Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Easy Blueberry Muffins


Good morning! How are you faring after the holidays? I have to say that it was difficult dragging myself into work after getting used to doing as I pleased, but unfortunately I need the dosh, so off to work I went! Day one was not too bad - I think a lot of people are still away, and I did a horrendous tender response due this week while I was on leave so that I didn't come back with it hanging over my head. The pressure of it would have done my head in.

I needed something to pop into my lunch bag for morning tea at work this week. I was going to make the muffins we have on our list for TWD in a couple of weeks, but they called for sour cream - this is not something I keep in the house, especially when I have been away for a week and a bit. Instead, I turned to one of my newest cookbooks for inspiration - In the Kitchen by Allan Campion and Michele Curtis. Allan and Michele are Melburnians, and you can go on shopping tours and do cooking classes with them. Their book was a recent book club offering at work, and as it was chunky and practical and cheap as chips (much less than the RRP), I couldn't pass it up.

I wanted muffins, but they had to contain ingredients I had in the house, and they couldn't be outrageously sinful (ie packed with butter, chocolate, coconut, Oreos etc). In the Kitchen contains a recipe for Basic Muffins - it fulfilled my criteria, and even better, it only makes a small batch (6 muffins - although I got 8) so that I am not chomping on the same muffins ad nauseum. They are also quick and easy - no equipment other than a bowl and a spoon plus measuring cups is required.

I followed the recipe to a "T", except that I substituted the 50g of melted butter for 50ml of canola oil, and threw in a punnet of blueberries for flavour. Simple!

If you, like me, want something tasty and quick with basic ingredients that isn't too OTT, you can make these muffins with the following ingredients:

150g (1 cup) self raising flour
pinch of salt
110g (1/2 cup) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
50g melted butter (or 50ml canola oil)
1 punnet blueberries (optional)

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius, and line 6 x 1/2 cup muffin holes with paper muffin cups.

Place the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl and mix briefly to combine. Add the vanilla, egg, butter and milk to the bowl, and beat until smooth. (I mixed the wet ingredients separately in a jug before adding them to the dry ingredients, to make it easier to combine them.) Toss in the blueberries (or any fruits or nuts or berries or choc chips that take your fancy) at this stage, and stir gently to just mix through.

Spoon the batter equally into the 6 muffin cups, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the muffins are golden on top and risen.

Remove the muffins from the oven and turn them out onto a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy with a coffee or just by themselves.

My muffins are displayed on a plate given to me by my brother for Christmas. It is a "vintage" plate from an antique store, and features a hunting scene - just people in red coats riding horses with a beagle, nothing more gruesome than that. I quite like it, and it was very thoughtful of my brother to buy it, as he did so specifically for me to display my baking on. Well done bro!

17 comments:

Juliana said...

I love blueberry muffins, will have to try your recipe, they look so light and fluffy...yummie! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

I also determine a recipe's usefulness by the amount of ingredients I already have stocked. No use in buying a container of "this" when you only need a pinch. I like how pretty your muffins turned out, especially with the nice blue papers. And, the dish is just great!

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Mr NQN went back to work yesterday and yes it was an easy day which is necessary to ease oneself back into it! :P These look fabulous! :D

Ivy said...

If only I could get some blueberries :)

Johanna GGG said...

nice morning tea and wonderful plate but why did you mention oreos in muffins - I just don't need any more indulgent ideas in my head :-)

cocoa and coconut said...

I love blueberrie muffins but I rarely make them because I think I'd eat them all by morning for breakfast!

Thanks for sharing.

Kayte said...

These look so nice and homey and I love that dish they are on. To me, blueberry muffins for breakfast are one of life's greatest treats. I just love them to start the day. Warm, with those giant blueberries you can get sometimes where the berry just pops open and squirts blueberry juice in your mouth...oh, I want one!

Anonymous said...

Great idea to make a tasty treat to brighten your first days at work after the holidays!

blackbookkitchendiaries said...

this would be perfect for my morning cup of coffee:) thanks for sharing this. it looks so good.

Flourchild said...

I love blueberry muffins..these look really good. I have a muffin recipe with the best studdel topping! I so would eat one of these for breakfast!!

Hindy said...

These look delicious! I'm always happy when I find a recipe that uses self-raising flour. Thanks for this one.

Barbara Bakes said...

Looks like a great way to start the day! So sweet of your brother.

Emily said...

You've inspired me! I'm baking blueberry muffins today.

The Blonde Duck said...

I made some for Ben the other day! So much better than the box!

Jennifer said...

I LOVE blueberries, blueberry muffins...etc etc etc.

these look FABULOUS!!!!!

Emma @CakeMistress said...

Not only does the recipe look great, they're in the perfect quantity to prevent overindulging!
I get cranky over recipes that ask for buttermilk too, grr.

The Caked Crusader said...

I'm always a fan of baked blueberries so these are calling to me.

Well done to your brother for such a thoughtful and useful gift!