Blueberry muffins are a beloved baked treat, ranging from light and airy to rich and cake-like depending on the recipe. Over-working the batter can make them dense and tough, but a recipe shared by Maple from Canada adds maple syrup to keep the crumb soft and fluffy.
The natural sweetener adds moisture and gives the muffins a more crumbly texture. With plump berries folded through, the bake has a rounded top and soft crumb, perfect for breakfast, brunch or an afternoon snack.
A quick and simple bake
This version takes 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to bake, making it a good project for the school summer holidays. It yields 12 muffins and involves just six straightforward steps.
Maple syrup is the key addition: three and a half tablespoons of pure syrup, ideally a golden colour for a delicate flavour.
Ingredients
- 100g softened unsalted butter
- 3.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably golden)
- 2 eggs
- 50g chia seeds
- 150ml natural yoghurt
- 250g self-raising flour
- Half a teaspoon of baking powder
- Half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- 100g blueberries
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
- Beat the butter and maple syrup together, then add the eggs and beat for a further minute.
- Mix in the chia seeds and yoghurt.
- In a separate bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stir to combine, then fold in the blueberries.
- Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases and divide the mixture evenly. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 160°C/Gas 3 and bake for another 18–20 minutes until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
