All Things Blueberry

[simdelish]

That last recipe sounds pretty good, very similar proportions and ingredients to a reciped near and dear to me....and close to the very one I have been trying to perfect for the last couple years (not very aggresively tho )

Story to follow; please excuse the reminiscing...

Years ago, when I was 9yrs old (LOL not that long ago...) my grandmother was know to make the Best bb muffins. I was an avid 4-Her at the time, and that summer was getting ready for my first County Fair. My Nana pulled me aside and said she would teach me her secrets...

And so she did. I entered, at age 10 and won the blue ribbon for blueberry muffins (we have a very large and well respected county fair, as far as they go). Getting the blue ribbon of course granted me permission to enter the same recipe in the State Fair, but my mother didn't want to drive so far a few weeks later when that time came around.

The following year, along with a zillion other entries, from pickles to flower arrangements, to place settings, to sewing, (Man, I was hooked!) I entered scads of things. My blueberry muffins this time not only won the blue, but Grand Champion in the entire Baking division. My mother, however, still did not want to drive the extra hour or two (3 times more) to the State Fair, so that still went unchallenged.

The third year, I again won County best muffin, again Grand Champ in Baking division, at age 11. Articles in all the papers, you name it. And this time, my mother finally agreed to drive me to the State Fair. (By then, I had amassed several other blues, so the trip covered more entries.) And yes, I won the Blue.

And again, and again and again. I won both county and state for gosh, I forgot now, I guess 5 more years. Most people stopped entering, but there was always someone who thought they could top me. I was so unfazed as a child, because it was so easy. I just knew it was because of my Nana's secret recipe. After 5 years, they said I couldn't enter anymore, believe it or not. So I retired my baking career at age 16, and decided to take up boys instead.

Fast forward a "few" years. The recipe, along with many other of my grandmother's, in a box in the basement of my newlywed house. Flood. Box and all recipes ruined. I still have the stained box, still need to try to resurrect, given the time. The recipe is is there somewhere, But I haven't to this day recovered it.

So, no unfortunately I am very sorry, after that long dumb story, I do not have a recipe to share. But I just wanted to try to contribute... maybe this summer will be the summer I resurrect the famous, retired champion Blue Ribbon Blueberry Muffins.... In the meantime, maybe I can try Cali's recipe (along of course, with my Nana's secrets tips!!!)

Thanks for letting me share. (now I am sad... )

[CanadianBakin']

What a great story! You wouldn't be willing to share Nana's secret tips, would you?

I agree the CIA recipe momlovestocook linked to is good. I haven't tried it with blueberries yet but with cranberries and orange it was one of our best sellers during the winter.

[Patricia Austin]

So, no unfortunately I am very sorry, after that long dumb story, I do not have a recipe to share.  But I just wanted to try to contribute... maybe this summer will be the summer I resurrect the famous, retired champion Blue Ribbon Blueberry Muffins....  In the meantime, maybe I can try Cali's recipe (along of course, with my Nana's secrets tips!!!)

Thanks for letting me share.  (now I am sad...  )

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Thanks for sharing. I throughly loved your story, like a great blueberry muffin.

Good luck resurrecting the recipe.

Patricia

[jayhay]

Yesterday I tried CaliPoutine's recipe & the muffins were delicious! Made exactly as printed, except used 1 cup frozen blueberries & 1 cup frozen raspberries....couldn't wait until I'd been to the store. Oh, also added grated peel from 1 lemon, which I find perks up blueberries.

Now I want to try CI's recipe.

[Marlene]

Muffins

[Patrick S]

I tried the CI bb muffins last night, and they are superb. Of course, lemon-lover that I am, I used the lemon variation, where you brush the muffins with lemon syrup and then dip them in lemon zest sugar. I agree with you, jayhay, lemon works great with blueberries (and other berries). I'm making another batch tonight to give away at my nephew's birthday party tomorrow.

[Joni]

I tried the CI bb muffins last night, and they are superb. Of course, lemon-lover that I am, I used the lemon variation, where you brush the muffins with lemon syrup and then dip them in lemon zest sugar. I agree with you, jayhay, lemon works great with blueberries (and other berries). I'm making another batch tonight to give away at my nephew's birthday party tomorrow.

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Patrick...what is the lemon syrup and the lemon zest sugar amounts? I don't thnk the CI recipe on egullet had it...many thanks!!

[chantal]

I tried the CI bb muffins last night, and they are superb. Of course, lemon-lover that I am, I used the lemon variation, where you brush the muffins with lemon syrup and then dip them in lemon zest sugar. I agree with you, jayhay, lemon works great with blueberries (and other berries). I'm making another batch tonight to give away at my nephew's birthday party tomorrow.

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Patrick...what is the lemon syrup and the lemon zest sugar amounts? I don't thnk the CI recipe on egullet had it...many thanks!!

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Here you are Joni,

I edited the egullet recipe to show the variation in the introduction. Enjoy!

[shinyboots]

Does anyone have any comments or suggestions on the dreaded blueberry bottom problem -- you know, when berries sink to the bottom during baking?

I suppose the thicker the batter, the less they'll sink, but a thick batter usually means *gasp* overmixed and tough. (Note, my muffins usually end up muddled, but they are never "tough." Overmixing is less of a threat than cookbooks make it out to be. Agreed?)

Today I made Regan Daley's wild blueberry cinnamon buttermilk muffins. Their taste is very good, nice cinnamon-sugar crunch, but the crumb isn't uniform thanks to the sinking blueberries! Daley, whose In the Sweet Kitchen I Do Not usually trust, used the creaming method for her muffins.

What does CI do differently? Can they correct that sinking feeling?

[chantal]

Does anyone have any comments or suggestions on the dreaded blueberry bottom problem -- you know, when berries sink to the bottom during baking?

I suppose the thicker the batter, the less they'll sink, but a thick batter usually means *gasp* overmixed and tough. (Note, my muffins usually end up muddled, but they are never "tough." Overmixing is less of a threat than cookbooks make it out to be. Agreed?)

Today I made Regan Daley's wild blueberry cinnamon buttermilk muffins. Their taste is very good, nice cinnamon-sugar crunch, but the crumb isn't uniform thanks to the sinking blueberries! Daley, whose In the Sweet Kitchen I Do Not usually trust, used the creaming method for her muffins.

What does CI do differently? Can they correct that sinking feeling?

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They definately do not sink with CI recipe; it's one of those recipes you barely mix and the dough is very thick. The recipe says you should have flour pockets when you're done mixing. The muffin is rich, has a nice tender and tight crumb and nice tops. They are definately worth trying.

[Patrick S]

Try Cook's Illustrated's recipes for blueberry muffins and blueberry buckle.  Both are very good with the buckle recipe being the better of the two.  We made the muffins on sunday morning with some store-bought blueberries.  We picked blueberries on sunday afternoon and made the CI blueberry buckle recipe for breakfast on Monday.  It's fabulous!

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I agree. Since my CI muffins turned out so well, I made the 'buckle' recipe to, and it was also great. Tonight I'm making yet another CI blueberry recipe, the blueberry lemon sour cream coffee cake. Its cooling right now, and looks good. Can't wait to try it.

[cjsadler]

I rarely cook anything out of Gourmet, but this blueberry pudding cake was nearly as good as CI's buckle (but not quite).

[Rachel Perlow]

I made the Blueberry Muffins from the recipe in the Baking with the CIA cookbook. All butter, and very simple version. The cake part was excellent. Highly recommended. If you don't have the book, you could probably check it out at your local library.

[Patrick S]

The CI blueberry-lemon sour cream coffee cake is good, but not nearly as good as the 'buckle.' I think it could be much better with less leavening and about double the blueberries, but I doubt I'll try it again.

[JSkilling]

Try Cook's Illustrated's recipes for blueberry muffins and blueberry buckle.  Both are very good with the buckle recipe being the better of the two.  We made the muffins on sunday morning with some store-bought blueberries.  We picked blueberries on sunday afternoon and made the CI blueberry buckle recipe for breakfast on Monday.  It's fabulous!

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I agree. Since my CI muffins turned out so well, I made the 'buckle' recipe to, and it was also great. Tonight I'm making yet another CI blueberry recipe, the blueberry lemon sour cream coffee cake. Its cooling right now, and looks good. Can't wait to try it.

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Is this one the buckle? Or is this the coffee cake?

[Patrick S]

That is the "buckle."

[Wendy DeBord]

I tried the CI blueberry buckle recipe over the weekend and wanted to add that I also thought it was excellent. Thanks for letting me in on it.

[markg109]

Hi All,

I'm trying to make blueberry cordials, similar to cherry cordials. I know that using fresh blueberries would give them a very short shelf life. I tried using dried blueberries, but after reading Greweling, I found out that the invertase needs the liquid to complete the reaction. The fondant gets soft, but doesn't liquify.

I was wondering if anyone knows of a blueberry similar to a maraschino cherry, or perhaps using a brandied blueberrry would work?

Thanks,

Mark

[alanamoana]

what about dried blueberries that have been hydrated in alcohol or other liquid? that way, the liquid will allow the fondant to liquify (sp?) once coated in chocolate?

[aguynamedrobert]

I know my chef in culinary school used to prepare his own cherry's for cherry cordials...just take fresh blueberrys and soke them in a simple syrup(50%water/50% sugar, that has been boiled to disolved the sugar and then cooled) for like 2 weeks and then use them as normal...

Those actually sound very interesting...

[markg109]

Thanks for the tip, I'll try it and let you know how it goes.

Thanks Again,

Mark

[prasantrin]

I dug thru my recipes and found it!!  Yay.

Anyway, I love these.  This is from an article in Glamour mag( 1993)

Author: Jany Kirby RD

2 cups flour

2 tsp powder

1/2tsp salt

1/2 cup butter( softened)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Oven to 450.

combine dry ingredients in bowl, set aside.  cream butter, sugar till fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time. add flour and milk, mix until well blended.  stir in blueberries.  sprinkle tops with sugar.  bake 5 min, reduce heat to 375, make 30-35min.  makes 12 medium or 8 jumbo.

I've also made these in mini loaf pans.  So good.  Rich and buttery.

Enjoy.

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I'd like to make this, but only have access to frozen wild blueberries. Is there something I should do to the berries to help prevent bleeding when I add them? So far I've only used them in blueberry pancakes, and I always get bleeding, even when I add them at the very last minute and stir very lightly.

[Pam R]

Have you tried tossing the berries in flour before folding them in?

[Beanie]

I dug thru my recipes and found it!!  Yay.

Anyway, I love these.  This is from an article in Glamour mag( 1993)

Author: Jany Kirby RD

2 cups flour

2 tsp powder

1/2tsp salt

1/2 cup butter( softened)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Oven to 450.

combine dry ingredients in bowl, set aside.  cream butter, sugar till fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time. add flour and milk, mix until well blended.  stir in blueberries.  sprinkle tops with sugar.  bake 5 min, reduce heat to 375, make 30-35min.   makes 12 medium or 8 jumbo.

I've also made these in mini loaf pans.  So good.  Rich and buttery.

Enjoy.

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I'd like to make this, but only have access to frozen wild blueberries. Is there something I should do to the berries to help prevent bleeding when I add them? So far I've only used them in blueberry pancakes, and I always get bleeding, even when I add them at the very last minute and stir very lightly.

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Don't stir blueberries into pancake batter. Pour the batter without blueberries onto the griddle or pan, then sprinkle the frozen blueberries around the top of each pancake. Flip the pancakes to finish cooking; the blueberries will thaw. For muffins, etc., toss blueberries with flour as Pam noted.

[CaliPoutine]

I dug thru my recipes and found it!!  Yay.

Anyway, I love these.  This is from an article in Glamour mag( 1993)

Author: Jany Kirby RD

2 cups flour

2 tsp powder

1/2tsp salt

1/2 cup butter( softened)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Oven to 450.

combine dry ingredients in bowl, set aside.  cream butter, sugar till fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time. add flour and milk, mix until well blended.  stir in blueberries.  sprinkle tops with sugar.  bake 5 min, reduce heat to 375, make 30-35min.   makes 12 medium or 8 jumbo.

I've also made these in mini loaf pans.  So good.  Rich and buttery.

Enjoy.

←

I'd like to make this, but only have access to frozen wild blueberries. Is there something I should do to the berries to help prevent bleeding when I add them? So far I've only used them in blueberry pancakes, and I always get bleeding, even when I add them at the very last minute and stir very lightly.

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Omg, I totally forgot about this recipe. I have tons of blueberries in the freezer too. But, I'm sure the WW points on these would be too high. No blueberry muffins for me, but please enjoy. This recipe is so good.