orange currant muffins with pistachio crumb

Shhhhhh. The baby is sleeping. Finally. The husband had the audacity to leave our home office and get whisked away to the Big Apple on a business trip for three whole days taking my dutiful put-baby-down-for-nap  and wake-baby-up-from-nap partner, leaving me the bad guy.

This guy also took my daily dose of grown up as it’s just me and baby in the house…alone. Albeit, I am glad to take a break from our most frequent conversation topic:

Josh: Hey, his diaper needs to be changed.

…

Josh: Then I want him back.

Followed by me giving a side eye and trotting off to the changing table where this kid decides exploding in his diaper was a lot of fun, but not as much fun as when the diaper is off. Resulting in mama needing to wipe down walls she didn’t know a wee 6-week old baby could reach no matter how much grunting and pushing was going on previously, sanitize every surface in a 6-foot radius of explosion epicenter followed by a shower, where said explosion is washed out of hair and off of arm and then life returns to normal, until explosion two happens three hours later and we repeat procedure. Is it a curse or a blessing this kid is so regular?

But while my husband was enjoying meetings and trade shows and late working nights, I got to put the baby down early and have five whole hours to myself where I slept. Dreaming of waking up to a breakfast of pastries and muffins and quick breads…in bed…but instead woke up to screaming as someone was hungry.

But it didn’t stop me. This morning, when the baby woke up for his second breakfast I determined I would have breakfast as well. And thus these muffins were no-longer a dream, but a blissfully soft, currant studded, green-nut-crumbed breakfast lunch. Gah!

One Year Ago: Lemon Yogurt Cake

Orange Currant Muffins with Pistachio Crumb
Tasting Table

Pistachio Crumb:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup roasted unsalted pistachios, chopped
Salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Muffins:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup sour cream
Finely grated orange zest from 2 medium oranges
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried currants

Pistachio Crumb: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pistachios and a pinch of salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the mixture until the butter pieces are roughly the size of peas. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and position a rack in the center. Line 12 standard-size muffin cups with liners or grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until just combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the sour cream and orange zest until just combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, beating at medium-low speed until just combined.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the currants into the batter. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each tin about three-quarters full. Top with the reserved pistachio crumb and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and set on a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.