Name: Moist Blueberry Muffins
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 2 cups plain, all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 cup caster sugar (see note 1); 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 2 eggs, room temperature (see note 2); 1/2 cup oil (see note 3); 1/2 cup full cream milk, room temperature (see note 4); 1/2 cup plain yoghurt, room temperature (see note 5); 2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries; 1/4 cup coffee sugar crystals or brown sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Preheat the oven to a 200°C fan. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with muffin wrap cases.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, caster sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Whisk the eggs, oil, full cream milk, yoghurt and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Do not add the blueberries just yet. Hand whisk until smooth and creamy for at least 1 minute.
Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and fold in until combined. Try not to over-mix. A few flour pockets are okay. Over-mixing will result in tough muffins.
Spoon 1 tbsp of the batter into each of the muffin cases. Using your fingers, gently press 4-6 blueberries per muffin case before topping with 1 more tbsp of the batter (see note 6).
Top each muffin with a sprinkle of coffee sugar crystals or brown sugar if using.
Bake the muffins for 5 minutes, then turn down the oven to a 180°C fan and bake for a further 13 minutes. Pierce one muffin with a skewer; if it comes out clean, the muffins are ready. If not, continue baking for an additional 2 minutes.
Remove the muffins immediately from the muffin pan and place them on a cooling rack. They are best enjoyed warm or at room temperature. See the freezing instructions below.

Notes

Note 1 – These are not super sweet muffins. I keep the sugar to a minimum. If you prefer a sweeter treat, double the quantity of sugar in the recipe. You can use any sugar, including brown (brown sugar will produce a darker muffin batter).

Note 2 – The quickest way to bring eggs to room temperature is to stand them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.

Note 3 – Sunflower oil is a suitable substitute. Coconut oil also works beautifully and gives the entire muffin a beautiful flavour and aroma. Ensure you melt the coconut oil before use. Olive oil works too but produces a denser muffin.

Note 4 – To bring the milk to room temperature quickly, microwave it for 15 seconds.

Note 5 – You can substitute the yoghurt for sour cream, it is even richer and more moist. To bring plain yoghurt or sour cream to room temperature quickly, stand a small bowl of yoghurt or sour cream in a large bowl of warm water for 10 minutes (take care to ensure the water doesn’t get into the yoghurt/sour cream).

Note 6 – This process avoids the blueberries sinking to the bottom of the muffin. If you are using frozen blueberries, it avoids the batter becoming discoloured (as blueberries thaw, they can change the batter colour to a green/grey). The extra step also allows for a beautiful, big, fluffy, crunchy muffin top. You can however fold the blueberries into the batter if you prefer.

MAKE AHEAD AND LEFTOVERS – Refrigerate up to 3 days (to retain moisture). Freeze the muffins in a reusable zip-lock bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Microwave for 30 seconds to defrost or allow to thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 30 minutes.