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Cranberry: Cranberry Vanilla Muffins

Source of Recipe

Ellen Buckley


List of Ingredients

1/2 Vanilla Bean -- cut in small pieces
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
2 Large Eggs
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour -- unbleached
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Milk
2 1/2 Cups Fresh Cranberries -- coarsely chopped

-----Topping-----
2 Teaspoons Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg


Recipe

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line 12 to 14 muffin cups with paper liners. Place the vanilla bean and sugar in a blender or food processor and process until the vanilla bean is ground into tiny flecks (this is a pretty subjective thing. i've processed for 30 seconds and 3 minutes and not seen much difference between the two). Using an electric mixer (or your arm and a spoon if the former isn't available), cream the vanilla sugar with the butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until smooth and fluffy. Fold in cranberries. Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling each one almost full. Mix together the sugar and nutmeg for the topping, and sprinkle generously over the muffins. Bake until puffed, light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean; about 25 minutes. Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature (warm!! warm!!!).