Berry Muffins
I usually make these in the summer, when berries are plentiful and bursting with flavor. I gather the berries and put all the ingredients out the night before, and it takes but a few minutes to whip up the batter. Then there’s time to go for a swim and work up an appetite while the muffins bake. If you have family and guests around, just double the recipe. This more modest amount will give you a dozen mini-muffins, which I prefer, plus two regular-sized ones that I bake in small Pyrex cups. If you don’t eat them all, they freeze well.
Ingredients
Preparation
Toss the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Break the egg into a bowl, and beat in the milk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Don’t over-mix; a few lumps are welcome. Fold in the berries. (If you are using gooseberries, crush them slightly first, and roll them in at least 2 tablespoons more sugar, because they are very tart.) Butter a twelve-cup mini-muffin pan plus two Pyrex cups—or, if you prefer, eight cups of a standard muffin pan—and spoon in the batter. The mini-cups can be filled to the top; the regular cups should be three-quarters full. Bake in a preheated 400° oven. The minis should be done in 20 minutes; the regulars, 25 minutes. Sprinkle the crushed sugar on top. Eat warm with sweet butter.
