It's blueberry season in Vermont! Everyone always heads to Maine and Jersey for the juicy berries.... why stray so far when there are FABULOUS berries right in our own backyard! My kitchen has been bursting with the smells of bubbling blueberry muffins, pies, cakes and jams. The berries are delicious and plentiful this year.
Picking berries is a great family activity and always guaranteed to bring smiles at the end as your day as you return home with the "fruits of your labors" a trunk full of fresh Vermont blueberries! It's a wonderful break from those endless trips to the store for "school supplies''!! You also have something great to put in the kids' lunchboxes :)
One of my favorite blueberry recipes is Carole Walter's version of blueberry muffins. Zach's Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping found in Carole's book Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More: 200 Anytime Treats and Special Sweets for Morning to Midnight. This delicious recipe is full of flavor with a hint of lemon. Every bite bursts with blueberries due to the placement of the blueberries between the layers of batter rather than the blueberries sinking to the bottom or being macerated by over-mixing! Try these blueberry gems as another special surprise in that lunchbox this week!
Zach's Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
1 small recipe Carole’s Favorite Streusel (see below)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup (11/3 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and well dried
Prepare a small recipe of Carole’s Favorite Streusel. Set aside.
Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 14 muffin cups with paper or foil cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the lemon zest and mix on medium speed until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the sugar in a steady stream, then blend in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, dividing the flour into three parts and the buttermilk into two, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until blended after each addition.
Portion half scoops of the batter into the prepared pans using a No. 16 ice cream scoop (1/4-cup capacity). [Editor’s note: A half scoop would be 1/8 cup of batter.] Place a layer of blueberries evenly over the batter, then place a dollop of batter on top of the blueberries. It’s OK for the berries to show. Take a handful of the streusel topping and crumble it over the batter and berries, completely covering the tops of the muffins with the crumbs. Press gently to adhere. Brush any stray crumbs from the top of the muffin pans using a small pastry brush.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the streusel topping is golden brown. To ensure even baking, toward the end of baking time, rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool.
Store at room temperature, tightly wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to three days. These muffins may be frozen. Makes 14 muffins.
Carole’s Favorite Streusel(Small Recipe)
6–7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Place butter in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat until almost melted; remove from heat and cool to tepid.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and nuts if using. Add to the butter and stir with a fork until blended and mixture begins to form crumbs. Gently squeeze the mixture with your hand to form larger lumps, then break them apart with your fingertips. Before using, let the streusel stand for 10–15 minutes.
Picking berries is a great family activity and always guaranteed to bring smiles at the end as your day as you return home with the "fruits of your labors" a trunk full of fresh Vermont blueberries! It's a wonderful break from those endless trips to the store for "school supplies''!! You also have something great to put in the kids' lunchboxes :)
One of my favorite blueberry recipes is Carole Walter's version of blueberry muffins. Zach's Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping found in Carole's book Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More: 200 Anytime Treats and Special Sweets for Morning to Midnight. This delicious recipe is full of flavor with a hint of lemon. Every bite bursts with blueberries due to the placement of the blueberries between the layers of batter rather than the blueberries sinking to the bottom or being macerated by over-mixing! Try these blueberry gems as another special surprise in that lunchbox this week!
Zach's Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
1 small recipe Carole’s Favorite Streusel (see below)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup (11/3 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and well dried
Prepare a small recipe of Carole’s Favorite Streusel. Set aside.
Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 14 muffin cups with paper or foil cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the lemon zest and mix on medium speed until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the sugar in a steady stream, then blend in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, dividing the flour into three parts and the buttermilk into two, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until blended after each addition.
Portion half scoops of the batter into the prepared pans using a No. 16 ice cream scoop (1/4-cup capacity). [Editor’s note: A half scoop would be 1/8 cup of batter.] Place a layer of blueberries evenly over the batter, then place a dollop of batter on top of the blueberries. It’s OK for the berries to show. Take a handful of the streusel topping and crumble it over the batter and berries, completely covering the tops of the muffins with the crumbs. Press gently to adhere. Brush any stray crumbs from the top of the muffin pans using a small pastry brush.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the streusel topping is golden brown. To ensure even baking, toward the end of baking time, rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool.
Store at room temperature, tightly wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to three days. These muffins may be frozen. Makes 14 muffins.
Carole’s Favorite Streusel(Small Recipe)
6–7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Place butter in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat until almost melted; remove from heat and cool to tepid.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and nuts if using. Add to the butter and stir with a fork until blended and mixture begins to form crumbs. Gently squeeze the mixture with your hand to form larger lumps, then break them apart with your fingertips. Before using, let the streusel stand for 10–15 minutes.