Orange Sugar Muffins

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange zest (2 small oranges, done with a microplane)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice or 3 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled, for topping

Recipe

• 1 make orange sugar: mix sugar with zest, crushing zest into sugar with a spoon, until evenly mixed and sugar appears damp and light orange from the oils in the zest. set aside; store in airtight container in the refrigerator indefinitely.
• 2 heat oven to 400°f grease bottoms of 12 standard muffin cups or line with baking cups.
• 3 sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl (or whisk together until well blended). stir in 2/3 cup of orange sugar until evenly combined.
• 4 in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together milk and orange or lemon juice; milk will curdle and thicken slightly. in a medium bowl, lightly beat egg; whisk in 6 tablespoons melted and cooled butter, milk mixture, and vanilla.
• 5 make well in center of dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. stir just until blended. divide evenly among prepared muffin cups.
• 6 bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. cool on wire rack 10 minutes before removing from pan.
• 7 place remaining 1/3 cup orange sugar in a custard cup or teacup; place 4 tablespoons melted butter in another custard cup or teacup. dip tops of warm muffins first in melted butter, then in orange sugar, patting sugar on with a spoon if needed to form a sparkling sugar “crust” on top. this will get a little crunchy as the sugar dries. you'll probabably end with some butter and sugar left over.
• 8 serve warm or store, loosely covered for a day or two (airtight storage will make the sugar squishy instead of crisp). best either fresh and warm, or after sitting overnight.