Recipe: Blackberry Streusel-Topped Muffins

I found this recipe in a library book called A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman.

The recipe says it makes 9 to 12 muffins, but I assume those would be the jumbo size and not the traditional muffin pan, because I made about 20.  Preheat oven to 400.  Arrange rack in the middle.  Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners and place it on a parchment parer-lined baking sheet (I admit, my sheet was not parchment lined).

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or shredded coconut (I used coconut)

1/3 cup firmly packed brown or white sugar (I used brown)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Muffin Batter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely minced orange zest (I used a clementine to the same effect)

1 large egg

1 cup buttermilk (author says you can substitute sour cream, I used non-fat vanilla yogurt)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

2 scant cups semi-frozen blackberries

Prepare streusel topping by rubbing or crumbling ingredients together with fingers; set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together melted butter, sugars, zest and egg.  Do not overbeat.  Mixture should be pasty.  Add buttermilk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour through cinnamon.  Gently fold into batter.  Once partially blended, fold in fruit.  Semi-frozen fruit helps 'firm up' the batter.  If it seems too loose, add a few tablespoons of flour to make it stiffer.

Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop a generous amount of batter into each muffin cup.  Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over each muffin.   Bake 15 minutes.  Reduce temp to 350 and bake another 12-15 minutes.  Muffins should spring back when gently pressed.  Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.