Fresh Recipe: Very Berry Muffins

As summer progresses, Charlotte Fresh grieves the loss of each passing berry fruit.  The blackberry season is now over (how fleeting it was!), but we can still rejoice that blueberries are still to be found in this area.  Celebrate these wonderful berries while you still can, and freeze some to enjoy this winter!

Here’s a recipe I like to make for hubby when he needs a quick breakfast fix while on a tight schedule.  I make a batch the evening before, cool and package the muffins, and he’s ready to go the next day with some yummy muffins in his work bag.  I just made them again yesterday for a leisurely Sunday breakfast to celebrate the luscious blueberry.

Fresh Recipe:  Very Berry Muffins

Very Berry Muffins - the version in this photo contains blueberries & blackberries

Makes 12 muffins.

You can use glorious blueberries from the farmers’ markets, or really any type of berry that is available (especially if you freeze some).  I really like the combination of blueberries and blackberries with the touch of lemon.

• 2 C flour
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 C sugar
• 2 eggs – try Alex’s Free Range Eggs
• 1 C buttermilk – try Lakeview Farms
• 4 Tbs melted and cooled to room temperature unsalted butter
• 1 tsp all-natural lemon extract (or 1 tsp vanilla extract + zest of 1 lemon) – I like J.R. Watkins
• 1 pint blueberries (or a mixture of your favorite berries) rinsed and gently patted dry – try Windcrest Farms organic blueberries
• Turbinado sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.  To the eggs, add the sugar, butter, buttermilk and lemon extract.  Whisk to combine.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and you see very few flour streaks.  Do not over-stir or your muffins will be tough.  Add the blueberries and stir gently a few more times until no flour is seen.  Let rest for 1-2 minutes.

Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter.  Go around again, topping off each muffin.  Cups should be full and slightly mounded. Sprinkle tops generously with Turbinado sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until tops are browned and a toothpick poked in the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Cool muffins in pans for 2 minutes and then pop out onto a rack to finish cooling.