Orange Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 large orange, zested and juiced
• 1.5 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1.5 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 large egg
• 1.5 cups fresh cranberries
• Butter and flour for coating the muffin tin

Directions

1. Using a zester or the fine holes of a cheese grater, take the zest off the orange, then squeeze out as much juice as you can. You need at least 1/2 cup juice, but not more than 3/4 cup. Keep the zest and juice nearby, and heat the oven to 350ºF. Make the streusel first so it is ready when the batter is. In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, white sugar, 1/4 tsp orange zest, salt, and melted butter together. Add the flour and stir again, until it forms a buttery sugar paste. Set the streusel aside.
2. For the muffin batter, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter in chunks, then work it through the dry ingredients until the mixture turns crumbly.
3. In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the egg with 3/4 cup orange juice until the egg is blended in. If your orange gave you a little less than 3/4 cup juice, add water until it reaches 3/4 cup, as long as you have at least 1/2 cup juice for flavor.
4. Pour the orange-egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir only until everything is moistened. Do not get carried away here. Add the cranberries, whole or chopped, and fold them gently into the batter.
5. Use about 1/2 Tbsp butter to coat the wells of a 12 muffin tin. After buttering, add a little flour to each well, then tilt the pan around until the flour coats the sides. Tap out any extra flour.
6. Divide the batter among the 12 wells in the muffin tin, then add a generous clumpy sprinkle of streusel over each one. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the muffin tops are golden brown. Let the muffins cool before you loosen them and take them out of the tin.