Blackberry Crumble Muffins - My Canadian Love Affair

I love digging into the first bite of anything delicious. But my favourite first bite is always one from a fruit pie or crumble. I love fruit pie and crumbles so much that I'd love to eat a big helping each and every morning, but sadly my waistline doesn't agree.

So in when I heard that this month's Canadian Food Experience Project's challenge was to write about  My Canadian Love Affair, I knew exactly what recipe I'd share in my post.

Today's recipe isn't exactly a pie, instead it's a healthier breakfast version of a pie - Blackberry Crumble Muffins. And to make them even more Canadian, I've used the blackberries that grow wild in my own backyard.

Blackberry Crumble muffins - makes 12

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each baking powder, salt, and nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup blackberries, tossed with 1 tablespoon flour if frozen or fresh
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

3. In a large bowl, cream the 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar. Next add in the eggs and beat together until combined.

4. Next stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/3 of the milk. Repeat until all flour and milk are added. Gently stir in the blackberries.

5. Divide batter between the 12 holes in the muffin tin and set aside.

6. Next make the crumble topping. Stir together the remaining 1/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons butter until the mixture formed resembles bread crumbs.

7. Divide the crumb topping between the 12 unbanked muffins and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the baked muffin clean.

The Canadian Food Experience Project began on June 7 2013. As we (participants) share our collective stories through our regional food experiences,  we hope to bring global clarity to our Canadian culinary identity.