rosemary and grape olive oil muffins.

I dreamt these muffins up and after thinking about them non-stop for a 1 week span, I finally took myself to the kitchen and made them.  

They are even more perfect then I imagined.  

After last weeks foccacia re-visit, I got stuck on the rosemary, grape, olive oil combination.  It truly is a magical threesome and I've basically done nothing but try and figure out how how I can incorporate that pairing into just about everything I cook (Sausssage with grapes?  Oatmeal with olive oil and rosemary?  This is how my brain works.)  But no matter what I thought about, I kept returning to the idea of a muffin since I loved the idea of a breakfast pastry encompassing both sweet and savory flavors.  This muffin is tender and moist with the most amazing earthy flavor from the rosemary infused oil.  The grapes create pockets of tartness and the oat topping provides a lovely textural contrast.  It's the kind of thing that makes for an excellent breakfast but works just as well as an afternoon snack (and trust me I've eaten it both ways).  

Rosemary and Grape Olive Oil Muffins
Adapted from Giada DeLaurentis

For the muffins

1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

¼ cup white flour

¼ cup oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (3/4 cup ¼ cup for topping)
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons whole milk
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil infused with 2 tablespoons rosemary, divided

1 cup grapes

For the strussel

2 tablespoons infused olive oil.

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

¼ cup oats

Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin.

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil with the rosemary in it until warmed.  Set aside to cool. 

Blend together the flours, oats, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend.

Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, eggs, in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Add in the grapes and mix to combine. Fill the muffin tin almost to the top of the paper liners.

Make the strussel by combining the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sugar oats, and salt in a bowl.  Stir to combine.  Top each of the muffins with some of the strussel.

Bake until golden on top and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins onto a platter and let cool for 5 more minutes. Muffins can be stored in an air-tight container for 3 days.