Shelly's Recipe

GLAZED CRANBERRY-ORANGE MUFFINS WITH WALNUT CRUMB TOPPING

Category: Muffins

1 1/4 cups dried, sweetened cranberries
4 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate, divided use
4 tbsp water
2 1/2 cups flour, divided use
3/4 cup sugar, divided use
2 1/4 tsp baking powder, divided use
11 tbsp butter, melted, divided use
1/4 cup chopped or broken walnuts, toasted
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tbsp orange zest, packed
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 X-large egg
1 cup confectioners sugar

Combine cranberries, orange juiceconcentrate and water in small saucepan; heat to boiling; cover; off heat; let sit for 30 minutes to plump.

Heat oven to 425 (400 for dark or coated pans). Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Make crumb topping: In medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp baking powder. Stir in 3 tbsp melted butter, and then add walnuts, pinching mixture into clumps with fingers. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, whisk together remaining 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest. Drain the cranberries well, pressing them down in a sieve, but catch the juices that remain. Pat the cranberries dry by rolling them in several thicknesses of paper towels. Add them to the flour mixture, tossing to coat well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 8 tbsp melted butter, yogurt and egg. Pour the flour mixture into the liquids and stir lightly with a spoon or spatula just till barely combined. Do not overmix, it’s okay to have some lumps. Spoon batter into muffin cups and cover with crumb topping. Gently press topping onto muffins.

Bake about 15 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted near center returns clean. Cool muffins on wire rack. While muffins are cooling, prepare a glaze using 1 cup confectioner’s sugar and about 2 tbsp of the reserved juice from the cranberries. Use as much of the juice as you need to make a thin glaze. Drizzle it over tops of muffins and let them air dry till the glaze hardens. Serve immediately or freeze for later use. Yield: 12 muffins