Black blueberry and yoghurt muffins: soft, with a jam centre

Yoghurt muffins are the recipe to keep in your head: made in a single bowl, no whisk, in ten minutes of work. The yoghurt makes them soft and keeps them that way for days. The only decision to make is what to put inside.

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Here the answer is a centre of black blueberry jam: as the batter bakes, the jam stays soft in the middle and, when you break the muffin open warm, it runs. It's the trick that turns an ordinary muffin into something people ask you to make again.

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins)

• 250 g plain flour
• 125 g plain yoghurt (Greek or whole)
• 2 eggs
• 100 g sugar
• 80 ml seed oil
• 1 sachet of baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• zest of half a lemon (optional)
• 12 teaspoons of black blueberry jam for the centres

Time: 10 minutes prep, 20 minutes baking.

Method

1. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, then add the yoghurt and oil. Mix.
2. Fold in the flour sifted with the baking powder and salt, and the lemon zest if using. Mix just enough for a smooth batter: overworked, the muffins turn dense.
3. Fill the cases halfway with batter. Sink a heaped teaspoon of black blueberry jam into the centre, then cover with more batter up to three quarters of the case. The filling must stay hidden.
4. Bake in a static oven at 180 °C for 18–20 minutes. They're done when the top is golden and a skewer inserted at the edges (not in the centre, where the jam is) comes out clean.
5. Let them cool for a few minutes before turning them out of the tin.

The detail that makes the difference

The secret to the soft centre is not letting the jam surface. If you set it too near the top, it scorches and dries out in the oven. It has to sit under a layer of batter: that way it stays protected, moist and runny. One teaspoon, no more: too much jam weighs the batter down and the muffin struggles to rise.

The yoghurt does the rest. It's what keeps the muffins soft even the next day — unlike butter-only batters, which firm up quickly.

Variations and pairings

For a richer breakfast, a handful of dark chocolate chips in the batter: the bitter cocoa and the sharp blueberry are a fine pair. For children's snacks, a dusting of icing sugar once they've cooled.

Next to a pot of Greek yoghurt and a spoonful of the same jam, they become a full breakfast. If you like the blueberry-yoghurt pairing, you'll find it again among the other ways to use black blueberry jam.

Why black blueberry as a filling

A jam centre needs a fruit with character: inside a sweet batter, an overly sugary jam disappears. Black blueberry doesn't. Its sharp note pierces the sweetness of the muffin and makes itself heard at the first bite. It's the same reason it works on pancakes and in tarts.

Our jam is made with whole black blueberries, cane sugar and lemon juice, with no pectin or colourings. The density that makes it perfect as a filling — firm enough not to disperse into the batter — comes from cooking under vacuum at low temperature. It's part of the Minnelea jams.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use fruit yoghurt instead of plain?
Better plain, Greek or whole: fruit yoghurt adds sugar and water and makes the batter less predictable. The fruit flavour is already provided by the jam centre.

Can the muffins be frozen?
Yes, once cool. They thaw at room temperature or a few seconds in the microwave, and the jam centre turns soft again.

How much jam do I need in total?
Twelve teaspoons, about half a 212 g jar. The other half you use to serve them with yoghurt.

Can I make them without eggs?
Yes, replace the two eggs with a ripe mashed banana or 60 g more yoghurt. They come out slightly denser but still soft.