Power Breakfast

My older daughter is taking the PSAT this morning, so I wanted to make a breakfast for her to feed her brain, something with protein-packed almonds and vitamin-rich apricots. Oh, who am I kidding? I was craving something buttery and warm when I got up in the dark, and a brand-new bottle of almond extract beckoned from its box. Just a half-teaspoon (along with a half-teaspoon of vanilla), gave my muffins the fragrance and flavor of marzipan. Yum. And I did save a couple for the children to enjoy before they went off to school. Here is the recipe:

Apricot-Almond Muffins
Makes 6

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1/2 cups sliced almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 6-cup miffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or lien with paper liners.
2. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Whisk together the brown sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the egg yolk. Whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla, and almon extract. Stir in the flour mixture with a spatula until just combined. Stir int he apricots and almonds.
4. Sppon the batter into the muffin cups and bake until a tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove the muffins and let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.