This month, I've joined up with a new cooking group called the Crazy Cooking Challenge. I came across it last month, when I noticed several of the blogs that I love to read all posted spaghetti recipes on the same day. The best part is after a few days, they select an "Ultimate" recipe from those who link up. What a fun idea! I sure didn't want to miss out, so I signed up.
This month, we are all making blueberry muffins. It doesn't get any better than that, does it? Who can turn down a fresh blueberry muffin? Not me, that is for sure. With the help of Pinterest and Google Image search, I found several recipes that I wanted to try. In the end, I let J decide. He picked The Best Blueberry Muffins from See Brooke Cook's blog. I not only loved the muffins, but I love her whole blog. Check it out.
Brooke wasn't kidding when she said these were the "best blueberry muffins" she has ever eaten. The crowning glory of these muffins is the "jam" that is almost like a frosting, that goes on just before baking. These muffins are loaded with flavor. They are not too sweet and filled with blueberries...two cups of blueberries to be exact! We will search no more for the perfect blueberry muffin.
I did make a change in the sweetener used. Brooke used a combination of splenda and sugar, but I prefer honey for an alternative sweetener. Because I used honey, I had to reduce other liquid (veg oil) and lower the oven temperature.
makes 12 muffins
Jam
1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
1 tsp sugar
Muffins
1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
3/4 cup honey (I used wildflower)
1/8 cup sugar
2-1/2 cups flour (take out 5Tbl if using whole wheat flour)
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 Tbl butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
This month, we are all making blueberry muffins. It doesn't get any better than that, does it? Who can turn down a fresh blueberry muffin? Not me, that is for sure. With the help of Pinterest and Google Image search, I found several recipes that I wanted to try. In the end, I let J decide. He picked The Best Blueberry Muffins from See Brooke Cook's blog. I not only loved the muffins, but I love her whole blog. Check it out.
Brooke wasn't kidding when she said these were the "best blueberry muffins" she has ever eaten. The crowning glory of these muffins is the "jam" that is almost like a frosting, that goes on just before baking. These muffins are loaded with flavor. They are not too sweet and filled with blueberries...two cups of blueberries to be exact! We will search no more for the perfect blueberry muffin.
I did make a change in the sweetener used. Brooke used a combination of splenda and sugar, but I prefer honey for an alternative sweetener. Because I used honey, I had to reduce other liquid (veg oil) and lower the oven temperature.
Jam
1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
1 tsp sugar
Muffins
1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
3/4 cup honey (I used wildflower)
1/8 cup sugar
2-1/2 cups flour (take out 5Tbl if using whole wheat flour)
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 Tbl butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
- Make jam: Bring 1 cup blueberries and 1tsp sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the berries, mashing with spoon, stir frequently until mixture is thickened and reduced to about 1/4 cup. Transfer to small bowl and cool about 10-15 minutes.
- Muffins: Preheat oven to 400*. Spray muffin tin or put in liners.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk honey, sugar, and eggs in medium bowl until thick. Slowly whisk in butter until combined.
- Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla.
- Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and blueberries into the flour mixture until just moistened. Batter is lumpy with a few spots of dry flour. Don't over mix!
- Divide batter into muffin cups. Fill cups completely.
- Spoon a teaspoon of jam into the center of each muffin cup. Use a toothpick to swirl the jam into the batter using a figure eight motion.
- Bake until tops are golden and just firm, about 17-19 minutes, rotating muffin tin about halfway through.
- Cool in tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool about 5 minutes before serving.
linked up to Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweet Treats Thursdays, Sweet as Sugar Cookies and