hen
fresh blueberries are baked their flavor sweetens and their texture
softens. These factors make them ideal to use in
pies, scones, cakes, and muffins. For this muffin recipe the blueberries
are suspended in a cake-like batter and the finishing touch is a sprinkling of
streusel. Now, streusel is defined as a crumbly topping
made with a mixture of butter, flour, and sugar to
which spices, chopped nuts, and/or oats can be added.
The word 'streusel' comes from the German word 'streuen'
which means 'to sprinkle' or 'to scatter'. And this is exactly what we are
doing here. The streusel is
sprinkled over the top of muffins before they are placed in the
oven. It provides a crisp crust that adds both taste and texture. What
I especially like about this recipe is that the
streusel is actually made from a portion of the cake batter, before the
liquid was added, that has a little melted butter added to it. Although
ground cinnamon would seem like the obvious spice to add to the streusel, I
have resisted doing this as I want these muffins to burst with the flavor
of blueberries. As always, look for blueberries
that are firm, plump, fragrant, and are covered with a dusty white bloom.
The white bloom is the blueberry's natural protection against the sun and is a
sign of freshness. And be sure to check the underside of the container for
any wet spots or staining. Discard any soft, moldy, or crushed berries.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177
degrees C). Place rack in middle of oven. Line muffin pans with
paper liners or
spray with a vegetable spray.
In a small measuring cup mix
together the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl,
combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry
blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Remove 1
cup of the mixture and place in a small bowl to make a streusel topping
later. Gently fold in
the blueberries and lemon zest.
Add
the milk and egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just
combined. Do not over mix this mixture or the muffins will be tough when baked.
Fill each muffin cup
almost full with the batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop.
Fill any unused muffins cups with water to prevent the pan from warping.
For streusel topping:
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter and
drizzle over the reserved 1 cup of streusel
topping.
Mix together with a fork until it is crumbly and looks like coarse meal.
Sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of the streusel over the top of each
muffin. Place in the oven and bake until very lightly browned and firm to the
touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 - 20
minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Makes 12 -
14
regular-sized muffins.
Note: Frozen blueberries can
be used instead of fresh. Do not thaw the berries before using them. Make sure
you do not overmix the batter after you add the blueberries or the batter will
turn blue.
Adapted from Oregon's
Cuisine of the Rain by Karen Brooks.
Lemon Zest
- The yellow outer rind of the lemon that contains the fruit's flavor
and perfume. The rind being the outer skin of the lemon which
consists of both the yellow zest and white membrane (pith).
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