BLACKBERRY MUFFINS

The end of August and the beginning of September is the season of blackberries or as we call them in the local dialect “rubidnice”. It means the small fruit that grows on “rubida”, which is the local word for “hedge”. I’m not sure of the origins of this word as the Croatian word for blackberries is “kupine”. At this time of the year the undergrowth around the farm is overcrowded with bunches of blackberries that range in colour and ripeness.

Blackberries have a special place in our lives. In the early eighties, mother, my sister and I spent endless hours picking them. The following morning we sold them in the local agricultural cooperative and with the money earned we bought clothes, bags, notebooks and stationery for the new school year. We did not use them for cooking in those days as every kilo meant a few more Yugoslav dinars.

The summer of 2011 has been incredibly dry and hot and the blackberries are drier and smaller than usual. But somehow sweeter and more precious. After a short walk around the bushes and fields of my childhood I’ve picked up a few handfuls of juicy fruits and rushed home to make blackberry muffins. The person who was most impressed was a friend of my father’s who recently returned from Canada. It looks like muffins are one of the few things he really misses from there…

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
Vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
100g sugar
100g softened butter
150ml milk
280-300g flour
1 baking powder
150g blackberries (approx.)


HOW TO MAKE BLACKBERRY MUFFINS

I always first prepare the muffin tray by arranging the paper muffin cases. Mix the butter and sugar and then add beaten eggs. Add milk and vanilla sugar or some vanilla extract and then flour and baking powder. When the mixture is nicely combined add the blackberries, whole or cut in half. I used whole as they were extremely small, but if using ones from the supermarket it might be better to cut them in half. Spoon approx. the same amount of mixture into each muffin case and bake it for 25-30 min.