Sugar Topping

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest from 1 lemon

Stir until combined. Set aside.

          Or

Streusel Topping

3T white sugar

3T brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

5 T melted butter

Note: Add the butter gradually if decide to do the streusel topping. More or less may be needed to create a nice, crumbly consistency.

Muffins:

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 1/8 cups sugar, plus 1 tsp sugar

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use melted butter instead.)

1 cup buttermilk (I usually keep Saco Pantry dried buttermilk on hand, in the fridge, in case I don’t have fresh. To reconstitute: 4 Tablespoons powder to 1 cup of water. Shake well.

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 425F (make sure the oven rack is in the upper-middle position). Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside (I use Reynolds Foil Baking Cups, 3 1/2″ size.)

2.  In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup blueberries with 1 tsp sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, mashing berries, until they have popped, and the mixture has thickened (approximately 6 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl and cool to room temperature (10-15 minutes).

3. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk 1 1/8 cup sugar with the eggs until thick. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla, mixing until combined.

4. Fold egg mixture into dry ingredients along with remaining blueberries. Stir just until moistened (batter will still be lumpy with a few spots of dry flour. Do not over mix).

5. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter will come to the top of each muffin cup). Spoon 1/2 tsp blueberry mixture into the center of each muffin. Using a toothpick or skewer, gently swirl the filling into the batter. Sprinkle topping evenly over the muffins.

6. Bake for 17-19 minutes, until muffin tops are golden and just firm (Rotate muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time). Cool muffins in tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool for an additional 5 minutes.