Kefir Muffins

Written by on in Dessert

Even though the fall is just around the corner, we have been blessed with a few final summer weather days, with the temperatures reaching up to 30°C. As I discovered some last local strawberries and blueberries of this season, I decided to embark on a baking project which combines the ultimate breath of summer, before we move onto all the apples and the plums of the upcoming autumn.

Strawberries, actually any kind of berries, are to my mind a natural addition to the soft, yet crisp muffins. Their silky texture is perfectly complimented by the slight sourness of the strawberries and the little acidity of the blueberries. In order to achieve this kind of balance, I used some kefir in the batter recipe, which makes the muffins not only extra moist, but also contributes to their tenderness. To spice it up, I added a touch of cardamom and ground coriander, bringing it all together by the gentle vanilla taste.

It may sound weird, but muffins hold a special place in my cooking heart – they are the first baking recipe that I have ever learnt and I really enjoy making big batches of them and sharing them with others.

The recipe below has two versions, as I experimented with two kinds of fat – the first one, uses the traditional butter and the second one substitutes it with sunflower oil (any neutral tasting oil would work here). In my opinion, the resulting difference in taste centers around the sweetness – the muffins with butter are sweeter than the ones with the oil. The oil itself adds another layer of moisture and the texture appears loftier. However, the distinctive taste of oil is still noticeable when compared to the muffins baked using butter.

I invite you to try out both of the versions and decide yourselves and send me your thoughts on which of the variations you prefer.

Kefir Muffins
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Kefir Muffins

Recipe by monika.gemmetCourse: DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

12

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes

Perfect addition to a weekend coffee or a little treat after a hiking adventure.

INGREDIENTS:

  • Version 1 – with butter

  • 226g flour

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • pinch of salt

  • 113g butter

  • 60 g brown sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 teaspoon rose water

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon cardamom

  • 226g kefir

  • 200g berries

  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, if using

  • Version 2 – with oil

  • As above, substitute the butter with 120ml of sunflower oil

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 180 °C (fan).
  • In a bowl, combine together the dry ingredients – the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda and salt. Whisk together or use a sifting cup or a sieve before adding these to the bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the butter with sugar until the texture becomes creamy – you can use a planetary mixer.
  • Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time, while keeping on whisking.
  • If using the version 2, instead of creaming the butter with sugar, whisk together the oil and the sugar – the consistency will be more liquid.
  • Now it is time for the spices and flavourings – add the rose water, vanilla extract, ground ginger, ground coriander and cardamom. Whisk until all combined.
  • Step by step, put the dry ingredients into the mixture and keep on mixing them together.
  • Add the kefir and continue to whisk until the ingredients are combined – do to overmix the batter.
  • Cut the strawberries into quarters and mix the berries with some flour before adding them to the mixture. In this way, they will not fall to the bottom of the muffins during baking.
  • Pour in the batter into parchment paper lined muffin pan cups.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a tooth stick comes out dry.
  • Remove from the baking tray and let the muffins cool off on a cooling wrack before sprinkling with some powdered sugar.

Notes

  • Instead of vanilla extract, you can either use the vanilla powder or vanilla beans.
  • This recipe is really versatile and can be adapted to the seasons – for autumn, I would recommend plums or apples with a warming but light spices such as cinnamon or saffron.
  • The kefir adds a perfect bitterness and sourness to the muffins apart from just the moisture. If you are not keen on its taste, you can substitute with sour cream.
  • I am personally not very keen on desserts that are too sweet – therefore, I have included a minimum amount of sugar, however, if you prefer your muffins more on a sweeter side, you can increase the amount of sugar by 10 to 15g.