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Breads & Muffins • Brunch

Blood Orange Coconut Muffins

April 10, 2018

Hobby. Defined as “an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure”. For me, baking used to be a […]

Hobby. Defined as “an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure”. For me, baking used to be a hobby that I relished any chance I got in between changing diapers, chasing after shirtless toddlers and cleaning up spilled milk on the sofa. It’s safe to say that once I started my toffee business years ago, baking went from casual, side-interest “hobby” status to full-on career path. Naturally, my husband also has hobbies which I (mostly) fully support. He surfs, flies drones, loves fishing and cooking in his free time. I’m not gonna lie, the cooking hobby really works out in my favor. He often whips up a restaurant worthy dinner after a long day at the office while I’m covered in butter and flour baking my heart out. It’s a win-win in my book!

But while he’s a wiz in the kitchen, I would bet that his favorite and most rewarding hobby would be growing fruit trees. For as long as I can remember, my husband has had a knack for growing things. Orchids, roses, plants, lettuces, you name it – – he has a green thumb for sure! Some of us were not so blessed. My husband’s interest (ahem, obsession) with fruit trees began when we bought our very first home together just a year after we were married. While looking at properties he insisted that the lot have ample room for at least a half dozen small citrus trees. I would have been over the moon with a lone lemon tree squished in the far corner of the yard, but I was happy to find the perfect space to accommodate his mini-orchard dreams.

And so the story goes. Our first house had six or so fruit trees lining the entire side yard. He started off with the usual varieties…lemons, limes, apples, oranges. We didn’t stay in that house long enough to enjoy the fruits of his labor {pun intended}. As our family grew, we traded up and moved on to a larger house with a bigger yard. And so it would go with each house, my husband would plant a new orchard complete with the usual favorites and some not-so-common varietals of fruit trees. Buddha’s Hand Citron anyone??

We now live on a relatively large lot with a spacious half acre allotted for the orchard and vegetable garden. Many weekends he spends hours from dawn till dusk in the yard planting, pruning and picking fruit from the trees. It is a diversion he enjoys after long days behind a desk and this little hobby of his has become a joy of mine. With piles of freshly harvested, ripe fruit regularly delivered to the kitchen counter, I get to bake up a sweet something for us all to enjoy. We make a great team that way. The perfect match. Team work makes the dream work, so they say.

Lemon bars, key lime pies, apple cobblers, and orange olive oil cakes are just a few of my favs made fresh from our backyard fruit. This past week I was dreaming up a new way to use the last of the season’s blood oranges. Our blood orange tree is a “Moro” which is the most colorful of the blood oranges. It has a deep crimson flesh and a distinct, sweet flavor with a hint of raspberry. I decided to pair this blood orange with coconut and tah-dah…a match made in heaven!

These Blood Orange Coconut Muffins are the perfect, simple morning treat for all ages. They are light and fluffy and the mild citrus and coconut flavor makes them an instant crowd pleaser. Easy to grab on the go or savor with a morning latte, you’ll want to add these muffins to your repertoire every winter. There may still be a few blood oranges at your local market through the end of April so grab them up and give this recipe a go.