The "Best" Blueberry Muffins

Muffins have been a little difficult for me.

Well, lets face it. The first batch turned out gummy. (Damn that applesauce)

The second batch burned. (Pumpkin can die)

The third worked (corn muffins). I decided I must conquer my fear with sweet muffins and try to find a recipe that is fabulous.

And trust me it is.

I am usually not a fan of muffins, frankly I deemed them a waste of calories. But, these have made me a convert, top is crunchy from the lemony topping and the inside is moist and light. These are defeinitly not your Mama's muffin. They are so much more.

"Best" Blueberry Muffins

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C. All purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 C. Fresh or frozen blueberries

1 C. plus 1 Tbs. granulated sugar

4 Tbs butter, melted

1/4 C. Vegetable oil

1/2 C. Milk (I used almond milk)

1/2 C. Fat free yogurt (I used goat yogurt and it gave them a great tang)

12 Tsp. blueberry jam (For top)

2 Large Eggs

For the topping:

1/4 C. granulated sugar

The zest of one lemon (I used a meyer)

12 tsp. Blueberry jam

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and make sure the rack you are using is positioned in the middle of the oven.

2.. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and table salt in a medium sized bowl.

3. Combine the milk and yogurt together and whisk until there are visible lumps.

4. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs and the sugar until they are combined. Add in the milk/yogurt mixture, oil, melted butter, and blueberries.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the sifted dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula. Be careful when you do this and take care not to over mix the batter.( I still had a few lumps of dry flour when I spooned them out. Again, DO NOT OVER MIX. You will get a tough muffin and these turn out wonderfully light.)

6. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non stick cooking spray. Using an ice cream scoop, fill the cups 2/3 c. full. 

7. Spoon 1 teaspoon of jam into the center of each muffin. Using a toothpick or chopstick, cover the jam with a bit of the batter, but it does not have to be completely submerged. 

8. Sprinkle with the sugar topping.

9. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Lower the heat to 375 and bake 5-7 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

10. Devour.

For the sugar topping: Combine lemon zest and sugar with a fork so it is a crumbly consistency. 

Healthy Corn Muffins

Did you know that cornbread refers to any number of quick-breads and/or muffins that use cornmeal as one of the ingredients? That is, according to Wikipedia. I think this is an outrage. Cornbread has a distinct texture that is perfect for adding savory accompaniments. There are many different ways one can create a cornbread: in a cast iron, baked in a loaf, or (as I have done) in a delightful little muffin.

These muffins are not only delicious, but they are also healthy.

Some people don't believe that food can be delicious and healthy..amateurs.

They have a delightful crunchy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior. I surprised myself in the creation of this muffin; after searching online for several hours, I could not discover one that was something to my liking. I didn't want to use butter or a cup of oil. I didn't think it was worth it to be in some cornbread when it could be in something like a cupcake.

So, I created a recipe that was to my liking. I was nervous recipe testing..if it turns out crappy, how would I change it? How many dishes would I have to do? How much yelling would I have to endure for a failed attempt?

Thank God they worked.

Corn Muffins

Yield: 9-12 Muffins

1 1/2 Cups stone ground cornmeal*

1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 scant c. almond milk (or any other milk)

1/4 C. Honey

1 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbs. unsweetened apple sauce

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

3 Tbs. brown sugar

2 Egg Whites (or 1/2 C. Egg beaters)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Combine all dry ingredients together. Whisk To combine. Add in wet ingredients and stir to combine, but do not over mix. 

3. Using an ice cream scoop, spoon batter into greased muffin tin, filling about 2/3 full. Bake in a 400 degree oven until tops are browned, then lower the temperature to 375 and bake about 10 minutes more.

4. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

5. Enjoy with butter, jam, chili..the possibilities are endless!

*Note: I used Bob's red mill stone ground cornmeal, make sure whatever cornmeal you use in coarsely ground so you get that lovely crunch of the corn in the muffin. 

Until Next time...

Jessica