Instant Brunch Classic... Orange Muffins filled with Strawberry Mascarpone

What do you get when you make a fluffy and delicious orange muffin and fill with strawberry mascarpone filling? Instant brunch classic! This is my way of making sure I will always have a place to brunch on Saturdays. Just kidding, but they are truly fabulous muffins and so much easier than you think. But like many things in life the key to good muffins is making sure to leave it out on the counter overnight... just kidding. The key to good muffins is planning, so the night before or a few hours before take everything out and let it come to the same temperature. Don’t worry nothing will spoil in 6 hours, how do you think they lived before chill boxes?

For the muffin… or the strawberry mascarpone delivery vehicle let's be honest

2 cups all-purpose flour (self-rising, no problem just don’t use in the extra baking powder)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine table salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, nice and soft

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus up to 1 tablespoon for topping the muffins

1/2 an orange’s freshly squeezed juices
1 teaspoon of pure orange extract (inexpensive and so worth it)
2 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup milk (I use whole milk, cooking for others allows me to cook like a rock star… full fat, here I come, I don’t eat, just enjoy others)

Crank the oven to 375 F.

Spray or butter brush a 12-muffin tin.

Mix all the dry ingredients in separate bowl, or sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and let it hang out while you take care of the wets.
In my beloved Kitchenade, with the paddle or I creamed the butter, orange zest, and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. I separated the eggs, whipped the whites and add the yolks, one at a time, until fully mixed. Then I gently folded the whites into the rest of the mixture to keep everything nice and fluffy. But you don’t have to do any of that really, just throw it all in, it will turn out fine, I promise.

Now comes the muffin mamba…ready.
1 part wet, meets 1 part dry… and mix… cha cha cha
Mix with half the milk and … and mix… cha cha cha
2 parts wet, meets 2 parts dry… and mix… cha cha cha
Mix with the rest of milk and … and mix… cha cha cha

So you don’t really have to do this but if you have some J. Lo or Cuba Joe handy it’s a lot of fun. Like I said, just throw it all in, it will bake up just fine.
Pour into your tin, I like to use liners, but bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool your muffins in the on a rack.

Strawberry mascarpone filling… yum.

While they are cooling, make the strawberry mascarpone this more a matter of taste then a recipe so please don’t be annoyed at my imprecision.

A hand full of berries cleaned and quartered
An entire container (8 oz.) of mascarpone cheese
½ cup of powdered sugar
A few swirls with honey

Add all of these yummies into food processor and send it for a blitz until full combined. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag with a sharp metal tip, I used a star shaped one but it didn’t matter. Push the tip into the muffin and squeeze until you feel or see the muffin grow with the filling. (Sounds kind of naughty… sorry mom) These will be funny for Halloween… alien muffins… ahhhh. Ok, I’m done. Then repeat… until all your muffins are filled. (he he he, still sounds kind of dirty.)

But they are awesome, please try them and feel free to get creative with the fillings and the flavors, I know I will. I hear I have switched some orange muffin haters… to lovers. Why you gotta be hater… when there is so much to love?