Raspberry Corn Muffins

 This not-too-sweet, slightly gritty and super crumbly muffin recipe is crazy easy to make and is the perfect treat to go with a cup of tea or coffee.  A dollop of raspberry preserves inside is just enough to add a little more sweetness to this muffin.  Try it!

I've already stated my love for easy recipes, and this is definitely one of them.   Simple, no-fuss -- but absolutely delivers on taste.  My kids and a few neighbors gobbling more than half of the dozen and a half muffins just a few hours after I made them is a good testament to that!

RASPBERRY CORN MUFFINS

makes 12-16 muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup medium cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup raspberry preserves (I used Smuckers)

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.  In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter and eggs.  On the stand mixer's lowest setting, add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just blended (don't overmix).
3. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup all the way to the top and bake for 30 minutes, or until the tops are crisp.  Let muffins cool.
4. Once muffins are cooled, either put raspberry preserves into a pastry bag with a large round tip, OR in a quart-sized ziploc bag with the corner cut and squeeze 1-2 tablespoons of preserves into the middle of each muffin.  (What I personally did when things didn't go my way: I just poked a hole in each muffin with a small round knife and squeezed the preserves into the opening.  You do what you have to do!)
5. Enjoy!

Recipe from the barefoot contessa cookbook by Ina Garten