Tuesday 25 June 2013

Sweet Freedom Blueberry Muffins

As you probably already know, I am diabetic so very seldom eat sweet treats. But when I DO, I usually make them with Sweet Freedom instead of sugar. Widely available in most supermarkets,  it is a sweetener made from 100% fruit, with 25% fewer calories than sugar and a low GI rating which makes it much more diabetes-friendly than sugar. It comes in two varieties, dark which is intended for cooking and light which is intended for sweetening drinks and porridge, but I like to use both kinds both ways.  There are lots of recipes for using it on the Sweet Freedom website.

I was sent a bottle to test - not really necessary as I'm already a big fan! -  and decided to see if it would work in Blueberry Muffins. I was worried that the syrupy consistency in place of normal sugar might mean the mixture would be too sloppy and not cook through properly, but as you can see, this didn't turn out to be the case.


so, here is the recipe

SWEET FREEDOM BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 egg
125 ml skimmed milk
125 ml Sweet Freedom syrup
60 ml sunflower or rapeseed oil
125g fresh blueberries

This quantity should make 12, but I made 10 from it because I like having big muffins (fnarr fnarr.....).

Prepare your muffin tin by greasing it or spraying with non-stick spray (in case of spillages) and putting paper muffin cases in the holes, and pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees C.

Sieve together the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the egg then blend in the milk, Sweet Freedom and oil.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, then working quickly but gently, tip the liquid mixture into the well and fold together until just blended, then gently stir in the blueberries. Spoon into the paper cases  and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 17 minutes, until risen and golden.

Try to wait for them to cool down a bit before you eat them or you'll burn your mouth on a burst blueberry (don't ask me how I know that).




3 comments:

Claire Toplis said...

They look superb please send one in the post.

fun as a gran said...

these look brilliant Jane, thank you for that. Hubby does not eat sweet things very often but I think is just rebelling against the diagnosis. Have you tried rice bran oil, I am a lover of it?

Jane Willis said...

No, I've not tried it, although I should as I've never yet met an oil I didn't like!