WHOLE WHEAT BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

America’s Test Kitchen’s “Best Blueberry Muffins” was the inspiration for this adaptation.  I changed the flour from unbleached all-purpose to a mixture of bread flour and whole wheat pastry flour.  Admittedly, the texture of these is not as light and fluffy as the original.  But if you want to sneak more whole grains into your baking, give these a try because they’re still a great muffin. 


1-1/8 cups of sugar may seem like a lot for a healthy dessert, plus what’s in the blueberry jam and the topping, but remember that you can use a sugar substitute for part of the sugar if that’s a concern.  I recommend Nu Naturals Stevia for a sugar substitute that doesn’t leave an aftertaste, but don’t use it for more than half the sugar amount or that will change.


These muffins are more work than your average, mainly because you have to make the jam first.  If you try to substitute commercial blueberry jams, you’ll get a much sweeter product, and you may not be happy with it.  Besides, the jam recipe here relies on an intense blueberry flavor and natural sweetness that comes from cooking the blueberries way down.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen’s “Best Blueberry Muffins” Rating:  8.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

Blueberry Jam:  5 oz. (about 1 cup) blueberries, fresh or frozen 1 Tbsp. sugar In small saucepan, combine berries and sugar, mashing berries with spoon.  Cook over medium-high heat till berries are jam-like in consistency, stirring often to prevent burning.  The mixture should cook down to about 1/4 cup.  Remove from heat; let cool thoroughly. Topping:  1/3 cup sugar 1-1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest Combine sugar and zest in small bowl and stir together with fork or spoon till well mixed; set aside. Muffin: 1-1/2 cups bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose, if preferred) 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat flour, if preferred) 2-1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. sea salt 2 large eggs 1-1/8 cups (8 oz.) sugar (or 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar + sugar substitute equal to 1/2 cup) 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, slightly cooled 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 cup low-fat buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice) 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries Heat oven to 400F.  Arrange oven rack to upper-middle position.  Lightly grease a 12-cup standard-size muffin pan and a 12-cup mini muffin pan.  In large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and salt.  In another, smaller bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar till light, about 45 seconds.  Add melted butter, oil, vanilla and buttermilk and whisk till well combined.  Stir in flour mixture with spoon or spatula.  Blot the blueberries on a paper towel and carefully stir into batter, being careful not to over mix or bruise the berries.  (Never, never, never beat or stir muffin batter too vigorously.  Over beating the batter is the prime cause for tough or sunken muffins.) Scoop batter into greased muffin pans, using about 1/4 cup for standards, 1-1/2 Tbsp. for minis.  Top each with about 1 Tbsp. jam (about 1 tsp. for mini).  Swirl slightly with a chopstick, using a figure 8 motion.  Sprinkle with topping.  Bake  on upper-middle rack of oven till tops are set, about 12 minutes for minis, 15 minutes for standards.  (You can carefully test with a toothpick, but if it hits berries or jam, you will have to reinsert.)  Cool in pan 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to finish cooling.  Yield:  1 dozen standard-size muffins + 1 dozen mini muffins.

BLUEBERRY-COCONUT MUFFINS WITH PECAN CRUMB TOPPING

Last year, I made Coconut-Blueberry Muffins with Coconut Streusel Topping as an experiment, using coconut oil and coconut flour.  They were delicious.  This year, I experimented again, using more coconut flour, whole wheat flour and coconut oil.  Instead of making a coconut streusel topping, I tried pecans in the topping.  I liked both, but the pecan topping covers the muffin better after it’s baked.  The coconut streusel separated slightly as the muffin baked. 
My only disappointment with this muffin is that some of the crumb topping falls off as you eat, making the muffins a bit messy.  The flavor, however, is wonderful, and the texture is moist, light and tender.  Considering that I increased the coconut flour and the whole wheat flour, this is pretty amazing.  If the crumb topping weren’t so messy, this muffin would rank as high as my current top-rated blueberry muffin by  America's Test Kitchen. 

Blueberry-Coconut Muffins with Pecan Crumb Topping Source:  Judy’s Kitchen Rating:  9.5 out of 10 PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup organic extra-virgin coconut oil 2/3 cup sugar (I used 1/3 cup sugar + 1-1/2 tsp. NuNaturals Stevia) 1 large egg 1/4 cup buttermilk (I used 1/4 cup 2% milk + 3/4 tsp. cider vinegar) 6 Tbsp. fat-free Greek yogurt (I used Yoplait honey vanilla) 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla) 1 Tbsp. coconut-flavored rum (or regular rum) 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 cup coconut flour 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/8 tsp. sea salt 1-1/2 cups blueberries, divided use Topping:  1/4 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour 1/4 cup sugar (I used 2 Tbsp. sugar + 3/4 tsp. NuNaturals Stevia) 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1 Tbsp. butter, melted Heat oven to 425F.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, or line with paper cups.  In large bowl, whisk together oil and sugar till smooth.  Add egg, milk, yogurt, vanilla and rum and whisk till smooth. In small bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir in 3/4 cup blueberries, then fold this mixture into the wet ingredients.  Do not over mix.  Spoon batter into prepared pan, using about 1/4 cup batter for each muffin.  Press remaining blueberries onto tops of muffins, pushing in slightly.  In small bowl, combine  topping ingredients with fork or fingers.  Sprinkle over muffin tops. Place muffins in oven.  Close door.  Reduce heat to 350F.  Bake about 20 minutes, or till a wooden pick inserted in center of muffins returns with just a few crumbs.  Cool in pans 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.  Yield:  12 standard-size muffins

AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN: BEST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

This has become my new favorite blueberry muffin recipe.  America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) has refined the classic recipe and brought it to new heights.  Cooking down some of the blueberries into a jam and then swirling that into the batter with more blueberries makes for an intense blueberry flavor.  But that’s not the whole story.  The muffin itself is tender, delicate, flavorful and just sweet enough.   And ATK has added a crispy lemon-sugar topping that delivers the final knockout blow.  No exotic flavors here – just simple ingredients that blend beautifully to highlight the blueberries.  This is one great muffin recipe and you can be sure I’ll be making it often. 

Best Blueberry Muffins Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Rating:  10 out of 10 PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS: Blueberry Jam: 1-1/4 cup blueberries 2 tsp. sugar (ATK calls for 1 cup blueberries + 1 tsp. sugar, but I had too much batter for just one standard tin.  Because I added the mini tin, I needed more jam.) Lemon-Sugar Topping: 1/2 cup sugar 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (ATK calls for 1/3 cup sugar+ 1-1/2 tsp. lemon zest, but, again, I needed just a bit more.) Muffin: 2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2-1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. sea salt 2 large eggs 1-1/8 cups (8 oz.) sugar 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup nonfat Smart Balance milk + 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar) 1-1/3 cup fresh blueberries (I increased the blueberries by 1/3 cup.) Make the jam:  Combine berries and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat.  Break berries with spoon and cook down to 1/4 cup.  Let cool. Make the topping:  Mix sugar and zest together in small bowl.  (I used my mini blender.)  Set aside. Make the Muffin:  Heat oven to 425F (400F for dark or coated pans).  Set baking rack to upper middle of oven.  Grease two muffin tins:  one standard and one mini, each holding 12 muffins.  Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in large bowl.  Set aside. In a  small bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar till light, about 45 seconds.  In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil,vanilla, and buttermilk.  Add egg mixture and continue to whisk till well combined.  Fold wet mixture into flour mixture with a spoon or spatula.  Mix lightly and leave the batter slightly lumpy.  Divide batter evenly among tins.  (ATK folds the blueberries into  the batter.  You can  choose to do this, but I found that some muffins got very little and others got a lot of blueberries.)  Divide the blueberries evenly among the muffins, pressing them down with your fingers.  Spoon about 1 tsp. of jam onto tops of standard muffins, and use the rest for the minis.  Swirl the jam into the muffins using a skewer or chopstick and a figure eight motion.    Sprinkle each muffin with some of the lemon-sugar mixture.  Place muffin tins in oven on center rack; close door; reduce oven temperature to 325F. Bake minis 10-13 minutes (they won’t brown).  Bake standards 16-19 minutes, or till tops are set and toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs.  Cool in pan 5 minutes before transferring to rack to finish cooling.  Yield:  12 standard + 12 mini muffins

BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE MUFFINS

I love Ina Garten.  Her recipes are simple and straightforward, and almost always comforting and delicious.  She does use a lot of high-fat ingredients, but sometimes substitutions can be made to reduce the fat content.  That’s what I did with her five-star-rated Blueberry Crumb Cake recipe.  Instead of sour cream, I used  Greek nonfat yogurt.  Whole wheat  and almond flours added some fiber to the crumb topping.  Using Smart Balance 50-50 butter blend doesn’t change the fat content, but does introduce some good fats to the mix.  The changes aren’t huge, but IMHO, every little bit helps.
Ina came through again.  This is a great recipe.  But, full disclosure……I made muffins instead of a coffee cake, and I should have made the coffee cake.  The crumb topping is just too messy for eating out of hand.  You need a knife and fork for this.  The cake itself is moist with excellent flavor.  And then there’s that great almost-crunchy topping.  What’s not to like?

Blueberry Crumb Cake Muffins Adapted half recipe from Ina Garten, Food Network Rating:  9 out of 10 PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS:  Streusel: 2 Tbsp. sugar (I used 1-1/2 tsp. NuNaturals Stevia) 2-1/2 Tbsp. light brown sugar, lightly packed 1/2 tsp. cinnamon big pinch nutmeg (I omitted) 1/2 stick  butter, melted  (I used Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend) 1/2 cup + 3Tbsp. all-purpose flour (I used 6 Tbsp. white whole wheat + 5 Tbsp. almond flour) Cake: 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter (I used 3 Tbsp. Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend) 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar (I used 1/4 cup sugar + 1-1/2 tsp. NuNaturals Stevia) 1 extra-large egg (I used 1 large egg) 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest 1/3 cup sour cream (I used 1/3 cup blueberry Greek yogurt, nonfat) 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/8 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 cup fresh blueberries Heat oven to 350F (325F for dark or coated pans).  Grease and flour a 6-cup muffin tin, or line with paper cups.  Streusel:  Combine sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using) in a bowl.  Stir in melted butter, followed by flours.  Mix well and set aside. Muffins:  Whisk butter and sugar till light.  Add egg slowly, while continuing to whisk vigorously.  Add vanilla, lemon zest and sour cream (or yogurt) and whisk again till very smooth and well combined.  Sprinkle the flour, baking powder, soda and salt over the wet mixture and stir gently with a spatula or spoon, mixing only till barely combined and still a little lumpy.  Fold in blueberries.  Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with crumbs, pressing them in slightly to help them adhere.  Bake 18-21 minutes, or till toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs.  Of course, if you hit a blueberry you have to reinsert the pick.  Transfer to wire rack to cool.  Yield:  6 standard muffins

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH ALMOND CRUMB TOPPING

Blueberry season was over too soon, again. But I was wishing for blueberry muffins. Frozen berries do not make the best muffins, but I decided to go ahead any way. I rinsed them with cold water and blotted them dry with paper towels, helping them not to bleed.

These muffins are tender, moist and full of blueberries. My fave yogurt,Stonyfield Farm, provided a lot of the moistness, and some grated apple did the rest. (The apple is undetectable in the finished muffin.) The almond crumb topping is a nice complement to the blueberry flavor, and all in all, this is a great muffin recipe for frozen berries that would be even better with fresh.

Be sure to check out my other blueberry muffin recipes. Just go to the category list on the right side of this blog. Go to Muffins -- Blueberry. You'll find 5 recipes in all, including two that are rated 10 out of 10. Or do it the easy way: just type in "blueberry muffins" in the search box in the upper left of this blog. All five recipes will come up. Blueberry Muffins with Almond Crumb Topping Source: Judy’s Kitchen Rating: 8.5 out of 10 Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS: Topping: 1/3 cup slivered almonds 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose) 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional) 4 Tbsp. butter, melted Muffin: 2 cups blueberries, frozen or fresh 1 cup grated raw apple (I used Ginger Gold, but any apple will do) 1 cup white whole wheat flour + 1 cup all purpose flour (or 2 cups all-purpose) 1/2 cup sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/8 tsp. sea salt 1 tsp. lemon or lime zest (optional) 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt (I used Stonyfield Farm) 1 extra-large egg (or large) 6 Tbsp. butter, melted (or oil) Make topping: In work bowl of food processor, or mini-food processor, process the almonds and sugar till the almonds are finely ground. Add the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and process again till combined. Add the butter and process till combined. Set aside. Heat the oven to 425F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. If berries are frozen, rinse them in a colander or sieve with cold water and let them drain; then blot them dry with paper towels, leaving them wrapped in the paper towels. Blot the apple in paper towels also. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and zest (if using). In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg and butter till well combined. Add the blueberries and apple to the dry ingredients, tossing till the fruit is well coated. Add all at once to the wet ingredients and stir lightly with a spoon or spatula till combined, being careful to not over mix. Fill muffin cups with about 1/4 cup of batter and spoon topping over each, pressing topping down slightly. Place pan in oven and immediately reduce heat to 350F. Bake 18-22 minutes or till muffins test done when a toothpick is inserted in center. Cool on wire racks. (Even if you are using frozen berries, you can still refreeze these.)

KING ARTHUR FLOUR CLASSIC BLUEBERRY MUFFINS, adapted

A fantastic blueberry season has ended, but my freezer is full of tart-sweet goodness. I think I’ve already found my fave blueberry muffin recipe, but that doesn’t keep me from trying new ones. King Arthur’s website has a recipe for blueberry muffins with rave reviews, but it’s different from the one in King Arthur Baker’s Companion, which is titled Classic Blueberry Muffins. The “classic” recipe has some of the blueberries, mashed, incorporated into the batter. Amazingly, it doesn’t turn the batter blue, it just gives it more of a blueberry flavor.

There is definitely something different about these muffins. My taster friends declared them the best muffins ever – just be aware that I didn’t share any of my fave coconut blueberry muffins with them. While I can’t give these a 10/10 rating, they are right up there with a 9. What they have going for them is a great traditional blueberry flavor and a moist, almost dense but tender crumb that pairs perfectly with the berries. The cinnamon-sugar topping is a nice introduction to the vanilla-berry muffin underneath. Yep, this one’s a keeper. My thanks to Jessica (A Singleton in the Kitchen) for posting this recipe and to King Arthur for giving us yet another winning recipe.

King Arthur Flour Classic Blueberry Muffins

Adapted from A Singleton in the Kitchen

Rating: 9 out of 10 Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS: 1/2 stick (2 oz.) Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend

1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup sugar + 1 Tbsp. Stevia)

1/2 tsp. sea salt

2-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, divided use*

2 large eggs

1/2 cup no-sugar added applesauce

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 tsp. baking powder

2 cups flour whisked first, then lightly spooned and swept*

1/2 cup milk (I used fat-free half and half)

cinnamon sugar for the top (3 Tbsp. sugar+ 1 tsp. cinnamon)

*If blueberries are frozen, rinse them with cool water and blot dry with paper towels before adding to batter.

** (I used 1 cup KA white whole wheat flour + 1 cup White Lily all-purpose)

Preheat oven to 425F. In large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and salt. Add 1/2 cup of blueberries and mix on low speed till mashed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add applesauce & vanilla and beat on low speed till incorporated.

Combine baking powder and flour in medium bowl. Add half of the dry mixture to the wet mixture, using a spatula or spoon. Mix in half the milk. Repeat. Carefully stir in berries. Using about a generous 1/4 cup of batter, fill 12 lightly greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Place muffins in oven and immediately reduce temperature to 350F. Bake 17-20 minutes (mine took 19 min.), or until a tester inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. Remove muffins from oven and let cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Freeze any muffins that are not eaten the day baked. Nuke frozen muffins about 20 seconds on high, then let them sit in the microwave for about 15 minutes. Yield: 12 muffins

COCONUT-BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH COCONUT STREUSEL TOPPING

I'm celebrating blueberries this week. Eastern North Carolina is flooded with blueberries. They're good and they're cheap. And they're good for you. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants that protect your eyes, colon, urinary tract and brain from degenerative disease. Blueberries are easy to freeze. Just rinse them well, drain in a colander, pat dry on paper towels, remove any stems and pack in plastic bags containing 1 cup each, inside freezer bags. Then, when you need some, you can just remove a bag. And you don't have to use a whole cup. If you just want a handful, take that out -- the blueberries will not be stuck together, so you can easily remove what you want and leave the rest in the freezer. In the winter, you can easily remove some blueberries, mix with yogurt, and top with toasted sliced almonds for a delicious mid-day treat; or sprinkle some on your morning cereal. You can enjoy blueberries all year long if you pack them now in your freezer.

This recipe for blueberry muffins was an experiment, again with coconut flour, coconut oil, and coconut-flavored rum. It turned out even better than expected. I used fresh berries (always the best in muffins) but frozen will work. I highly recommend baking with coconut flour and coconut oil because of the numerous health benefits, especially if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic. Coconut flour will add fiber and protein both of which will slow the carbohydrates down in your system; and the coconut oil contains good heart-healthy saturated fat. The coconut-flavored rum speaks for itself -- remember that the alcohol burns off and you are left with the fantastic flavor. Coconut and blueberries are meant to be partners, and in this muffin they will stay wedded for life because they are completely synergistic. This muffin is tender, flavorful and moist, full of blueberry goodness with a nicely sweet crunchy topping. You'll get 6 standard muffins and 12 minis from this recipe, and they freeze beautifully.

Coconut-Blueberry Muffins with Coconut Streusel Topping

Source: Judy's Kitchen

Rating: 10 out of 10

INGREDIENTS: 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin coconut oil

2 Tbsp. Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend, melted and partially cooled

2/3 cup sugar (I used 1/3 cup sugar + 1-1/2 tsp. Stevia)

1 large egg

6 Tbsp. low-fat buttermilk

4 Tbsp. lite sour cream

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. coconut-flavored rum (or plain rum if preferred)

1 cup + 3 Tbsp. Ultra-grain flour (30% whole wheat) (You can sub all-purpose or white whole wheat flour)

3 Tbsp. coconut flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, divided use

Coconut streusel topping (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 425F. Spray a 6-cup standard muffin tin and a 12-cup mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk coconut oil, SB and sugar together till smooth. Whisk in egg, buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla and rum, beating till thick and smooth. In a small bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Toss 3/4 cup blueberries in the flour mixture. Add dry ingredients with blueberries all at once to wet ingredients and stir lightly with a spoon or spatula till barely mixed. It's ok if some flour is showing; and it's ok if batter is lumpy. Don't overmix. Using an ice-cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure, fill standard muffin tins with batter, almost to top. Press remaining blueberries into tops of muffins and press on some streusel topping. Repeat with mini muffin tins, dividing remaining batter equally among 12 cups. Place tins in oven and immediately reduce heat to 375. Bake minis about 13 minutes; standards about 18 minutes. Test muffins with toothpick -- when it returns almost clean muffins should be removed from oven to cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transferred to wire rack to finish cooling.

Coconut Streusel Topping

Source: Judy's Kitchen

Rating: 10 out of 10

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup toasted pecans (or other favorite nut), chopped or crushed

1/2 cup dried sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar (I used 2 Tbsp. sugar + 3/4 tsp. Stevia)

1/4 tsp. baking powder

pinch of sea salt

2-1/2 tsp. melted Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend (or butter)

Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Freeze leftover topping to use later.

BUTTERMILK BERRY MUFFINS, ADAPTED

Another great recipe from
JoyofBaking.com. This is a thick batter, and it's loaded with berries. I used frozen and the results were great. I love the texture and flavor of this muffin and love all the berries. Moist, tender and flavorful -- this one's a keeper!

Buttermilk Berry Muffins, Adapted

Rating: 10 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half bread flour + half whole-wheat pastry flour)

3/4 cup sugar + 1-1/2 tsp. sugar for topping

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt (I used sea salt)

zest of 1 orange (I used 1 packet True Lemon; 2 packets True Orange; 2 tsp. orange zest + 2 tsp. lemon zest)

1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, divided use

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

1 large egg

3/4 cup buttermilk (I used 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk + 1/4 cup vanilla nonfat yogurt)

2/3 cup canola oil (I used 1/2 cup applesauce + enough oil to make 2/3 cup)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon and orange zests till well combined. Stir in 1 cup of blueberries and 1 cup of raspberries, mixing till they are well coated with the flour mixture.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, applesauce, oil and vanilla till smooth and well combined. With a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring only until they are just barely combined. Do not overmix. A few lumps are ok. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup almost full of batter.

Sprinkle each muffin top with about 1/8 tsp. sugar. Evenly divide the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries -- place on top of muffins, pressing in slightly. Bake in center of oven 15-20 minutes, or till toothpick inserted in center returns with just a few crumbs. Cool in pans 5 minutes, then turn out onto rack to finish cooling. Yield: 12 standard-size muffins. These are yummy!

LAWSUIT BUTTERMILK BLUEBERRY MUFFINS, ADAPTED

The title of this recipe got to me -- I had to try a recipe that generated a lawsuit. The story goes something like this: Marcy Goldman (The Best of BetterBaking.com), worked for and developed recipes for two bakeries and had to leave the recipes behind when she left both. She decided to take legal action to defend her rights as the person who had worked to create such a great muffin recipe. These muffins are purported to be so wonderful because of their moistness and flavor, and the fact that the recipe base will complement any fruit combination. I had blueberries in my freezer, so they were my fruit of choice. And I had leftover streusel from 3 different recipes also in my freezer, so I used that instead of making more. These muffins are really good; however, 1-3/4 cups of fruit (which is what the recipe calls for) is not enough. I like a lot of blueberries in my muffins, and these were sparse. I made a low-fat, lower-sugar version and used whole wheat flour. I also changed the baking temps, because I always start my oven at 500F and reduce to 350-400F as soon as the muffins go in, for a high, tender muffin. I found this recipe on creampuffsinvenice.typepad.com, but it was an adapted version, so I don't know what the original recipe looks like. If you go to Marcy's website, you'll have to pay for the recipe. BTW, this is a thick batter, so I don't think you'll have trouble with the blueberries staying where you put them. I usually put them on top of the batter after the muffin tins are filled and then just push them in. That's what I did, but the batter is so thick and spongy, you're really better off mixing them right in with the batter before filling the tins. The yield is supposed to be 12, but I got 16 standard-size muffins.


Lawsuit Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins, Adapted
Rating: 9 out of 10
For the Streusel Topping:
1 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

In a bowl, combine all of the streusel topping ingredients. With your fingers, combine until you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside if using immediately, or store in the fridge.

For the muffins:
2-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1-1/2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest (or orange, or combination)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1-1/4 cup white sugar (I used 3/4 cup sugar + 2 tsp. Stevia)
1 tsp. molasses
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 large egg
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
2-1/2 cups blueberries (This is 3/4 cup more than the recipe calls for.)

Preheat oven to 500F. (Yes, 500, it's not a mistake. Trust me, this works great!) Line 16 muffin wells with paper cups, or spray with flour-added non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients); set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, applesauce, sugar, molasses, lemon juice and egg and beat with a whisk till smooth. Add the buttermilk and beat till smooth. Pour the wet batter into the dry ingredients and just whisk till barely combined. Gently fold in the blueberries with a spatula. The batter should be fairly stiff but spongy. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full. Divide the streusel topping evenly among the muffins. Place in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 350F. Bake for 16-20 minutes. Muffins will be done when they spring back when lightly pressed. Or use a toothpick to test for doneness. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.