When I was young, my grandparents lived out on a farm. One of their neighbours had a big field full of blueberries and during the summer, we’d take buckets and pick our own. I can remember one of my younger brother’s eating the blueberries faster than the rest of us could pick them. It was always a challenge to see how many ways you could use blueberries so you didn’t get tired of the same old thing. Blueberry pancakes made the odd appearance on the breakfast table although most of my siblings were too fussy to enjoy them. I loved blueberry muffins as a child with the ones from Costco reigning supreme. As I got older, I kind of went off blueberries. I much preferred raspberries, strawberries, and the Oregon native- marionberries. My daughter on the other hand LOVES blueberries. I’ve been lucky so far that in Scotland, Primary 1-3 are offered free school meals so I’ve not needed to pack her lunch and blueberries became a weekend treat. However- we’re now entering P4 and she has desperately waited three years to get a packed lunch only to learn the government has extended free lunches to P4-5 this year. After she cried for awhile (who cries over not getting to take a packed lunch?!), we decided to compromise and let her take a packed lunch a couple days a week. We discussed what things she may want and her main focus appeared to be on dessert. Lilly has a sweet tooth and I’d rather not send her to school with sweeties for a pudding. I’ve now spent a few weeks working on different muffin recipes to send with her so she can satisfy the sweet craving without the sugar high afterwards. Lemon and blueberry are always a combination made in heaven and that streusel topping adds just a bit of crunch. Almost all of my baked goods include buttermilk and yoghurt (or sour cream) because I think it creates a lighter, fluffier batter. You could substitute milk for the buttermilk, but honestly- don’t do it. If I was taking these to a brunch, I would probably drizzle them with a lemon glaze (icing sugar mixed with lemon juice), but it makes them messy so they don’t work in a lunchbox.
| Ingredients (for the muffins): 225ml vegetable oil 280g granulated sugar 160ml buttermilk 2 eggs 2tsp vanilla 270g 10% natural greek yoghurt Zest of 1 lemon 60ml lemon juice 375g plain flour 2tsp baking powder 1/2tsp salt 300g fresh blueberries (mixed with 20g plain flour) Ingredients (for the streusel): 75g plain flour 45g granulated sugar 45g brown sugar 80g butter (melted and slightly cooled) |
Directions:
- Mix the oil, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, yoghurt, lemon zest and lemon juice until thoroughly incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Careful not to over mix.
3. Pour the blueberry/flour mixture into the batter and stir gentle with a rubber spatula by hand.
4. Line a cupcake/muffin tray with paper liners then scoop batter into the moulds. Depending on the size of blueberries, I tend to place a couple extra on top of each muffin before baking.
5. Combine all the streusel mixture together in a bowl then sprinkle over the top of the muffins. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 25-30 minutes. Times may vary. You’ll know they’re done when you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. I start checking them at 25 minutes and do 2 minute intervals thereafter if they still need more time.
6. Let cool for 30 minutes then enjoy! Store in an airtight container for 3 days. These will also freeze nicely if individually wrapped in cling film then sealed in the ziplock bag.
Maddie Nyman Kitchen 
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