Blueberry-Blackberry Whole Wheat Muffins

It's a foggy Sunday morning, and yours truly is sipping coffee inside a local bakery.

It is not sufficient to say that I have stationed myself in the back corner of this cafe. Taking over the area, is more like it. Sitting smack dab in the middle of the only couch in the store. Shoes off and cross-legged on the shiny black leather. Hogging the cushions. My book and notes and pen all over the table. My North Face bookbag resting near my foot like an old dog that doesn't like to be bothered.

And me, sipping my coffee like, "what's up?"

To be (moderately) fair, there's hardly anyone here. One gentleman by the windows at the far end is reading a newspaper, the other is sitting at the high tables to use the electrical outlet. About an hour ago a group came through- for brunch after morning service, I figure.

No biggie. Just little me with my coffee and my red leather journal. Studying, writing, reading. Just chillin'...with music hailing from the top speakers.

This is one of my most favorite things in the world.

I used a blend of blueberries and blackberries I bought and froze several weeks before summer ended.

Speaking of summer, I'm really beginning to miss it. Especially now that the chills are well on their way over to my atmosphere.

So it's really nice to have a juicy reminder of July on a brisk October morning, you know?

Some people talk about the berries sinking to the bottom of the cupcake/muffin during baking. An easy way to remedy that is to toss the frozen berries in flour before adding them to the batter. I also make sure to place a berry or two at the very top of the batter. Just so they show nicely.

What I like about these muffins is that they're not overly sweet. They're sturdy enough to send to a church picnic (as I did) and they're convenient enough to have as a light breakfast.

Who needs bakery muffins when you can make your own? Most of them serve hockey pucks for muffins anyway. You deserve pretty muffins.


Blueberry-Blackberry Whole Wheat Muffins

*Yield: 12 muffins*

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen blackberries, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the cups of a standard muffin pan; or line with paper baking cups. Grease the paper cups
2. In a separate bowl, toss the berries in 2 Tbsp flour. Set aside in the freezer.
3. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, vegetable oil, and buttermilk.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring just to combine.
6. Very gently incorporate the floured frozen berries into the batter. Then spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them nearly full. 
7. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with coarse sparkling sugar or cinnamon sugar, if desired.
8. Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.
9. Remove the muffins from the oven, and after 5 minutes (or when they're cool enough to handle) transfer them to a rack to cool. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Store the leftovers loosely wrapped at room temperature.

From King Arthur Flour