Sour Cherry Muffins with Crumb Topping

By á-46

Ingredients

• For the Crumb Topping:
• Use the same fruit you’d put into a pie for these muffins: tart red cherries that hold up well in baking, such as Montmorency. Sweeter Bings can be used too, although they soften up much more. Chop the cherries coarsely to get some in every bite.
• RECIPE INGREDIENTS
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• For the Muffins:
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 beaten egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup fresh, frozen, or drained canned pitted tart red cherries, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Step 1

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:
In a small mixing bowl combine brown sugar and flour. With a pastry blender, cut in butter or margarine till mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.


FOR THE MUFFINS:
Lightly grease six 3 1/2-inch or twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or line with paper baking cups; set aside. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center. In a medium mixing bowl combine egg, milk, and oil. Add all at once to flour mixture; stir just till moistened. (The batter should be lumpy.) Stir in cherries. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full. Sprinkle topping over muffins.


Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven till golden brown, about 25 minutes for 3 1/2-inch muffins or 20 minutes for 2 1/2-inch muffins. Remove from pans; cool slightly on racks.


Yield: Yield: Makes six 3 1/2-inch or twelve 2 1/2-inch muffins
Calories: 188