Blueberry Muffins

Traditional blueberry muffins, just a little lighter. They are healthier (less fat, less sugar, and additional whole grains) but they definitely don't taste like your typical 'healthier version'. These muffins have a nice moist and cakey crumb, studded with lots of blueberries and just a hint of lemon. Applesauce is substituted for some of the oil in the muffins, cutting fat without changing the texture. The applesauce also acts as a natural sweetener, which allows for cutting down on added granular sugar without changing the taste. Whole wheat flour is combined with all-purpose flour, so the muffins are not overwhelmingly whole-grain.

SWEET SCIENCE: Magical applesauce

With certain baked goods like muffins, some cakey cookies, and cakes, you can easily substitute 1 cup of applesauce (or similar fruit purees*) for 1/4 cup of the butter or oil in your recipe. Reduce the sugar by 1-2 tablespoons depending on the sweetness of the puree, and reduce the liquid by 1/4 of a cup. This substitution is hardly noticeable in taste, but cuts a significant amount of fat and calories. 

How does it work? Normally the fat in butter or oil helps keep the baked goods moist and tender because the fat surrounds starch granules and protects them from gluten development, locking in moisture. When you substitute some of the fat with a fruit puree, the pectin in the fruit or vegetables does essentially the same thing, making it possible to cut back on the fat in a recipe without sacrificing moisture. 

*other fruit or vegetable purees include: banana, pumpkin, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

RECIPE: Blueberry Muffins

from Ellie Krieger, in Fine Cooking Feb/Mar 2010

makes 12 regular muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour (or whole-wheat pastry flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup natural unsweetened applesauce

1.5 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1.5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (not thawed)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400F. Coat a 12-cup standard muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil until the mixture is pale and slightly frothy. Whisk in the applesauce, lemon zest, and vanilla. With the whisk, stir in half the flour mixture, then half the buttermilk. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk. Stir until well incorporated, then gently fold in the blueberries. (If using frozen, toss with about 1 tablespoon of flour just to coat -- this will help prevent the berries from 'sinking' in the batter while the muffins bake)

Divide the batter among the muffin cups using two spoons or an ice-cream scoop. Fill each muffin cup to the top. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, 20-30 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and then unmold. Serve warm or let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months.