the mighty muffin!!! part one: where felicia tackles the very elusive blueberry muffin
i’ve never been good with a muffin. they have either come out of the oven hard disks ready for proper roman sport or they have fallen apart at the slightest touch. for years i have tried to make a goddamn blueberry muffin and have failed miserably at it. four years ago i shouted at my food processor: IT’S NOT FAIR! I CAN MAKE THE PERFECT MOUSSE BUT WHY? WHY NOT A MEASLEY LITTLE MUFFIN?!! i seriously question whether there was a conspiracy against me. a muffin plot, if you will. something to torture me while i master more complex desserts.
but then came the KITCHEN AID. oh, oh my. there was a sweet creaming of the butter and cane sugar. there was a dusting of flour on the blueberries so as they don’t sink to the bottom of the muffin, and like the third time i failed my driver’s exam because i couldn’t parallel park and i had the whole of huntington dmv cheering me on (YOU CAN DO IT, FELICIA!), i peeked in the oven twenty minutes in, prepared for inevitable failure.
Right now the muffins are cooling on their sides, on a rack. i already scarfed one down because I just had to know. maybe i’m not cut out for the muffin game. but i’m pleased (cripe, THRILLED) that the muffins are light, delicious and golden brown. the sprinkling of sugar gave the tops (my favorite part) a nice crust and it is crucial not to overmix. i cannot stress this enough. overmixing will create hockey pucks. nobody likes hockey pucks. i can safely say that although these muffins aren’t perfection (like my chocolate orange mousse - AND I’LL TAKE THE PEPSI CHALLENGE!), they have come a long, long way, baby.
From the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook:
Note: I use all organic/local ingredients because this is how I fox trot
Ingredients
Makes 1 dozen
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan (i used unbleached)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries (ok, i think this may be too much. my muffins came out hefty with blueberries. next time i might go for 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 cups sugar (i used cane sugar)
2 large eggs (I used room temperature eggs)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (don’t you dare use imitation. and if you do, i don’t want to know about it)
1/2 cup milk (I used 2% as that is what I had on hand and it turned out fine. however, i wonder how this recipe will do with buttermilk…)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Working over the bowl, toss blueberries in a fine sieve with about 1 1/2 teaspoons flour mixture to lightly coat; set aside the flour mixture and the blueberries.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Mix in vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, add reserved flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add milk, beating until just combined. Do not overmix. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries. Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of sugar on top of muffin batter.
Bake, rotating pan halfway though, until muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Turn muffins on their sides in their cups, and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Hot Tip: If you find that you need to get your butter room temperature, pronto, cut your butter into tablespoons and leave out for 10-20 minutes. this will speed up the room temp process
August 18th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
this gives me hope.
August 18th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
oh those look so delish! i am a disaster in the kitchen, but i must try these. next weekend i am declaring as my muffin mission!
August 18th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
[…] ot involved and I plan on really delving into as much of it as I can. If this means baking delicious blueberry muffins (thanks Fel) and having to indulge in those muffins after a photoshoot - well, I gu […]
August 19th, 2007 at 3:00 am
saw on tastespotting. your berries sunk to the bottom.. next time you should coat them in a little flour before putting them in the berries.. it will prevent them from sinking whilst baking
August 19th, 2007 at 7:29 am
thanks for the note! i actually did coat them. i think the recipe called for too many berries. thanks again!
August 19th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Again, I must say it. You amaze me. Where do you find the time and energy? Proof that there is hope for the rest of us.
August 19th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
What do you mix the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with for the topping?
August 20th, 2007 at 6:18 am
The pictures say it all - yum!!!
August 20th, 2007 at 6:27 am
Sadtomato,
Good catch! that’s actually an error. Originally the recipe called for 1/4 cup sugar & nutmeg. I didn’t use nutmeg and meant to edit my notes. All fixed now. THANKS!
Cheers, Felicia
August 20th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
They look perfect to me! I wish I could grab 1 (maybe 3?) right now!
August 20th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Patricia,
THANKS! They are divine. A little less berry next time, but otherwise, delish.
Cheers, f.
August 20th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
These look wonderful! I can’t wait to try them. How do you think they’d work if I just hand mixed them?
August 21st, 2007 at 6:24 am
Oh, it should be completely fine. I just wouldn’t overmix. If you have a hand held mixer (they’re pretty cheap), it might help creaming the butter, however, all of this can be done by hand and with a little bit of muscle!
thanks for visiting, edj!
cheers, felicia
August 25th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Hi!
I just wanted to tell you, I made these just this morning and they were terrific! Thanks so much for the recipe!
August 25th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Oh wonderful!! I’m so tickled that you enjoyed them
!!
August 25th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
[…] ides have turned. Yes, indeed! My good friend Felicia recently posted about her adventures baking a batch of blueberry muffins. I have a soft spot for anything blueberry and blueberry muffins…mmmm […]
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