Muffin Improvisation

blackberry and yoghurt muffins

I’m excited about these muffins in the same way I got excited about finally being able to turn a cartwheel when I was 7 years old. I’ve been practising muffins for ages now with disasters of varying degrees and more recently a few successes. A few days ago I decided to finally become my own Guru (for more about being your own Guru, see Beyond Chocolate) and make up my own recipe – my own Masterchef thing.  My son had threatened nuclear war in the supermarket a few days before and I’d managed to appease and contain him with a punnet of overpriced, sour blackberries which had been sitting in the fridge, ignored ever since. I wanted to use those – they’d probably end up tasting ok ensconced in a muffin. I had some Total Greek yoghurt (full fat) hanging about. I based the mixture on the FoolProof Yoghurt Cake and took the best tips I’d picked up from all those different muffin recipes I’d used. I let the blackberries sit in a tablespoon of the sugar for a bit and then I tossed them in the dry ingredients before adding the eggs, yoghurt and oil which I’d lightly whisked together in a separate bowl. The Total worked really well and is actually better than the Onken I’ve been using for the purpose of making muffins. It makes the mixture stiffer then the smooth batter you get using a more watery yoghurt and that helps get a muffin consistency. 

These muffins are light and fragrant and have these wonderful bursts of blackberryness inside them. I’m ridiculously thrilled with them.

Time needed to put together: 10 mins

Cooking time: 25-30 mins

Storage: They keep for a few days in a Tupperware.

Portions: Makes about 12 muffins

What you’ll need

• 1 small pot of plain yoghurt (150mls)*

*Use the pot the yoghurt comes in to measure out the other ingredients.

• 1 pot vegetable oil (sunflower or other flavourless)
• 1 to 2 pots of sugar (depending on taste)
• 3 pots plain flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 rounded tbsp baking powder
• 1 small punnet of blackberries

How to put it together

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

2. Measure out the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Sift or stir well to make sure it mixed well.

In another bowl or, better, a jug, whisk together the eggs, oil and yoghurt until smooth.

Pour the egg mixture onto the dry ingredients and then add the blackberries mixing just enough to bring the batter together. Do this gently so you don’t mash the blackberries to a pulp.

Spoon into muffins cases and cook for 25-30 mins or until skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.