Down in the Slumps

"Your father's mother slumped in the middle, too. You must have inherited it from her. Your sister got my family's genes."

Where I live, in that boxcar that the class of '96 set fire to and now provides shelter for wild dogs and myself, it is spring. The mornings are blue and gold and the evenings stretch into a pretty, light gray with little puffs of cream and yellow threaded through the incoming clouds. Spring means a lot of things, flowers and baby animals but what I look forward to is the shame that clear, morning light brings as you survey your body after four months of "It's dark by four, so no one can see me if I dip this in mayonnaise." Wool and denial hide so much.

So these muffins ease that shame a little, because they taste really fatty and sugary and that's all you could ask from a muffin, besides tasting like bacon too. There's only 1/2 a stick of butter in the batter, and another three tablespoons in the crumble (which you can completely omit) and you're not going to eat all nine muffins. Let's form a support group.

This is originally a Blueberry Buckle recipe from The Joy of Cooking, and followed to the letter it is an incredible, moist cake that works for breakfast or dessert. Everything in that book works. Unlike my pants.

NOTE: Please place a sheet of aluminum foil or a spare baking sheet on the shelf below the one holding your muffin tin. The intense butter explosion can result in a little drippage, a little smoke, a little yelling. And you want to handle it like a lady.

Blueberry Slump Muffins
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, room temperature
1 cup vanilla sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup milk, room temperature

1 3/4 cups AP flour, (Dip and Sweep method)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen wild blueberries

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Add the egg, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and mix until pale gold and smooth.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, mixing just until a thick dough forms. Fold in the blueberries, and scoop into the cups of a lined muffin tin.

Crumble:
3 tablespoons soft butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup AP flour
1 tbs Demera sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Zest from 1/4 of an orange

In a small bowl, mash together the butter, sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest and salt with a fork until a rough crumble forms. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of crumble over each muffin and bake until toothpick comes out clean, around 30-40 minutes (check after 30). Muffins will rise out of their cups and spread slightly but don't be alarmed. They're still worthy. If the tops have bled together, gently divide them with the edge of a spatula or knife. Allow to cool in the pan for two or three minutes, then remove and cool completely on a rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Comments

[RDCollins]

I checked every edition of Joy of Cooking back to 1936 but found no recipe for Blueberry Buckle -- are you sure that's the source of your version?

[Lynn in Tucson]

"Besides tasting like bacon too..."

So...do you KNOW about the gingersnap recipe that asks you to cook up two lbs. of bacon beforehand so you can use the fat in the cookies???

It's just wrong, really (but so, so right. Esp. with applewood-smoked bacon. Ask me how I know). I look around and see if I can find it for you.
Love your blog!

[Miss Sassy]

Who says I'm not going to eat all 9 muffins? Those look great.

[kickpleat]

dude, i am so not familiar with the 'dip and sweep' method...but it is evocative of excercise and that i most certainly need if i keep checking out your recipes. your site is awesome -- photos, recipes, and attitude.