Coffeecake Muffins

Mike and his buddies (John, Scott, Finn & Jamen) have shut themselves up into John's basement for the entire weekend, for music-making-mischief. Mike is blissful. I am very excited for him and grateful for Finn for making it happen. We miss him, but can't wait to hear what they have created. This morning I needed to make a Music-Making-Muffin. I thought the Coffeecake Muffins from the library's Best of America's Test Kitchen 2007 looked about right. A delicious splurge. Something you wouldn't dare make for yourself, but might for a bunch of hungry, deserving music-heads (who probably now smell like someone's basement full of men). I was about right. Delicious. And well-received. It is by far one of the best muffins I have ever made. Give it a try, soon.


Coffeecake Muffins from The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2007
1/2 c. pecans
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 t. salt
8 T. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and softened
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 c. sour cream
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla

- preheat to 350, coat 12-cup muffin tin with spray
- process nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon until nuts are size of sesame seeds, transfer to small bowl
- put flour, sugar and salt in food processor and combine, about five 1-second pulses; sprinkle butter over and process about 8 times; remove one cup of mixture to brown sugar mixture and stir with fork; set aside 3/4 c. of streusel fo batter
- add baking powder adn soda to flour in food processor and process until combined; whicsk together sour cream, egg and vanilla and add to flour mix; process until just moistened (don't over mix); add 3/4 c. streusel and pulse about five times.
- use ice-cream scoopt to divide into muffin cups; sprinkle with remaining streusel; bake about 18 minutes; serve warm.
- can top with icing from 1/2 c. powdered sugar + 1 T. water.
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