Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

 

Blueberry muffins topped with a buttery streusel topping not only heightens their classic appeal, it adds a touch of crunchy sweetness to an already tender moist muffin that is bursting with plump blueberries.  

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

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makes 12 muffins

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground flax seed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large egg, beaten 

Streusel Topping

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1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons chilled firm butter

Mix flour, brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter by using a fork or pastry cutter, until crumbly. You may use clean hands to do this also. 

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Grease the bottoms of a standard 12 cup medium muffin cup tin or line with baking paper cups or silicone baking cups. Set aside. 

Make the Streusel Topping and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the flour, ground flax seeds, sugar, baking powder and salt and whisk together. Add the blueberries and toss to coat in the flour mixture. 

Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the milk, olive oil and egg. Stir until the flour mixture is just moistened, the batter will be lumpy. 

Divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups. Sprinkle each with the streusel topping.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown. If baked in a greased muffin tin, let stand about 5 minutes in the tin then remove to a wire rack; if baked in baking cups, immediately remove from the tin to a wire rack. Serve warm. 

Notes: You can use self raising flour, just omit the baking powder and salt, when making the muffin batter.   

 

Date Walnut Loaf

 

This classic British loaf gets a wee bit of an update by having a crunchy sesame seed and walnut topping. It adds a more rich nutty flavour to an already nutty sticky malt like loaf that has such sweetness and warm.  

Date and Walnut Loaf

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3/4 cup boiling water

1 1/2 cups chopped dates

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground flax seed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

1/4 cup olive oil

sesame seeds, for decorating 

extra chopped walnuts, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC)

Grease a 2lb. ( 9 x5 x 3 inch ) loaf pan or loaf baking dish and line the bottom with baking parchment. Set aside.

Place the water into a medium saucepan and bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water has boiled, stir in the chopped dates and turn the heat down to medium low. Constantly stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

In a large bowl add the flour, ground flax seed, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until combine. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

In a medium bowl add the milk, egg, vanilla extract and olive oil and beat together until combined. 

Add the milky egg mixture and the cooled date mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well combined. The batter will be lumpy however it should not have any flour streaks. 

Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top generously with sesame seeds and chopped walnuts. Bake in the preheated oven for 65 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, a few moist crumbs are fine. If you notice the loaf browning too much before it is fully baked place a piece of aluminum foil over top to prevent excessive browning.  

Notes: If you wish to substitute the white sugar for dark brown sugar just swap and pack the brown sugar, for a 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar instead of the 1/2 cup white sugar. 

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

A moreish cookie of texture and taste that is also crisp and chewy. Although you may use whichever variety of chocolate chips or chocolate chunks you wish, I find using 70% cocoa chocolate chips has less sweetness then semi-sweet chips and adds a deep rich flavour which goes so well with the chopped walnuts and caramelly flavour of the cookie in this recipe. 

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

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makes approximately 3 dozen

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 - 2 tablespoons hot water

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 250g package of 70% cocoa chocolate chips

1 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a large baking tray with baking parchment or two standard baking trays and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine and whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Add the package of chocolate chips and chopped walnuts and stir to coat. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the butter, white sugar, brown sugar, using a handheld electric mixer beat together until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and hot water.  

Add the flour mixture to the buttery sugar mixture and stir until combined. If you find the dough just a touch dry add a wee bit more hot water, about 1 tablespoon, to make the cookie dough more pliable.

Scoop dough by using a cookie dough scoop or drop rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough, place about 2 inches, apart onto the prepared baking tray or trays. Bake in the preheated oven until edges are lightly browned about 10 to 15 minutes, baking time will depend on the size you scoop or drop by tablespoonfuls. Cool baked cookies on the baking tray 0r trays for about 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all the dough has been used up and baked. Store in an air tight container.

Notes: I used Laura Secord 70% cocoa chocolate chips.