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Peach Crumb Muffins

Source of Recipe

From "Smitten Kitchen Keepers" by Deb Perelman


Recipe Introduction

"Have you ever noticed, how shall I say this politely, a gap between the kinds of muffins that catch our eye in a coffee-shop case�tall, craggy, rich, bronzed�and the kind we most often make at home�brown, squat, with vague promises of wholesomeness? Consider this muffin something of a redemption. This is my bakery-est muffin, but one that tastes phenomenal, and it wants to go to potlucks and picnics and showers and brunches with you. It unapologetically wants to be the thing that disappears first. For as long as I can remember, I've been pursued by a vision of a peach muffin that was the Platonic ideal of a peach crumble's worth of fruit stuffed into a sturdy muffin base. The peaches would be fanned on top, and baked skin-on, leaving fuchsia streaks around them. The crumbs would actually adhere. But, because I'm still me, I wanted the sweetness in check, and I wanted to do all this in as few steps as possible. Over three peach seasons, and forty-plus testing rounds (if we know each other in real life, I've shoved these in your hands but told you they weren't good yet; thanks for being polite about it), I can finally say that I could not be happier to get them into your hands."

List of Ingredients

◦ 3 medium-large (1 to 1 � pounds total) ripe, even very ripe, peaches
◦ 8 tablespoons (� cup) unsalted butter, melted
◦ � cup granulated sugar
◦ 1 teaspoon, plus a pinch, kosher salt
◦ 2 � cups all-purpose flour, divided
◦ 1 cup plain yogurt, any variety
◦ 2 large eggs
◦ 2 teaspoons baking powder
◦ � teaspoon baking soda
◦ � teaspoon ground cinnamon
◦ � teaspoon ground ginger
◦ � teaspoon ground cinnamon
◦ � teaspoon ground ginger


Recipe

Heat the oven to 375� F. Line twelve standard muffin cups with paper liners, or coat with nonstick spray.

Halve, pit, and thinly slice the peaches. Set twenty-four to thirty-six slices aside for decoration; if the slices are longer than the muffin cups, trim them down. Chop the remaining peach slices into small pieces. You need only 1 � cups; the rest are snacks.

Mix the butter, sugar, a pinch of salt, and half of the flour (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) in a large bowl until it forms a clumpy mixture. Remove 6 semi-packed tablespoons and set it aside; this will be your crumbs. Add the yogurt and eggs to the big bowl of crumbs, and whisk to combine; it's okay if it doesn't get totally smooth. Add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger, and whisk well. Stir in the remaining flour and chopped peaches just until the flour disappears.

Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared cups; it will fill them nearly to the top. Arrange two or three fanned slices of peach on top of each. Divide the reserved streusel over the muffins, using it up. Nudge any that spills off back onto the cups of batter.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted under the peach slices comes out batter-free. Let the muffins rest in the baking tin for 5 minutes before removing. Eat these warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins







❧ Note:
These also taste great with � teaspoon ground cardamom added. You can use other stone fruit here, too�nectarines, plums, or apricots�but be sure you have 1 � cups chopped, plus slices for decoration.

❧ Do Ahead:
Leftover muffins keep for 2 days at room temperature; I like to keep them in their baking pan but uncovered. The peach slices on top keep things moist, but the air keeps the crumbs from getting mushy.