Wednesday 23 July 2014

This week in my kitchen 17 :: Blueberry muffins



Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen.
A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. 
*     *     *     *     *

A little peep into some of this weeks activity...

  • Farm fresh duck, hen and guinea fowl eggs
  • Batch of muffins baked to use up the blueberries that were in danger of spoiling
  • Rainbow chard from my sister's garden
  • Poached chicken with saffron and chard and Persian barberry rice, plus the crunchy tah-dig...that I managed to break a tooth on last night and resulted in  dentist appointment this morning. My lovely Portuguese dentist who looks a lot like Matt LeBlanc is just as warm and friendly as the Joey Tribaianni character that he played so it wasn't such a bad experience...
  • Making potato salad
  • H who's now back in London, carving the roast chicken for supper
  • Celebrating with visiting relatives
  • This supper
  • Sneaking a peep at the recipe book that was intended to be one of  H's birthday gifts but arrived too late


Blueberry muffins

I used my fool proof Madeira cake recipe with a couple of tweaks to make these moist fruity muffins.

To make lots (about sixteen) muffins you will need the following ingredients:
  • eight ounces of flour (this works well with dove farm organic gluten free flour)
  • one teaspoonful of baking powder
  • five ounces of room temperature butter or dairy alternative 
  • five ounces of sugar (I used golden caster)
  • a little vanilla extract
  • two large eggs
  • five tablespoons of milk. I substituted plum sauce/syrup that I made last week with plums and maple syrup.
  • Lots of blueberries. I probably used too many but didn't want any to go to waste, and I lovely fruity cakes

Method:
  1. preheat the oven to 180c/350f or gas mark 4
  2. prepare muffin tins by lining with paper cases
  3. in a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy
  4. beat the eggs in one at a time
  5. sift the flour into the bowl and baking powder, unless you used self raising flour then fold into the mixture
  6. add the vanilla extract and milk or fruit sauce until you have achieved a good dropping consistency
  7. carefully fold in the fruit. I also adding a few stray cherries after moving the stones
  8. put spoonfuls of the mixture into the cake cases 
  9. bake for about twenty minutes or so until the muffins have risen and are golden brown on top. You can ensure they are ready when an inserted skewer comes out clean without any traces of cake batter.
  10. Leave in the tin for a couple of minutes and then remove the muffins and place on a cooling tray.
I love when the berries burst open and you get a mini explosion of sweet/sour juice when you bite into these little muffins...

joining with heather for her weekly blog hop....

coming?

26 comments:

  1. This Thursday theme makes me want to cook everything I see on the blogs. Love muffins and I think I have some fresh frozen berries somewhere in the freezer :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know I've found lots of new recipes from Heather's blog hop. The muffins didn't last at all long Karen and I think I was the main culprit!
    debx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your blueberry muffins look wonderful - as does everything else!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Susan. The muffins were scrumptious with all that fruit in them...I got a bit carried away with the fruit.
      debx

      Delete
  4. Blueberry muffins are a weekly treat in my kitchen, and yours look delicious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Sage, they were scrumptious and didn't last at all long.
      debx

      Delete
  5. We have the blueberries! Now for the muffins. Yours look so very yummy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you they didn't last at all long.
      debx

      Delete
  6. Wonderful! your cabinets are so pretty. Love your lampshade too. So cozy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Amanda, that's sweet of you to say.
      debx

      Delete
  7. The view out your back door is breathtaking! And all your food looks so delicious, and the pictures with the table and friends so inviting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. The garden is rather overgrown but we love to see it like that, the green is so calming.
      debx

      Delete
  8. Lovely as always! I should make my own blueberry cake recipe soon (though I insist on using wild blueberries for baking--the tiny ones. It's a New England thing, I think, as they are native here). Your photo out the kitchen door is particularly enchanting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why thank you. Picking wild blueberries...now that does sound enchanting. I don't think we have any wild ones but I went for a walk in the woods at the end of the garden last night and found wild red gooseberries. I didn't pick any because there weren't enough to do anything with so left them for the squirrels...
      debx

      Delete
  9. Hello Debby, I've been tantalised by your blog popping up in my 'good reads', without having the time to read any of them! Such beautiful shots and gorgeous muffins. It's the middle of winter here but the weather is so mad that my blueberry bush is covered in flowers. I'm hoping this will make for some early berries this summer. Happy weekend to you x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lucy, good to hear from you. I know there's enough time to read everything. I hope you have a bountiful crop.
      Same to you.
      debx

      Delete
  10. I can not believe that it is the end of July and I am Still picking berries, unheard of.
    Mike's favorite muffins are blueberry so thank you for sharing your recipe Debby, I will be making a batch for tomorrow's breakfast.
    Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Things have been late here too Tracey. Happy muffin making.
      Hope you have an awesome weekend too.
      debx

      Delete
  11. Oh, it all sounds divine! Berry picking season just began here in VT, so I'm sure I'll be playing with that muffin recipe soon. I have a bit of egg envy, as we have laying ducks, but we cannot find where they are dropping their eggs these days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why, thank you. I hope that you try out the recipe. Oh what a shame about the duck eggs...hope you find some today.
      debx

      Delete
  12. Blueberries muffins are a great idea, I think I'll use it, because I've my last blueberries that are at risk ^_^ We are back from Dolomites, no "blog hop" this week, but mountains photos are on my blog ^_^
    Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Valeriacrea, I hope you had a wonderful time. I'll come and check out your photos. Enjoy your muffins.
      debx

      Delete
  13. Sorry I am so late getting here, my friend.. Busy week.. Loved all your photos especially all of your herbs in the garden.. Sorry about your tooth.. smile.. Everything always looks so good and different from us somehow... Enjoyed my visit once again.. xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's always so lovely when you pop over Faye. Thanks for coming. My tooth is just like new now, thank you. That's what I love about your kitchens too, everything is similar but just that bit different in a special way. It's so good to visit.
      Take care,
      debx

      Delete
  14. Debby all looks delicious and the blueberry muffins look spectacular.
    Happy weekend !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Montse. I have to say that I ate more than my fair share of them!
      Have a great weekend too.
      debx

      Delete