Allspice Crumb Muffins

It wasn’t until early this year that I first heard of Dorie Greenspan.  Her cookbook, Baking From My Home to Yours, seems to be very popular with many of the food bloggers out there, and around the same time I started my blog, a Dorie “baking club” was created.  Tuesdays With Dorie is a group of bloggers who try a new recipe each week from Dorie’s cookbook.  I finally ordered myself the cookbook, and summoned up the courage to join in on the fun and weekly baking.  Tune in for my first TWD recipe next week: Caramel-Topped Flan!

I was so excited to finally (!) get my copy of this cookbook, I wanted to go ahead and bake something of Dorie’s, pronto.  This is yet another cookbook where each and every recipe sounds yummy, so I had a tough time choosing.  I picked these Allspice Crumb Muffins primarily because of the allspice.  The allspice made me think of that delicious Blueberry Crumb Cake that everyone seemed to love, and I was looking for an excuse to try some of the new allspice I just purchased.

Allspice Crumb Muffins

from Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

For the Streusel:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

For the Muffins:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups.  Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups.  Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

To Make the Streusel: Put the flour, brown sugar and allspice in a small bowl and sift them through your fingers to blend.  Add the bits of cold butter and toss to coat, then use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you’ve got irregularly shaped crumbs.  Set aside in the refrigerator for the moment.  (You can make the crumb up to 3 days ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator.)

To Make the Muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice and salt.  Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps.  In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract together until well combined.  Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend.  Don’t worry about being thorough–the batter will be lumpy., and that’s just the way it should be.  Stir in the lemon zest, if you’re using it.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.  Sprinkle some streusel over each muffin, then use your fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter.

Bake for about 20 minues or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.