It's Blueberry Week..

I was craving for blueberry flavored deserts for the past few days of April, so I came up with the idea of making Blueberry Cheesecake. The funny thing is 'I don't eat cheese', any type of cheese at all, because the smell makes me feel nauseous. My relatives call me 'Keso' though. I find it annoying when I was little but got used to it eventually. It's a little crazy but I took my chances. 

next time I'll do better with the plating.. :D

I got lucky in finding the perfect recipe that satisfied my taste. Not too sweet and cheesy, just right. The consistency of the batter was awesome and I got that by not putting too much gelatin in the batter. I reduced the amount of gelatin by half a teaspoon and it divulged the natural texture and creaminess coming from the cream and cheese mixture. Though the blueberry pie filling I bought wasn't that good because the brand I was aiming for wasn't available, It still became a huge hit. My husband and Mom loved it. Surprisingly, I loved it as well. Cheese isn't so bad after all. Think I'm going to stick to this recipe for awhile. After all, there is always room for improvement.

2 days later, I bought Yummy Magazine to check out the featured recipe of Pastry Chef Aileen Anastacio. I've tried a couple of her recipes for the past 2 issues of Yummy Magazine and it was both delicious. Just in time! The featured recipe was Blueberry Muffins. No second thoughts and I went to the grocery store for ingredients. Apparently I wasn't able to bake it that day because there's no available blueberries in that store. So I went to Rustan's the next day and lucky for me, they still had 2 packs of blueberries left. Though it's not that fresh already, I went on and bought it. Tadaaaah!! :D

fresh out of the oven..

The recipe was just as I expected, "outstanding". Though it took 40 minutes to bake (it was supposed to be just 1 tablespoonful per paper cup for 20-25 minutes, but I made it 2), the texture was perfect. It has this blueberry burst and buttery flavor, not too sweet yet very moist sensation that was indeed mind blowing. The streusel on top gave it a little crisp that blended well with the soft and cake-like texture of the muffin. 

 

ready to go..

The next day, I went to my family in Caloocan and brought them some of the muffins. Just after a few minutes, muffins were gone. They undeniably loved it and asked for more the next time I visit. It was all worth it, not to mention the 16 oz. blueberries worth 350 Pesos for 16 muffins. Well, I'm not rich.. So 350 pesos for a few ounces of blueberries is a little expensive for me. :D


Another great recipe that is definitely going to be in my 'Best Recipes' list.  

Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Serves 12 muffins  Prep Time  10 minutes  Cooking Time 20 to 22 minutes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup oil
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups frozen blueberries


For the streusel
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar


Instructions:

•  Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line muffin tins with paper cups.
•  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
•  In another bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Pour over the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
• Add the frozen blueberries.
• Using a 2-ounce ice cream scooper, scoop the batter over the muffin cups.
• Make the streusel:Combine the flour, butter, and light brown sugar and mix until it resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle top of each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of streusel.
• Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until tops are golden. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Note: You can use either Frozen or Fresh Blueberries.


 Blueberry Muffin Recipe