Blueberry and Pecan Muffins (Delia Smith)

This is a GREAT muffin recipe from Delia Smith's Summer Collection. The topping gives it a nice crunch. The amount given makes 20 mini or 6 regular muffins. Muffins are common in the US and in Canada - that's why this recipe is included in the Zaar World Tour Canada cook book.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6 muffins or 20 mini muffins

Ingredients

• 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

Directions

1. MUFFIN MIXTURE: Start off by sifting the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl mix together the egg, sugar, milk, melted butter and vanilla extract.
3. 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.
4. Take a large spoon and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones - quickly, in about 15 seconds. Don't overmix.
5. Fold in the blueberries and half of the chopped pecan nuts (50g), again with a minimum of stirring.
6. Grease your muffin tins or use paper cups.
7. Spoon in just enough mixture to fill each muffin cup.
8. TOPPING: Mix the remaining pecan nuts (50g) with the crushed sugar and top your muffins.
9. 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.
10. 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.