Blueberry Muffins

photo from google images

It’s like a reflex – weather turns cold –> I turn on the oven.

One of my favorite cold morning recipes is for these super-delish berry muffins.  We are a blueberry family all the way, but obviously, other berries work just as well.  This recipe is from my old, yellowing, pages-falling-out, Sunset recipe book that has become my bread-making bible.  For better or worse, I’m in a quick-but-yummy mode in the kitchen these days.  These muffins meet both criteria.

Sweet Breakfast Muffins

“The secret of making good, pebbly-topped muffins is to treat the batter tenderly.  When you blend the liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients, stir just enough to moisten them, with about 12-15 strokes that scrape the bottom of the bowl.  The batter should look lumpy.  Over-mixing can cause tough, coarse-textured muffins.” ~Sunset: Breads, step-by-step techniques, 1986 edition

1  1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 cup melted butter

3 tablespoons honey (or 1/2 cup sugar)

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup berries, fresh or frozen

This is the order I do things:

1) preheat oven to 375º 2) melt butter.  3) measure out and sift dry ingredients in a bowl while butter melts.  4) add honey to melted butter and mix (separate from dry ingredients).  5) add milk, then egg, then blues to honey mixture and mix again (still separate).  6) pour wet into dry and gently, gently mix with a rubber spatula for literally 13 strokes.  7) spoon into muffin cups and bake for exactly 25 minutes.

a recent batch of mini-muffins-yum!

These are the official instructions:

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt until thoroughly blended; make a well in center.  In a separate bowl, lightly beat egg; stir in melted butter, honey, milk and berries.  Pour all at once into flour well.  Stir just enough to moisten all the dry ingredients.  Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake in a preheated 375º oven for about 25 minutes or until well browned and tops spring back when lightly touched.  Makes about 9 muffins.

Provecho!