BLUEBERRY AND PECAN MUFFINS (DELIA SMITH)

Blueberry and Pecan Muffins (Delia Smith) image

Provided by tigerduck

Time 45m

Yield 6 muffins or 20 mini muffins, 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

150 g plain flour (5 oz)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg (size 2)
40 g caster sugar (1 1/2oz)
110 ml milk (4 fl oz)
50 g butter, melted and cooled slightly (2 oz)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
110 g small blueberries (4 oz)
100 g pecan nuts, finely chopped (4oz)
10 demerara sugar cubes, crushed
oil or butter, for brushing

Steps:

MUFFIN MIXTURE: Start off by sifting the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl mix together the egg, sugar, milk, melted butter and vanilla extract.
Return the dry ingredients to the sieve and sift them straight on to the egg mixture. According to Delia Smith, this double sifting is essential because there won't be much mixing going on.
Take a large spoon and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones - quickly, in about 15 seconds. Don't overmix.
Fold in the blueberries and half of the chopped pecan nuts (50g), again with a minimum of stirring.
Grease your muffin tins or use paper cups.
Spoon in just enough mixture to fill each muffin cup.
TOPPING: Mix the remaining pecan nuts (50g) with the crushed sugar and top your muffins.
Bake on a high shelf of the oven for 20 minutes for mini's or 30 minutes for regular ones. Oven temperature: 400°F / 200°C.
Remove the muffins from the oven and cool in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. If they are in paper cases remove them from the tins straight away.