Blueberry muffins

They come out juicy and soft. Any berries work here, fresh or frozen — frozen ones do not need thawing first.

Ingredients

• flour — 200 g
• salt — a pinch
• baking powder — 10 g
• butter — 100 g
• sugar — 100 g
• honey — 100 g
• egg — 1 large (70 g)
• milk — 60 ml
• frozen berries — 150 g
• lemon zest — optional, to taste

Method

1. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.
2. In another bowl beat the butter with a mixer for 2–3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for about another minute. Add the honey and beat again. Crack in the egg and beat briefly. The batter will split slightly at this point, which is fine.
3. Add half of the flour mixture and beat lightly just to combine. Pour in the milk and start folding with a spatula. Add the remaining flour and fold it in.
4. Add the lemon zest if using.
5. Add the frozen berries and fold them in with a spatula, but not to a uniform batter — this keeps the crumb and the cut of the muffins right.
6. Spoon into muffin cases, filling them two-thirds full. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 20–30 minutes. Check with a skewer.

Tips

• For light, tender muffins the batter should not be over-mixed or over-beaten. That is the main difference from a pound cake.