Blackberry plum crumble muffins

I love, love, love these muffins. I think they may be my favourites ever.

The muffin itself is light and sweet, the fruit is dark and jammy, and the crumble on top is crispy and buttery. They are just the best for breakfast, lunch boxes, or afternoon tea.

Blackberry plum crumble muffins

Ingredients:

For the fruit compote:

• 6 ripe blood plums, peeled, stoned, and finely chopped
• 2 cups blackberries (frozen is fine)
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp sugar

For the crumble topping:

• 90g plain flour
• 90g brown sugar
• 70g butter (cubed)

For the muffin:

• 330g self raising flour
• 270g caster sugar
• pinch salt
• 120g butter, melted then cooled
• 125ml milk
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°c, and line a twelve hole muffin tray with patty pans.
2. Place all fruit compote ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat until fruit starts to disintegrate, and liquid begins to thicken. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Take all crumble ingredients and place them in a small mixing bowl. Rub them with your fingertips until well combined, then place them in the refrigerator until needed.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry muffin ingredients, then make a well in the middle.
5. In a separate, smaller bowl, combine all wet muffin ingredients.
6. Pour wet muffin ingredients into the well, and stir until combined. Try not to over-stir, as this will make your muffins heavy and dense, and we’re aiming for nice light ones here.
7. Distribute muffin batter evenly between all 12 patty pans.
8. Spoon fruit compote on top of muffin batter, and stir each one gently with the handle of your spoon or a chopstick to create a bit of a swirl in the muffin.
9. Distribute crumble evenly over all the muffins.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until muffins have risen, browned, and spring back when lightly pressed.

The three distinct elements in these muffins make them such a pleasure to eat. I’m plotting my next batch already…