SOS. Quick! Send plane tickets and weekender bag, all I can think about is escaping on vacation.
Every year, when I’ve recovered from the aftermath of the holidays and the weather begins to warm up (yes, that happens in February down here in Austin), I find myself daydreaming more than usual; my thoughts drifting towards memories of lazy days on the beach and long strolls through Italian hillside towns. Highlight reels of my favorite destinations bubbling up to the surface, and the gravitational pull of wanderlust drawing me back to the road.
Unfortunately for me, there’s no vacation in sight. A honeymoon later this year, yes (!!!), but the near future? Nada.
So, to remedy my longing for a cross-Atlantic getaway, we’re taking a little food vacation. These Olive Oil & Orange Blossom Muffins are bursting with the flavors of the Mediterranean. Fruity olive oil, fresh citrus and orange blossom water come together in a perfect mingling of delicate yet fragrant flavors. The texture is light and airy — these aren’t your grandma’s bran muffins — with a buoyant springiness and floral sweetness that, with one bite, will transport you to your very own Tuscan garden brunch. Not quite the real thing, no. But enjoyed al fresco with an espresso and a drizzle of honey? Not bad. Not bad at all.
Adapted from David Lebovitz
Olive Oil & Orange Blossom Muffins
Serves 18
Olive Oil & Orange Blossom Muffins
Categories
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup semolina flour (can sub all-purpose)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 3 tablespoons orange or grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- 1 small orange, thinly sliced and quartered, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line or grease muffin tins and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the olive oil, milk, juice, zest and orange blossom water and whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until combined; be careful not over mix or muffins will be tough.
- Divide the batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Top with orange slices, if desired. (You could also sprinkle with slivered almonds.)
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly golden, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool slightly on a cooling rack before serving.
i have been CRAVING summer lately, & these make me dream of those sweet mornings when my hubby & i are able to have a weekend coffee together on the patio. these would be perfect for then – pinning & saving!
Those look amazing. Love that muffin pan!
These look divine!!! I would love to try this recipe sometime! Also where did you get that cute muffin tin?? Thanks for sharing!!
cheers-maddy.com
It took me forever to find the answer through internet sleuthing, so I thought I would share: it’s from anthropologie. https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/maelle-baking-pan
Looks incredible! Where would I find orange blossom water?
You can get orange blossom water at a Turkish or Middle Eastern market or on Amazon.
I love the delicious look! I adore the muffing pan!
Hi there! These look delicious! I have done a few recipes with rosewater but never with orange blossom water. Marzipan mug cake, for example (http://oldworldtaste.com/marzipan-mug-cake-mashed-berries/). I usually get rosewater and orange blossom water from the Turkish market in our city, but you can get it online at Amazon too.
Yum. Where can I find that wonderful pan?
Just made a batch and they are AMAZING. I did add a little honey to the batch and I’m glad I did. I also didn’t use quite as much EVOO as I didn’t want them tasting just like the oil. They are moist and soooo good!
Should there be sugar or other sweetener in the list of ingredients? I have just made them and followed the recipe exactly but they taste salty and flavourless. Can anyone help?!
I added 2/3 cup of sugar, and it is just enough to make them a little sweet but not too sweet. You could go up to 1 cup to make them more dessert-like.
I had the same experience Gemma, I followed the recipe exactly and I don’t even get a hint of orange. They just taste bland and of flour. I’m so disappointed as they look beautiful in the pictures here, so fresh for spring. I even tried to poke some holes and add a drizzle of honey/orange juice but I think you’d have to seriously soak them to get any flavor.
I added 2/3 cup of sugar, and it is just enough to make them a little sweet but not too sweet. You could go up to 1 cup to make them more dessert-like.
These would not have been good if I hadn’t noticed the sugar seems to be missing in the recipe. It needs about 2/3 cup of sugar, or 1 cup if you go by typical American sweet-tooth standards. Based on comments by Stephanie and Gemma, I’m glad I added the sugar. I may try honey next time, thanks to Faith’s comment. Also, the batter barely fills 18 muffin cups, and might do better at 16 or 17 max.
Oh no! I wish I had read the comments first before baking a batch. I followed the recipe and they turned out dense and oily. I agree with Faith that there was way too much oil in the recipe. I also wish I had added sugar or honey. The photos looked so light and yummy! I just think there must be a typo in the recipe somewhere.
I wish the author would fix the typo so I can confidently share the post. I’m afraid it’s too easy for someone to forget to go off recipe and add sugar. What I will do in the meantime is share the original post that inspired this one. The main difference is Grand Marnier rather than orange blossom water, and there is sugar — 1 cup. I used 2/3 cup, and it was just sweet enough for me. You might still think it’s oily, but the sugar transforms “oily” into “moist and rich.”
Not enough orange flavor. I did add 3/4 cup sugar, after tasting the batter. It was borderline savory. I would use OJ concentrate instead of juice to increase the orange flavor. I sprinkled the tops with sparkling sugar prior to baking, which added a very nice crunch. The EVOO will have a subdued flavor once you increase the orange flavor.
I love the sounds of the recipe, but is there no sugar in it?