Jordan Marsh-Style Blueberry Muffins

Hello from 9,000 feet (2,743 meters) above sea level!

In between this post and last post, I moved house from the Front Range to the Western Slope.  All TC wanted was muffins once we were in our new place, so I made these blueberry muffins, complete with crunchy sugar on top.

Baking at 9,000 feet isn't terribly different from baking at almost 5,000 feet above sea level.  I don't generally go the reduced route in baking; instead, I almost always have to add 1/4 cup of additional flour.  My gluten-free flour of choice for this is coconut flour as it's pretty hydrophilic.

Nota bene that I've never set foot in a Jordan Marsh department store; the also-defunct New England department store with which I'm familiar is Filene's Basement.  I found this recipe particularly blueberry-ish and it met TC's cravings for a Perkins blueberry muffin (never had one of those, either!).  I personally do not mind blue blueberry muffins.  Since VGF baked goods turn out very brown (off-white flours, brown sweeteners), another colour is much to be desired.  King Arthur Flour recommends rinsing frozen berries then patting them dry with a paper towel to avoid over blue-ness.  I prefer to leave frozen berries as-is and toss them with a little tapioca starch to absorb the melt.  Whatever floats your muffin, man.

 

Jordan Marsh Style Blueberry Muffins

Modified from King Arthur Flour

• 3/4 cup sugar (I used half coconut sugar and half organic sugar, blitzed to powder)


• 1/2 cup vegan margarine (Earth Balance)


• 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds


• 1/2 cup warm water


• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk


• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups sorghum flour


• 1/2 cup GF oat flour


• 1/4 cup tapioca starch additional for high altitude


• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum


• 2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 2 cups frozen blueberries


• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch (for tossing blueberries)


• 1/4 cup sugar, for topping (I used organic turbinado sugar)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.


2. Line a 12-well muffin tin with papers or grease the wells. (If your pan is nonstick, you won't need papers, even with exploding molten fruit.)


3. In a small bowl, toss together the blueberries and 1 tablespoon tapioca starch and set aside.


4. In a small measuring cup, mix the chia seeds and the water and set aside (alternately, if you don't have a large jar of chia seed meal in your freezer for these occasions, you blitz the water and chias in a blender; the same goopy egg substitute will result).


5. In another small measuring cup or bowl, mix cider vinegar and almond milk and set aside to curdle.


6. In a large bowl, sift then whisk together flours, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt.


7. With a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together the margarine and sugar until fluffy.


8. Beat in the vanilla and then the chia mixture.  The margarine-sugar-chia mixture will look curdled; this is OK.


9. With the same mixing set up, alternate mixing in the flour mixture and the almond milk mixture in three additions, mixing until a uniform batter develops.


10. Stir in the blueberries.


11. Transfer batter to the prepared muffin tin.


12. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top of each muffin.


13. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until muffins spring back to the touch and pass the toothpick test.


14. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.

Enjoy with a pat of Earth Balance while warm! (As Sheepish Bun is doing to the left, tee hee!)



 

What in hell have you been doing, Q?  I'm so glad you asked.

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