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Buttermilk Berry Muffins have a beautiful golden brown crust and are absolutely
bursting with flavorful berries. No need to worry if fresh berries are out of
season as these are just as good with frozen berries. To add a nice touch of citrus
flavor, the zest of a orange is needed and while I have used a Clementine,
Navel, or any other type of orange you like would be excellent. To make these muffins wonderfully moist and tender we are using
buttermilk and safflower oil instead of the usual milk and butter. Muffins
fall into the "quick" bread category and you can see why when you make this
recipe. All you need are two bowls; one for the wet ingredients, and one
for the dry. Combine the two and your batter is made. Of course,
just because they are simple to make doesn't mean they can't be packed with
flavor.
If you use frozen berries, instead of fresh, just be sure not to defrost the
berries first as this will cause them to soften and bleed into the batter. As I
mentioned above we are using oil in this recipe instead of butter which makes the muffins
wonderfully moist and tender
because oil prevents the development of gluten in the flour. I prefer the
flavor of safflower oil but you can also use canola oil if that is what you have
in your pantry. If you are not
familiar with buttermilk it has a nice thick creamy texture with a rich tangy
buttery taste that makes baked goods tender. Whereas in the past buttermilk was
made from the liquid left over after churning butter, it is now commercially
made by adding a bacteria to whole, skim, or low fat milk. You can make your own
buttermilk though by adding 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar, cider
vinegar, or lemon juice to 1 cup (240 ml) of milk. Just stir the vinegar into
the milk and then let it stand 5 to 10 minutes before using.
These muffins are delicious warm from the oven and
while we often think of muffins as breakfast food, I often serve these after a
casual dinner with a scoop of ice cream.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190
degrees C). Position rack in center of oven. Butter or
spray with a non stick cooking spray 12 - 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 inch muffin cups. Set aside.
In a large measuring cup
or bowl
whisk together the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract.
In another large bowl
combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Gently
fold in the berries. With a
rubber spatula fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only
until the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix the batter or tough
muffins will result.
Fill each muffin cup
almost full of batter, using two spoons or an ice
cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the
center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire
rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before
removing from pan. Dust with powdered sugar.
Makes 12 regular
sized muffins or 6 jumbo muffins.
Note: If using
frozen berries you may have to bake the muffins a little longer than the stated
time. Also, if making jumbo sized muffins, again, you may have to bake the
muffins a little longer.
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