Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Blueberry Crumb Muffin

This is the muffin that has it all!  We don’t usually like a muffin with a crumb topping, as they are usually too sweet and the topping can be hard and crunchy.  This one is different because it is light and not overly sweet.  We also think the crumbs add to the visual presentation.  We used fresh blueberries, and we find that the combination of blueberries and lemon zest make this muffin stand out from the rest.  We just got a new muffin tin, so we were anxious to make muffins.  We searched for the best quality muffin tin we could find, and chose the USA pan.  Trust us, a high quality heavy tin makes all the difference in preventing the frustration associated with sticking muffins, bad release, and warping pans.  We also prefer a pan with a wide rim to makehandling easier.  This blueberry crumb muffin recipe is our new favorite!

CRUMB TOPPING 

This crumb mix can be used for so many things. It can be used on crumb cake, pie, and coffee cake.

Makes: 1 ½ cups
Storage: Can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks

½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup of sugar
¼ teaspoon apple pie spice (see recipe below)
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

1. Mix the dry ingredients with the butter by hand or with a food processor, until the mixture is pea size.
2. Refrigerate the Crumb Topping until you are ready to use it.

APPLE PIE SPICE MIX

This is a generic apple pie spice mix that can be used for pies, muffins, galettes, and cobblers.

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 dash of ground cardamon (optional)

Combine ingredients and store in an airtight jar.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
½ cup sour cream
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if you use frozen blueberries, mix them with 1 tablespoon of flour in a small dish to keep them from turning your batter green and sinking to the bottom)
2 heaping teaspoons lemon zest (1 lemon)
10 tablespoons Crumb Mix (recipe above)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease muffin tin or use paper muffin cups.
2. With a handheld mixer or stand-up mixer using the paddle attachment, on medium high speed, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Add the egg to the butter mixture and blend until combined. (If you are using a handheld mixer, stop using after the egg and mix with a spoon)
5. Add ¼ cup of the sour cream to the butter mixture, then half of the dry ingredients, mixing and repeating until the batter is combined. Be sure to end with the dry ingredients. Turn off stand up-mixer.
6. Fold in the blueberries and lemon zest until evenly mixed.
7. Spoon or scoop the batter in the the muffin tins, leaving room on the top for the Crumb Mix.
8. Top each muffin with 1 tablespoon of the Crumb Mix.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
10. Cool for at least 10 minutes for the best release of the muffins from their tins (if not using paper liners).

RESOURCE LINKS

• USA Pan Bakeware Aluminized Steel 12 Cup Cupcake/Muffin Pan