Perfect fresh blueberry muffins

Perfect fresh blueberry muffins: Blueberries are in season for the past month and blueberry muffins are the most popular muffins that Americans share across the breakfast table. It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to find that the blueberry muffin was also adopted by Minnesota as their official state muffin!

Muffins should not be confused with ‘cupcakes’. Cupcakes are more dry in texture whereas muffins are often moist and doughy and sometimes more like small portions of lightly sweetened bread.

You can serve your muffins warm or cold and sometimes muffins are served with butter and jam. We used fresh blueberries but you can also use frozen berries. The frozen berries are more likely to turn the batter the color of blueberries, but if you do not mind this, then neither do we.

Ingredients for 6 – 8 medium – large muffins

Dry ingredients:

1.25 cups (10 oz / 240 grams) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon (0.5 oz / 15 grams) baking powder
3/4 cup (6 oz / 180 grams) sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Wet ingredients:

1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 – 1/2 cup (60 – 75 ml) whole milk or yogurt.

Flavour:

2/3 cup (6 ounces) fresh blueberries
Zest from 1/2 small lemon

NOTE: If your consistency seems a little too runny, simply add a bit more flour.

Pre-heat the oven to 370 F / 190 C.
Prepare your muffin tray. In this case we used foil but we also use pieces of baking parchment that you can form into a cup in the muffin pan.
In a large mixing bowl add all of the DRY ingredients and stir it all with a large spoon to combine well.
In a jug, measure the oil and then add the 2 eggs and milk then gently mix with a fork. There is no need to whip it.
Pour the eggs and oil into the flour mix and stir with the spoon. The consistency will be a little thick.
Add the fresh blueberries and lemon zest. Don’t worry if you squash a few as you mix them into the batter.
Add the milk a little at a time until the batter has reached a thick, dollopy consistency.
Pour the batter into a jug for easier handling and fill each of the muffin cups 2/3rds full.
Place in the center of the oven for 17 minutes (the time will depend on your oven) until golden brown and risen.
Run a skewer through a muffin and when it comes out dry, your muffins are ready.
Allow then to cool and serve them warm.