Alton Brown’s Blueberry Muffins

171 CommentsSunday • July 20, 2008 • by Ari

Though some of my ‘real life’ friends don’t understand how I find baking and cooking so relaxing (one friend became quite upset when I suggested we cook dinner together “for fun”), the truth is that nothing quiets my mind as much as puttering around the kitchen. So, with a crazy-busy week ahead of me, this afternoon I decided to make three things that are bound to add a bit of ease to my schedule: Alton Brown’s blueberry muffins, peach cream popsicles, and coconut popsicles. I figure, if I have to get up at 4:30am on Monday & Tuesday I need a major muffin to go with my coffee as I stumble onto the train. And naturally, when I get home in the evening a refreshing homemade popsicle is the perfect end to a long summer day spent working in the city. Am I right, or am I right?

The recipe for Alton Brown’s blueberry muffins can be found here. I follow the recipe pretty much to the T, with the minor exceptions of substituting olive oil for vegetable oil, reducing the 1 tablespoon of flour mix added to the berries to 1/2 tablespoon, and baking the muffins in jumbo tins (which requires a 5-10 min increase in baking time). Like AB’s French toast, these muffins added an extra dash of harmony to my marriage. My husband is a self-described “blueberry muffin connoisseur” and was unhappy with every single muffin recipe I tried for almost two years – until I made this one. No kidding. I must have experimented with at least 20 different recipes, hoping each time that this would be the day – at last! – when the muffins satisfied his discerning tastes. But they were always “too healthy tasting,” or the texture was “off,” or they were just “eh.” Then AB swooped in and gave me a sure-fire recipe that pleases every time. Just what a gal needs when a busy week’s ahead, or, when she needs to butter up the hubby before proposing spending a day at the spa.

As for the popsicles, well those are just a treat aren’t they? I remember when I was a kid my mother and I would make popsicles on hot days like this one. They weren’t as fancy as the ones I made this afternoon, but boy were they good! There was nothing like the anticipation of waiting for them to freeze, then running out to the porch where we would enjoy the pops in the hot summer sun. When my brother came along we included him in this ritual, and when juice streamed down our chins my mom would turn the hose on and chase us around the yard with the cool water, all of us laughing. Ah, those were the days.

You may have noticed that there is no recipe included in this post (aside from the link to AB’s muffin recipe). There is a reason for this, and that is: a game! Both of the popsicles I made this afternoon came from a delightful new book entitled “Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone” by Krystina Castella. I have two copies of this book to give away – one provided by the generous folks over at Quirk Books, and the other provided by myself, because this book is simply too fabulous to give away only one copy. If you’d like a chance to win one, simply comment on this post and answer the following question:

• “Which popsicle recipe would you like me to share, the one for peach cream popsicles or the one for coconut popsicles?”

The winner’s name will be randomly selected & posted by Saturday, July 26th (maybe earlier) along with the recipe that received the most votes and a review of the book. Only comments that answer the question will be entered in the game.

Until then, have a great week!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

• Irresistible Traveler’s Chocolate Muffins
• Pumpkin Butter Morning Glory Muffins
• Coconut Pops!
• Rustic Sweet Potato Muffins with Fresh Sage
• Pumpkin-Apple Muffins (Plus Book Giveaway)
• Blueberry-Raspberry Honey-Butter Glazed Scones
• Chocolate-Flecked Multigrain Muffins
• Mexican Vanilla Mini-Muffins with Vanilla Syrup

Posted in: Books, Breakfast