Blueberry Muffins - BWJ

By norsegal8

There is an ineffable lightness about these muffins. Savored while still warm, the texture is melt-on-your-tongue light; only the plump blueberries seem substantial. The next day, when they have settled down, literally, they are more conventionally muffiny and a different kind of wonderful. That is the day that you might want to slice them, toast them and let a little butter melt into them.
One reason these muffins are so light is their leavening; home-made baking powder -- a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar. The other reason is the way they are mixed -- which is minimally. Although the butter is whipped to whiteness and then fluffed with sugar and eggs, the dry and liquid ingredients are folded in only enough to barely mix them. The blueberries, which are tossed with a few spoonfuls of dry ingredients so they don't sink to the bottom of the muffins, are mixed even less.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

Preparation

Step 1

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter or spray 18 muffin cups or line them with paper bake cups. These muffins are best made in standard muffin tins. If you have 2 12-count muffin tins, fill the empty 6 tins that will be empty with water. This will help the muffins bake more evenly.

MIXING THE BATTER
Sift the cake flour, the baking soda, cream of tartar and salt together twice, and leave the sifted dry ingredients in the sifter or strainer; set it on a piece of waxed paper. Remove a tablespoon or two of dry ingredients and toss with the blueberries. In a separate bowl, stir the milk and sour cream together and set aside until needed.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or work with a hand-held mixer), beat the butter on medium speed until white and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture no longer feels grainy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the paddle and the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and yolk and beat until the mixture is fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and sift half of the dry ingredients into the bowl. Add half of the milk and sour cream mixture and using a large rubber spatula, delicately fold the ingredients together, stopping when barely combined. Add the remaining dry and liquid ingredients and fold only until just mixed – don’t be concerned about getting everything incorporated. Sprinkle the blueberries over the batter and fold them in only to the just-mixed stage.

BAKING THE MUFFINS
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup at least 2/3 full, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops, which will be flat, are golden and spring back when lightly pressed. Turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack and allow them to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

STORING
The muffins will stay light and lovely for a day. If you are not going to serve them within a few hours of baking, pack them into a plastic bag; they’ll keep for 1 more day and will then be best sliced and toasted. For longer storage, wrap airtight and freeze for up to a month. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature.