Lemon, Blueberry and Ricotta Muffins

Light, moist and not too sweet, these lemon, blueberry and ricotta muffins are perfect for Easter brunch or afternoon tea.  I confess, I’ve never been a big fan of muffins. Those I buy in cafes are often too big and too sweet for my liking – they’re more of a cake, really. However, most of the sweetness comes in these muffins comes from the blueberries which burst in your mouth when you bite into them. Plus, they’re quick to make!

I’ve used a little coconut flour in this recipe. Coconut flour is a natural byproduct of coconut milk production. When coconut milk is squeezed from coconut meat, this meat is then dried at a low temperature and ground into flour. While it is a versatile, gluten-free baking flour, it’s highly absorbent. Therefore, a small amount of flour will absorb a lot of liquid. This makes it difficult to substitute on a 1:1 ratio with wheat flour. The best way to counteract the drying effect is to bake with plenty of eggs. The protein in egg whites gives structure to baked goods while the yolks provide moisture. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-coconut-flour#1-2

If you’re making these lemon, blueberry and ricotta muffins for your Easter brunch, why not mix up the dry ingredients and line the muffin tray the night before? This will buy the Easter Bunny a bit more time for hiding eggs! I think these muffins would work equally well with a few raspberries or a single blackberry on top. I’ve included another recipe which is great for brunch: Blueberry and banana bread with rolled oats

Best wishes,

Amanda

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Print Recipe

Lemon, Blueberry and Ricotta Muffins

Light and fluffy, these lemon, blueberry and ricotta muffins are not too sweet.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 12 muffins

Author: Amanda Lawson

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain white flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup natural yoghurt
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1 egg
• 2 lemons, zested
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 punnet blueberries (125 g)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 12-hole (1/2 cup capacity) muffin tray with patty cases.
• Mix together the flours, coconut, sugar, baking powder and lemon zest in a large bowl.
• In separate bowl, whisk the egg, then whisk in the yoghurt, ricotta, oil, lemon juice and vanilla bean paste.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in half the blueberries, and scatter the remaing blueberries on top of the muffins.
• Spoon the muffin mixture into the patty cases.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Leave to cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Notes

The muffins are best eaten warm on the day they're made, but they will keep in an airtight container for 2 days. They are suitable to freeze.

If you're making these for brunch, to save time, measure out the dry ingredients into a container the night before, so that they're ready to go. You can also zest and juice the lemons and refrigerate them until you're ready to make the muffins.