Blueberry Lemon Muffins

I love blueberry muffins. To me blueberries have the perfect level of sweetness balanced by tart flavor. It makes my morning breakfast special and yet I’m not queasy afterward due to a nutrient-hollow, calorie-filled sugar bomb (however I do love a good frosted cinnamon roll every once in awhile). As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, baking is a skill and art form in which I am not particularly well versed. Its a form of edible chemistry that results in an incredibly delicious product, ONLY if you follow a very particular equation. Lately I’ve been very intrigued by these equations and I’ve enjoyed the trial and error, success and failure that comes along with it. This particular recipe, for blueberry lemon muffins was one of my latest successes.

It isn’t currently blueberry season here in Northern Michigan, but because I absolutely love blueberries I always freeze quite a few bags of them before the season is over and keep them to throw in my yogurt at breakfast, smoothies or to make sweet treats like muffins and crisps. If you do use frozen blueberries, just remember to thaw them before you throw them in the batter otherwise you may end up with a watery end-product.

Farm fresh eggs and fresh lemon juice are really some of the most important ingredient “particulars” I can think of. The flavoring is incredibly obvious & very different between fresh lemon juice and bottled lemon juice, the same goes for farm fresh eggs. It doesn’t mean your product won’t turn out well or taste “good,” but adding these ingredients to your kitchen are DEFINITELY recommended and I promise they’ll be worth it.

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Preheat: 375 degrees

ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
½ cup of melted butter
2 large eggs
Zest of half a lemon
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
½ cup of natural yogurt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 ½ cups of fresh (or thawed) blueberries

directions:
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a medium sized bowl. Add the sugar to the bowl and stir with a spoon. Place the eggs, cooled melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, yogurt, and vanilla into a large bowl and whisk together. Fold the flour and blueberries into the eggs. Don’t over-stir the batter. Divide the batter into the 12 cup cake liners. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Use a skewer to test if the muffins are ready. If the skewer comes out clean, the muffins are done. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan, before placing them on a wire rack.

Baking is definitely something I intend on continuing to learn and experiment with. I plan to document my failures as well as successes so that you can learn from my mistakes and of course try for yourselves. Failure is an inevitable part of baking, just as much as it is an inevitable part of life.

“If you’re not failing every now and again, its a sign you’re not doing anything innovative”

-Woody Allen

love,

tricia