Blueberry Muffins

I love home made muffins  - they fill all criteria for me as severe comfort food when I am feeling blue - especially blueberry ones which are my all time favourites, but apple and cinnamon and raspberry and white chocolate are also hot on their heels. Coffee and pecan nut the flavours are only limited by your own chocie.  They can be served with coffee, as part of a pack up box, as a filler in between meals, served as part of a breakfast or as part of high tea and if you make them yourself you get far more for your money and you can always freeze the extra until they are needed so that they do not go to waste, although I cannot ever foresee muffins going to waste - well not in my household.

Ingredients:

250g/9 oz self-raising flour
2 x 5ml spoons (2 teaspoon) baking powder
1/2 x 5ml spoon (1/2 teaspoon) salt
100g/4 oz caster sugar
1 egg beaten
250ml/8 floz buttermilk
50g/2 oz melted butter
150g/5 oz blueberries

Method

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and stir in the sugar.  Beat in the egg, buttermilk and melted butter and beat the batter until it is smooth.  Stir in the blueberries.
2. Pour in the batter into 12 greased muffin tins.
3. Bake the muffins in the oven preheated to 220 degrees C, 425 degrees F or Gas Mark 7 for 20 - 25 minutes until they are well risen and firm but springy to the touch.
4. Cool the Muffins in the tins for 2 to 3 minutes then turn them out.  Serve with clotted cream.

*Cannot locate buttermilk I have made these with a mixture of yoghurt and milk and they still turn out more than okay.

Variation

Other firm soft fruits can be substituted for blueberries, blackcurrants and redcurants.  Both give lovely results

You can start these the night before i.e. make the batter and then in the morning beat the mixture well and then stir in the fruit just before cooking, serve warm and fresh for breakfast/brunch but however and when you make them savour and enjoy them.