Too - easy blueberry muffins

I was craving for some fruit muffins and didn't want to whisk, beat, blend or anything like that. Just mix some ingredients together, preferably in one bowl with wooden spoon to save up on washing dishes. Then I came across Donna Hay recipe . That was it ! I wanted to bake them in beautiful blue XL size muffin cases and... the recipe failed. I don't really know what happened  but my muffins had lovely crunchy crust, big hole in the middle and soggy, wet bottom :( I didn't stop us from eating the edible parts but it wasn't really what I was looking for.

Because I don't give up so easily I tried again. This time had chosen regular size muffin cases and it worked. Muffins were really delicious, moist, packed with bursting in flavor blueberries with crunch crust. I think they are my favorite blueberry muffins for now. 

  Ingredients for 20 muffins: 

• 400g* self- rising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200g* caster sugar
• 125 ml oil
• 1 egg
• 125 ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g frozen or fresh blueberries ( I used frozen)
• granulated sugar for sprinkle

* when the original recipe is in cups I always weigh the ingredients and that is the result

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. 

Sift the flour and baking powder into a big bowl, add the caster sugar and mix all ingredients. Make a well in the middle and pour in the oil, milk, vanilla and break the egg. Stir all wet ingredients together, when well mixed stir all the ingredients. Mix them until just combined. The batter is very thick. Then fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the batter into paper cases up to top, sprinkle with granulated sugar. bake in preheated oven 30 -  35 minutes.

When ready transfer to the wire rack to let them cool down and enjoy !

Recipe in Polish

Sugar - free, chocolate and blueberry muffins

Today I would like to present sugar - free, chocolate and blueberry muffins. The recipe comes form 'Easy muffins' cookbook. Those muffins are quite tasty, soft, gently chocolaty with juicy bits of fresh fruits. The best when freshly baked, on next day turn a little bit dry. What is interesting the sugar was replaced by orange juice, so real sugar content depends on type of orange juice used. The best of course would be the freshly squeezed  juice. Anyway dark chocolate and blueberries belong to  super foods which, I believe, make those muffins slightly healthier then others. Enjoy !

Ingredients for 10 - 12 muffins:

• 225g flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp allspice or mixed spice
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp canola oil
• 175ml orange juice
• freshly grate orange zest (skipped)
• 100g fresh blueberries
• 45g dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. 

Sift the flour into a big bowl. Add the baking powder, allspice, cocoa and whisk them well. Then stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.

In separate bowl whisk the eggs, mix them with oil and orange juice. Then add the blueberries. Pour the wet ingredients mixture into a bowl with dry ingredients and stir with spoon until just combined. 

Spoon the batter into paper cases up to 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen. Leave them in baking tin for a few minutes then transfer to the wire rack to cool down.

Enjoy !

Blueberry cream mini tarts

Those tarts are made of digestive cookies, filled with custard cream and topped with fresh berries. Have you ever seen something that looks so delicious ?  Those mouth - watering, delicious and pretty mini tarts are worth the effort. They easy to make although it takes a while to prepare them. The recipe some from Anna Olson show.

Ingredients for 12 tart shells:

• 175g flour
• 140g digestive cookies (11 whole ones)
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 100g butter

Preheat the oven to 180. Slightly grease then muffin tin wholes.

Melt the butter and set aside to cool down. Put the cookies into a blender and turn them into fine crumbs.

Transfer the crumbs into a big bowl add the flour, sugar and salt and mix all ingredients well. Then pour in the butter. Stir well. The mixture should resemble wet sand.

Spoon about two tablespoons of the mixture into each muffin tin whole. Press with back of the spoon or with fingers to shape tart shells.

Put into preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and set aside to cool down completely.  When cooled gently remove from tin. 

baked tart shells

Prepare custard cream.

Ingredients for custard cream:

• 250ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp corn flour
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Prepare the big bowl in which the custard will be cooling down. Put butter on the bottom of the bowl. Set aside.

In a medium sized sauce pan heat up the milk. Add the vanilla bean paste. 

In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks with sugar and corn flour. When the milk is almost boiling pour a small amount of it into an egg mixture stirring all the time. Gently pour in all the milk stirring the mixture continuously. When all the milk is combined with egg yolks pour the mixture back into a sauce pan. Cook it on medium heat stirring all the time until starts bubbles. Remove form heat. Pour immediately through the strainer to the prepared earlier bowl with butter on bottom. Stir the custard with the butter. Place the piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface and set aside to cool down to the room temperature.

When cooled transfer the custard into icing bag and squeeze into baked earlier tart shells. On top of each tart put some berries. I used blueberries but any berries will do. 

 Enjoy !

Old - fashioned blueberry muffins

This is a classic blueberry muffins recipe. Very easy to make and very tasty to eat. Just basic ingredients like flour, butter, sugar and fruits make delicious cakes. The recipe comes from 'Muffin sampler' by Jan Siegrist.

Ingredients for 12 muffins or 8 muffins in boxes:

• 60g flour
• 65g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 285g flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 260g milk
• 210g blueberries (I used frozen)
• 1 tbsp flour
• some granulate sugar to sprinkle 

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line muffin tin with paper cases or line boxes on baking tray.

In an electric mixer bowl beat together the sugar and butter. When fluffy add the eggs and beat well. 

In separate bowl combine the flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. stir until just moist.

Toss the berries with 1 tablespoon of the flour and gently fold into the batter. 

Spoon the batter into muffin cases about 3/4 full. Sprinkle each muffin top with some granulated sugar. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Before removing from oven check with a toothpick if baked in the middle.

Enjoy !

 

Tahini bluberry muffins

Those muffins are ideal for halva lovers. Slightly bitter, filled with blueberries and sprinkled with almond flakes mmmmm..... . They not only tasty but healthy too. The tahini paste it made of sesame seeds which are packed with protein, iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium. Moreover the sesame seeds contain nutrient elements which reduce cholesterol. There are also vitamin E and omega 6 acids. Sesame seeds improve metabolism, neural system and  blood circulation.
The recipe comes from this blog. 

Ingredients for 6-9 muffins:

• 86 wholewheat flour
• 80g flour
• 60g brown sugar
• 1 tsp soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 130g tahini paste
• 1 egg
• 135 ml milk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 70g frozen blueberries
• almond flakes to sprinkle

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

In a big bowl sift the flours, sugar, salt and soda. In separate jug whisk the egg, tahini paste, milk, lemon juice. Pour the wet ingredients mixture in to the dry ingredients. Stir all ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
Spoon the batter into paper cases 3/4 full. Sprinkle top of  each muffin with almond flakes. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen and golden. Remove from baking tin and transfer to the wire rack to cool down completely. Enjoy !

Berry brioche muffins

Those muffins are perfect for a special breakfast treat. The only thing you have to remember is to prepare the brioche dough a day ahead. They are easy to make but the yeast dough need some time to rise. Brioche is French pastry with high egg and butter content. This time is baked in muffin tin, so you get lovely light and puffy buns with rich and tender crumb. The addition of fresh blueberries makes them moist. I think they taste the best when served sliced with butter and jam and of course cup of coffee.  

The recipe comes from Carol Pastor '75 best -ever muffins' cook book.

Ingredients for 10 muffins:

• 15g fresh yeast
• 4 eggs
• 350g plain flour
• 50g caster sugar
• 10g salt
• 175g unsalted butter
• 115g fresh blueberries

For egg wash:

• 45 ml milk
• 1 small egg yolk

Crumble the yeast into electric mixer bowl fitted with dough hook. Add 2 tsp warm water and mix the two together.  The water has to be  body temperature, if it is too hot the yeast won't do their job.

When the yeast is dissolved add the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Beat at low speed for about 6 minutes.

Turn up the speed and gradually add the butter. Continue beating for 12-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and shiny. 

Put the dough into plastic bag, seal it and chill for 24 hours or overnight.

After that time lightly grease the cups of muffin tin.

Lightly sprinkle the surface with flour, remove the dough from the bag. With the rolling pin flatten the dough 10 cm wide. Press the blueberries into the dough.

 

Cut the dough into 10 even pieces. Using floured hands, from each into a ball, the press into a muffin tin holes.

Set aside in a warm place to prove.

Preheat the oven to 220C. 

Prepare the egg wash. Mix the egg yolk and milk in a bowl. Brush thinly over each muffin top. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden and risen.

Take the muffins out of the muffin tin. Serve fresh for the beats results.

Blueberry muffins

Today I have reached for Nigella blueberry muffins recipe. They are lovely. Golden brown with purple spots. They are soft and moisture with crunchy top. We really enjoyed them. 

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 125g flour
• 100g corn flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 150g caster sugar
• 125 ml canola oil
• 125 ml buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 125 g blueberries

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, corn flour, baking powder, soda, sugar. In separate bowl pour the oil, buttermilk, egg. Whisk them well. Stir in this mixture into bowl with dry ingredients. Do not over stir the mixture. Fold in half of blueberries into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between muffin cases. Drop remaining  blueberries on the top of each muffin. Bake for 15-20 min. Cool them on wire rack. Serve warm.

 

Banana and blueberry muffins

I have recently baked low-fat muffins. I have to say they taste very good. They are soft, moisture ... .

And the recipe comes form this website.

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 300g flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 50g porridge oats 
• 2 bananas
• 280 ml buttermilk
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 egg whites
• 150g blueberries I used frozen

Topping:

• 1tbsp porridge oats
• 1tbsp light muscovado sugar

Preheat oven to 180C. Line 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

In a bowl sift the flour, baking powder, soda, sugar and porridge oats. Mix all ingredients together.

In separate bowl mash the bananas (with fork or potato masher). Stir in the buttermilk, olive oil, egg whites. Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ones. Combine everything together. Do not over stir. At last put the blueberries into the mixture, combine gently. Spoon dough into muffin cases. Sprinkle top of each muffin with oats and sugar. Enjoy!