whisk together.

2.  Place butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, turn to medium-low speed, and cream the butter, until it’s the consistency of mayonnaise.

3.  Add sugar and mix on medium-low speed for about 1 minute until the mixture is fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add molasses and honey and mix on low speed for about 1 minute to incorporate.

4.  Add eggs and vanilla paste and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, until just combined. Add half the flour mixture and mix on low speed for 15 seconds, or until just combined. Add half the buttermilk and mix for 15 to 30 seconds to combine. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients, followed by the remaining buttermilk.

5.  Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that have settled there. Transfer the batter to a covered container and refrigerate overnight, or up to 36 hours.

Baking the Muffin:

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan with muffin papers and spray the papers with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to begin to soften.

2.  Stir the blueberries into the batter and spoon batter evenly into the muffin papers, stopping about 3/8 inch from the top (about 140 grams each). Sprinkle 30 grams or a generous 3 tablespoons of the streusel on top of each muffin.

3.  Place pan in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 36 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the pan on a cooling rack and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

4.  The muffins are best the day they are baked, but they can be wrapped individually in a few layers of plastic wrap or stored in a single layer in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 week. Defrost the muffins still in the container so any condensation will form on the outside of the container and not on the muffins. Place on a sheet rack and refresh in a 325-degree oven for about 5 minutes, if desired.

Almond Streusel Topping

Ingredients:

(Makes 3 3/4 cups)

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (120) grams - All-Purpose Flour

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (120 grams) - Almond Flour/Meal

1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (120 grams) - Granulated Sugar

1/4 teaspoon (0.6 grams) - Kosher Salt

4.2 ounces (120 grams) - Cold, Unsalted Butter (cut into 1/4-inch pieces)

Procedure:

1.  Combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and whisk to break up any lumps.

2.  Add butter and toss to coat the pieces. Work the mixture with your fingertips, breaking the butter into pieces  no larger than 1/8 inch and combining it with the flour mixture. Do not overwork the mixture or allow the butter to become soft; if it does, place the bowl in the refrigerator to harden the butter before continuing.

3.  Transfer the streusel to a covered container or re-sealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month. Use the streusel while it is cold.

4.  This recipe makes about twice as much streusel as you will need to make 6 jumbo blueberry muffins. Just freeze the remaining streusel to use when you bake another batch of muffins.