Who won the O versus SK blueberry & butter face-off? Yotam, of course.

M

marilynfl

Moderator
I’m prefacing this with the statement that I had a cold for 16 days and baked Smitten Kitchen’s Blueberry Muffins during that time. So it’s possible (maybe? could be?) that the reason that the ONLY thing I liked about them was the blueberries was interference from this cold because I picked out the blueberries and tossed the rest. And if you’ll recall, last week I ran into the same problem with her oatmeal and caramelized pears: it was a blah, tasteless dish other than the caramelized pears, which were wonderful

So let’s agree that possibly (maybe? could be?) it’s an unfair situation that I’m about to compare Ottolenghi’s “Lemon, Blueberry & Almond Teacakes” with Smitten Kitchen’s “Perfect Blueberry Muffins.”

Okay. Full disclosure over and done with. His were great. Hers were mediocre. Moving on to a compare and contrast: Both had blueberries, butter, sugar, lemon, eggs and flour. Both were baked in a muffin tin.

Now come to a screeching halt because that's where the comparison ends.

Contrast: SK’s muffins were...honestly...tasteless other than the happy abundance of blueberries. Deb promises a burnished top to this muffin and it is. HOWEVER, what is burnished is the golden turbinado sugar sprinkled on top, a sugar which is almost bronze to begin with. On the other hand, the batter peeking through the topping sugar was pale white. I mean, pale white as in the legs and sunken chest of a 50-year old white male hitting the beach for the first time since he was 16. THAT kind of white. I don’t even know how that is possible since there are rising agents which usually help batters brown. Not here. And the dough was a thick glutinous mass which baked, not to a tender crumb as expected, but to a dry crumb that stuck to the blueberries in a brazen attempt for attention.

I can’t even go on with this. Let’s just say that Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh’s teacakes were EXACTLY what I was hoping for in SK’s muffin, but didn’t get.

This keeper is going in the permanent stack because I made 12, gave 8 away and have heard nothing but raves so far. It’s a delightfully light, lemony, tender crumb that has a few blueberries to brighten the day. It even warmed up nicely in the microwave today. Can’t ask for more than that.

 
Lemon, Blueberry and Almond Teacakes from SWEET by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh

3/4 C + 1.5 TBL (190 grams) butter plus more for greasing pan
3/4 C + 3.5 TBL (190 grams) sugar (I scooped 1 cup and removed a scant TBL)
1 tsp lemon zest
4 eggs
2 C (190 grams) almond meal
1/4 C + 1 TBL (45 grams) flour plus more for dusting
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 C lemon juice
2/3 C fresh blueberries + 36 more for topping (or whatever you have)

Icing:
1 1/3 C (160 g) confectioners's sugar
2 1/2 TBL lemon juice

Preheat to 350 degrees. Grease 12-count muffin tin lightly with butter and dust with flour.

Beat butter, sugar and zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, alternating with almond meal.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, turn mixer to low and add flour mix.
Add lemon juice until blended.

Scoop into 12 pans and then divide the 2/3 C blueberries among the cakes, pushing them down into the batter. I actually split up the 2/3 C into piles of 12 to get the same amount in each cake. I think I ended up with 6 blueberries per cake.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until edges are brown and middle tests clean. I put mine on for 35 minutes, but they were done in 29 minutes. They bake perfectly flat. Let cool upright for 10 minutes, then run a thin, thin knife (I used my Vitamix scraper) around each one and tip out to cooling rack. Only one stuck and that still came out whole with a little more coaxing.

Serve top-side facing down with a drizzle of icing and 3 blueberries per cake.

The ONLY thing I noticed was my icing was ivory, as to be expected with a lemon yellow liquid and white powder. The photo in the book has pure white icing. I don't understand that at all.

Enjoy.

PS: While the recipe book doesn't state this, I think the 45 grams of flour could easily be substituted with a gluten-free blend of flour. But I haven't any GF mix to test this idea with. Just keep it in mind.

PPS: I ended up using 2 small Meyer lemons and 1 full-size lemon for all the juice needed.

PPPS: I only has 2/3 C of fresh blueberries left (after SK's disaster) and wanted 12 for the top. So I added 12 frozen blueberries to the batter batch. I couldn't tell which was fresh or frozen when I ate the cake. However, using all frozen might change baking time or bleed into the batter.

PPPPS: You can see how adorable his cakes turn out by using the Look Inside feature at Amazon. My icing looked NOTHING like his.

https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Desserts-Londons-Ottolenghi-Yotam/dp/1607749149/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516576932&sr=8-1&keywords=sweet+ottolenghi

 
Cheezz. Click on the book at the bottom of the page search inside this book will appear

type the title of the recipe and it will appear along with a photo....just scroll until you see it....

 
cheezz, if you're looking at Amazon on your phone, I don't think the LOOK INSIDE pops up. Follow Gay

Just like the Piper.

 
Happy discovery: I had a relapse and didn't eat the last two. Microwaved one this

Morning for 30 seconds and it was like hot out of the oven.

The icing didn't fare too well, but this shows the cakes can be made ahead of time and reheated if you want to serve them warm. You just wouldn't ice them until right before serving.

They were good either way to me.

 
Thank you, Gay. I agree with Maria. They must have rushed this to market, but I still

Appreciate the ingredient listing in volume and weight units. I do love my scale.

 
Very welcome, Marilyn. I find this very disheartening especially for someone that is a

first time baker....a mistake is a confidence killer.....thinking the problem is the baker and not the recipes.

 
Well, guess we both had blueberries on the mind: The real Jordan marsh blueberry muffins REC

I specifically was looking for something without lemon because I know my neighbors husband doesn’t like lemon. I was looking at the smitten kitchen ones as well and ended up deciding to try these even though it Called to buy pastry flour. It’s good but it’s crumbly and I couldn’t decide if it was good because I had the great blueberries I picked when I was in Oregon for the solar eclipse or not. My neighbors husband declared it the best blueberry muffin he’s ever eaten, so there’s that but I don’t know how much that’s to go off of. They were good and I enjoyed them I don’t know I can’t decide if they’re spectacular or if I’m expecting spectacular from a blueberry muffin and they don’t get get to that level. I’d certainly make these again though not so fond that they crumble but definitely going to have to try the version you posted next.



The Real Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, softened
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 whole fortified eggs such as Eggland’s Best
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups frozen blueberries, thawed
1 cup white pastry flour
1 cup bread flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup whole milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for tops
Steps
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with rack in the center of the oven.
Spray the inside of a 12 cup muffin tin with pan spray (You will only be using 10 of the 12). Then, using vegetable shortening, liberally grease the top of the pan. Place muffin papers into the sprayed holes. Set the pan aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and shortening for one minute with the paddle attachment.
Add sugar and beat on medium for about one minute.
With the machine on medium, add one egg at a time and blend to mix. Scrape sides then beat on medium for two and a half minutes. This is important to whip air into the batter.
Add vanilla and beat for a few more seconds to combine.
Remove ½ cup of blueberries to a small bowl and mash with a fork or a potato masher. Set aside.
See how much liquid the blueberries gave up. I determined that it was a bit too much and pulled ¼ cup of liquid out which I did not use in the muffins. I did leave some juice in with the blueberries however, maybe about ¼ to 1/3 cup.
Take two tablespoons of either flour type and sprinkle over the whole blueberries and toss to coat.
Mix both flours, salt and baking powder in a small bowl. Just stir a few times to mix.
Start adding the flour mixture and the milk a little at a time with the mixer running. Once they are both in, do not mix further. You want to just get them incorporated without over mixing. Otherwise the muffins will be tough.
Remove the mixing bowl to your counter and fold in the mashed blueberries. Then fold in the whole berries with the juice.
The traditional Jordan Marsh blueberry had a purple/blue tint from the berry juice.
Using an ice-cream scoop, divide the mixture between ten cups of the prepared 12 cup muffin tin. The batter will be piled high above the rim.
Sprinkle the final granulated sugar over the tops of each muffin (total 2 tablespoons) and immediately place in the oven.
Bake for five minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for 20 more minutes. (If your oven has a hot spot, rotate pan halfway through. Do not over bake. They will be soft but 25 minutes is plenty of time and they will bake a little further outside of the oven.)
Remove to a rack to cool.
Once cool, gently pry the muffins out by making sure the overhang did not stick to the pan top

https://www.afamilyfeast.com/real-jordan-marsh-blueberry-muffins-recipe/

 
Actually, that isn't the original recipe...

This one is from the Boston Globe, when Jordan Marsh was still in business.
It is the only blueberry muffin recipe my kids like.
No "shortening" and use regular AP flour. I tend to just use a pint of blueberries and skip the mashed berries part.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

Recipe By :Boston Globe
Serving Size : 18
Categories : Breads Breakfast/Brunch
Tried & True

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup 1% Milk
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Blueberries
2 Teaspoons Cinnamon Sugar

On low speed, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until blended. Mix in the vanilla. Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture, alternately with milk, ending with dry ingredients. Gently fold in the blueberries.
Line muffin cups with papers or grease well. Spoon batter into pans, mounding batter slightly. Sprinkle tops lightly with cinnamon sugar and bake in a 375° oven for 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 162 Calories; 6g Fat (32.6% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 38mg Cholesterol; 178mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 
Did you see the link that includes an interview w retired baker? This is from him.

The blogger mentions the recipe you are referring to, but this one includes tips and info directly from the guy who made them for 45 years. See the link to his interview inside the link I posted.

It is similar, but might’ve been simplified for the home baker back when they were in business. I do like the addition of cinnamon sugar idea over plain.

 
I'd trust yours--I can't imagine using bread flour as the other recipe does since the

reason for not over mixing quick breads is to keep from forming gluten---which bread flour has, of course.
LOVE blueberry muffins!!

 
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