Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The Barefoot Contessa's Blueberry Muffins


I'm in the midst of a blogging dilemma right now....I have three recipes I'm dying to post and I am having a hard time deciding which one to post first- a fab salad, delicious chicken gyros or the most moist, flavorful blueberry muffins I have ever baked and possibly ever tasted? For those of you who know me, it will be no surprise that I am going with the muffins....gosh, I'm just so addicted to baking it's crazy!!! Okay, so, I think my "blueberry muffins I have ever baked and possibly ever tasted" comment pretty much sums these babies up. So, without further adieu, here is the recipe (and of course, it is from Ina Garten, aka "The Barefoot Contessa" - this women is a baking god in my opinion).

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream <I used plain Greek yogurt>
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems <I used super small frozen blueberries that I let thaw and drain over a sieve for about an hour to remove excess juice- I think this is a must step if you are using frozen blueberries>

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans. <I got 20 muffins! They are big guys, too>

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment <I just used a hand-mixer>, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean. <I use the "muffin test" to check the done-ness of my muffins. Simply touch your finger to the top of the muffin....if it quickly springs back, it is done>

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