APRICOT CORN MUFFINS

Corn Muffins:
2 cups flour
l cup yellow cornmeal (Arrowhead mills)
l-l/2 tsp. baking powder
l tsp. baking soda
l/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
8 tbsps. melted butter
3/4 cup sour cream
l/2 cup milk
Heat oven 400. Spray standard muffin tin with cooking spray. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in med bowl to combine;set aside. Whisk eggs in second med bowl until well combined and light colored about 20 seconds. Add sugar to egs; whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous about 30 seconds; add melted butter in 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add half the sour cream and half milk and whisk to combine; whsik in remaining sour cream and mjilk until combined. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; mix gently with rubber spatuluntil batter is just combined an evenly moistened. Do jnot voer mix . Using ice cream scoopp divide vatter evenly amoung muffin cups dropping it to form mounds. do not levl or flatten surface ofmounts. Bake until muffins anf light golden brown and skewer comes out clean about l8 mins. Cool muffins in tin 5 mins; invert muffins onto wire rack sand muffins upright cool 5 mins longer and serve warm. Supposedly this makes l2 fully filled muffin tins.
CORN AND APRICOT MUFFINS – READ THIS BEFORE YOU MAKE REGULAR CORN MUFFINS;
In food processor process 2/3 cup sugar and l-l/2 tsp. grated orange zest until pale orange about l0 secs. Trnsfer to small bowl and set aside. In fodo processor pulse l-l/2 cups (l0 ozs.) dried apricots for ten 2 sec. pulses until chopped find. Transfer to med microwave dish; add 2/3 cup oange juice to apricots cover bowl tightly with plastic and mickey on high until simmering about l min. Let apricots stand covered until softened and plump about 5 mins. Strain apricots; discard juice. Follow recipe for corn muffins but substitute l/4 cup packed dark brown sugar for equal amount granulated sugar and sirring l; tsp. grated orange zest and strained apricots into wet ingredients before adding to dry ingredients,. Before baking sprinkle with a portion of orange sugar over each mount of batter. Do not invert baked muffins; use a paring knife to lift muffing from the tin one at a time and transfer to wire rack. Cool muffins 5 mins. longer; serve warm.
try to use most of the sugar mixture sprinkled over the muffins. This will make almost 2 dozen muffins. Fill pans about more than a little half way of top and sprinkle with sugar mixture.
Cook Illustrated tried and true and delicious but a little fussy.