Blueberry Muffins

Recipe: Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

For the Lemon-Sugar Topping:

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp finely grated zest

For the Blueberry reduction:

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 2 tsp sugar

For the Muffins:

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 1/8 cups sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 4 Tbs unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with an oven rack on the upper-middle position.

Line a muffin pan with muffin liners and set aside

First prepare the lemon-sugar topping by stirring together the sugar and lemon zest with a fork in a small bowl until combined then set aside.

Next prepare the blueberry reduction: In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat bring 1 cup blueberries, stems removed, and 2 teaspoons of sugar to a simmer. Using a wooden spoon mash some of the berries with the spoon several times and stir frequently. The berries will break down and the mixture will thickened. Reduce the blueberry mixture until it measures ¼ of a cup and transfer to a small bowl to cool to room temperature.

Now prepare the muffins. First start by combining all the dry ingredients. In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder and salt; use a whisk to combine the dry ingredients very well and set aside. In a medium bowl combine the wet ingredients. First add the room temperature eggs and the 1 1/8 cups of sugar. Whisk the eggs and sugar really well so it is light, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the slightly cooled melted butter and then the vegetable oil, lemon zest and vanilla until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk until the color is light and the mixture is combined well. Pour remaining cup of fresh blueberries, stems removed into the dry mixture and give it a quick stir and then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Using rubber spatula, fold the egg mixture into flour mixture until just moistened. Be careful not to over mix. This batter will be lumpy and even have spots of dry flour. If you over mix the muffins will be tough

Fill all the muffins cups to the halfway mark with the batter. Then place 1 tsp of the blueberry reduction in the center of each muffin. Then fill the muffin cups almost to the top with the remaining batter. There is enough batter to fill the cups equally and full. Next using a chopstick or the base of slender utensil in a figure eight motion mix the filled muffin cups by swirling the blueberry reduction inside each lined muffin cup.

Sprinkle the lemon sugar mixture evenly over the muffins so a lightly dusted crust will form.

Bake until muffin tops are golden and the tops have just set about 19 minutes After 8 minutes rotate the muffin pan 180 degrees. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meal type: brunch-Makes 12 muffins

Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen   http://www.americastestkitchen.com/

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Recipe by yumm yumm yumm.
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