Bluberry Crumble Muffins

I love a good muffin, and I love an excuse to make one.  I actually make muffins quite often.  They are great for breakfast, or the kids split one for a snack.  So, a couple of days ago, my husband brought home fresh blueberries from work.  I asked what he wanted me to make with them, and he said blueberry muffins.

The request was simple enough.  However, I didn't want to make just another plain blueberry muffin.  I decided to make a blueberry crumble muffin.  The recipe is a scratch one, but don't let that scare you. This is so simple and the outcome is so impressive.

The texture on this muffin is soft and fluffy, if that makes sense for a muffin.  While it has a fabulous crumb topping, the muffin itself won't crumble on you; that's because of the yogurt in it.  Also, for those who are keeping track, this is one for my bakery someday.

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recipe

2 C. flour
1 T. baking Powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 C. superfine sugar
2 large eggs
1 C. plain or vanilla yogurt
6 T. butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. blueberries

crumble

1/2 C. flour
3 T. cold butter
2 T. superfine sugar

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  In a small bowl combine the ingredients for the crumble. Working with your fingers, rub the mixture together until it is the consistency of bread crumbs or Parmesan cheese.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, butter, and vanilla.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet.  Combine until a soft dough forms, do not over mix.  Carefully fold in blueberries.

Scoop batter evenly into a 12 cup greased muffin tin.  Spoon crumble topping over each muffin, pressing slightly into the dough.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool.

Triple Chocolate Chip Muffins

Do you ever fantasize about what you would do if you won the lottery?  I do.  I have a life long dream of opening a bakery/cafe.  I would love to have a showcase of everyday treats like cookies, brownies, and cupcakes.  Then I would have a luncheon menu featuring salads, sandwiches and soups.  The cafe would only be open until about 3 p.m.  Allowing some free time in the evenings for family. 

Well until I hit the lottery or come across a benefactor, I spend my time perfecting recipes.  I also try out new baking equipment.  Today, I baked triple chocolate chip muffins in my new Rachael Ray square muffin pan. 

The muffins were a success among the men in the house.  Moist and chocolaty, what more can you ask for!  Please give these a try, and who knows maybe someday you will find them in a showcase of my bakery.  What are your dreams? Linking to these parties.

recipe

2 c. flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
6 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. plain low-fat yogurt or sour cream
1/4 c. milk chocolate chips
1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. white chocolate chips

Sift together dry ingredients, make a well and set aside.  In a another bowl whisk together all the wet ingredients.  With a spatula fold the wet ingredients into the dry, until just mixed.  Fold in the chocolate.  Scoop into 12 muffin cups and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes.  Allow to cool on a cooling rack.  Store in an airtight container.

Snicker Doodle Muffins

I have a great basic muffin recipe that I use for chocolate chip, chocolate mocha, and snicker doodle.  You take the base recipe, make a few adjustments here and there, and make another fabulous muffin.  We love muffins in our house.  They are great for breakfast or the mini versions are wonderful for snack at school.  This year I have made the snicker doodle version as holiday gifts. 

The muffins are quick to prepare and quick to bake as well.  One little tip I would like to share about muffins, is don't over mix.  I always mix them by hand with a spatula (more of a folding technique) not a mixer.  If you over mix muffins they will be tough and not so tasty.  If you do prefer to use a mixer, be careful to stop when the ingredients become just combined.

recipe (yields 12 muffins)

2 c. flour
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar (or vanilla sugar)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. sour cream
1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

That is the base recipe...at this point if you want chocolate chip muffins, add 1 cup of mini chocolate chips.  For the snicker doodle version we are going to add 1 tablespoon cinnamon. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non stick spray or line with cupcake liners, set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the ingredients with a large spatula in a folding technique, being careful not to over mix.  The batter will be thick.  Using a medium ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly between the 12 cups, about 2/3 full.  Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, do not over bake or they will be dry.

Allow to cool for about five minutes in the pan.  Then remove from the pan and place the muffins on a cooling rack.  In the meantime, to prepare the topping you'll need:

1/4 c. vanilla sugar or plain white sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. melted butter

Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the muffins with the melted butter.  In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon.  Then dip the muffin top in the cinnamon sugar, coat the butter thoroughly.  Allow to dry on the cooling rack.  Store in an airtight container for several days.

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