The Smashing Trick For Instagram-Worthy Blueberry Muffins
Baking involves a lot more slinging, smashing, and clanging than you might think — especially when it comes to brownies, cookies, and cakes. But does the same apply to muffins?
Muffins aren't exempt from the crashing and smashing that makes a baked good scrumptious. One easy trick involves crushing the key component of your muffins (blueberries) — but it won't break them. Instead, this hack may land you with the prettiest muffins you've ever seen. Whether you bake for the 'gram or prefer to confine your baking activity to your own home, you'll be blown away by the gorgeous swirls of color.
Get ready to bring out the full flavors and make your muffins look moist and professionally baked in a flash. Smashing any ingredient in the kitchen — let alone this one — may sound silly, but if you're willing to feel ridiculous for a few seconds, this hack will be well worth your time.
Why you should smash your blueberries
Blueberry muffins can be undeniably photogenic, but even if yours never seem to turn out perfectly domed or looking even, you can still guarantee that they have that pretty purple hue. While all blueberry muffins have hints of color from the fruit, taking an extra step can really bring out those lavender tones.
When you're making the batter, don't add in all the blueberries right away. Before you drop them in with the other ingredients, smash about a ½ cup of your blueberries and leave the rest whole. You don't need to crush them with great force or anything, but that pressure will bring out all of the deliciously gooey blueberry interior. Per NYT Cooking, the mashing technique (which can be done using a fork) might even prolong the life of your muffins.
Once you've mixed the crushed berries into the batter, the blue tint of the blueberry skin will offer a light shade of purple — an especially pretty color to photograph. If you're more interested in tasting your latest bakery creations than photographing them, that's fine too — crushing the blueberries to let all of their juice into the batter will maximize the berry flavor in your muffins. It truly is a win-win.
Other tips for making the prettiest (and tastiest) blueberry muffins
Bite into a blueberry muffin from your favorite bakery, and it might have an impossibly high dome with a soft texture. If you aim for the stars when you make muffins, but your domes always seem to fall flat, there's a way to give your blueberry muffins the highest rise to go along with their beautiful color.
For those unearthly high-dome muffins, leave your muffin batter in the refrigerator overnight. This may lengthen your muffin-making process, but as the Today Meal notes, refrigeration gives the batter time to release air bubbles. Batter thickens simultaneously as starch molecules soak up liquid. Naturally, a thicker batter lends itself well to a muffin with a higher top, so the process is worth some extra effort.
Your muffins will have the look you typically only see from professionals, which, combined with that pale purple color, will give you a finished product that deserves showing off. You'll have all the baking chops to wow your friends and end up with a decadent snack for yourself.