Berry Buttermilk Muffins

Berry muffin is a favourite all around the world, so of course I wanted it on the menu at Small World. And, as expected, it’s a big hit! I like using buttermilk here because it adds a hint of freshness. It’s essential to keep the batter light and fluffy, much more so than with the banana or carrot muffin recipes.

Ingredients

250 g (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

150 g (5 ½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

¼ teaspoon fine salt

2 eggs, beaten

250 ml (9 fl oz) buttermilk

115 g (4 oz) butter, melted

100 g (3 ½ oz) mixed fresh or frozen berries

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and the butter. Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, then fold in the fruit. If you are using large berries such as strawberries, quarter them, but leave smaller berries, such as blueberries or raspberries, whole.

Arrange paper cups in a muffin tin, and spoon in the batter until a centimetre from the top. If you are using frozen berries, scatter them on top of the muffins. Bake large muffins 30 minutes, smaller ones 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. The muffins are ready when you press the top of one and it bounces back slightly. Leave to cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes.

Lemon Poppy Muffins

Make as Berry Buttermilk Muffins, but omit the fruit. Instead, fold poppy seeds gently through the mix before spooning into the muffin cups, and then add a generous dollop of our lemon curd, which we use in our French Lemon Tart (see recipe) into the middle of the muffin before baking.