Bumblebees and Blueberries.

This entry was posted in Muffins and Scones and tagged Blueberry, Recipe, Vanilla, Vanilla Bean on July 14, 2011.

The last few days have been wet and dreary. It feels like the rain and chill are interminable and we'll never see the sun come out from behind the dark clouds.

The air is thick with the fresh earthy scent of fresh rain. If you venture outside even for a moment you return with frizzy rain hair, water droplets decorating it like a halo of mini lights.

The normally cheerful pansies drop their tiny faces to the ground under the weight of a few raindrops. But nothing seems to dampen the spirits of this determined little bumblebee. He buzzes from flower to fragrant flower and seems to inject new life and colour into the otherwise grey world.

I decided I'd pick up where the sweet bumblebee left off and bake up some happiness of my own. There's nothing like fresh from the oven Blueberry Vanilla Bean Muffins to brighten your morning. The sweet scent of vanilla paired with the bursting flavour of blueberry.

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Muffins Makes about 18 muffins.

Source: My imagination.

3 cup flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 vanilla bean 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup blueberries Turbinado sugar for sprinkling Printer-Friendly Version

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position a rack in the center. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt then set it aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter, and sugar until it's light a fluffy. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds and incorporate them into the batter. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until each is just blended. Alternate the addition of milk and the dry ingredients in thirds, making sure not to over mix each addition. Finally add the blueberries and mix it lightly.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin and fill each nearly to the brim of the liner and then sprinkle each liberally with turbinado sugar. Bake them for 15 – 20 minutes until the tops are a nice golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer them to a cooling rack and enjoy!