Maida Heatters Blueberry Muffins Food

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
• Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and mix together. In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk, butter, lemon zest, and eggs. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a fork just until blended. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Don't over mix! With a standard (2 1/4-inch) ice-cream scoop or large spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared cups, filling them almost full.
• Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line 4 6-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. Sift together the flour, soda, salt, and cocoa powder and set aside. Use a standing mixer or hand-mixer to cream the butter. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one until smooth.
• On the lowest speed, alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions and the milk in two. Beat only until smooth and fully combined, you don't want to overwork the batter.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pans filling each about two-thirds full (don't bother to smooth the tops--the batter will level itself as it cooks). Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and spring back when lightly pressed. Be careful not to overbake the cakes, but know that if you take them out too early they may sink a bit. Cool the cakes in the muffin tins for about 5 minutes and then remove them to a rack and let cool completely.
• To make the ganache, put all the ingredients in a small, deep saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking occasionally to combine, until the chocolate and butter are nearly melted. Take the pan off the heat and whisk continuously until all the chocolate is melted; the ganache should be shiny and without any lumps.
• When the ganache is about room temperature, use a butter knife to spread it evenly on top of the cakes; sprinkle with nonpareil if you like. The cakes can be made a day in advance and refrigerated (they actually get better) or frozen in an airtight container.

CHEF JOHN'S BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 16 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
• Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in eggs until well mixed. Add vegetable oil, stir to combine. Whisk sour cream, milk, and lemon zest into butter mixture until smooth.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
• Stir half the flour mixture into the butter mixture until combined. Add remaining half of flour mixture and blueberries into the batter, folding together until just combined.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
• Place muffin cups on center rack of the preheated oven and bake until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.