Corn muffins with blueberry cream cheese filling

Hearty muffins tasty and satisfying, with a surprise in the centre!

The corn in these muffins makes all the difference, adding both flavour and fibre. Take note that this recipe calls for corn flour, not corn starch. You can make your own corn flour by grinding cornmeal to a powder in a blender or food processor; if you live in Eastern Ontario, terrific locally-milled heritage corn flour is available from Barkley’s Apple Farm and available at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market. This recipe makes a big batch but the muffins freeze beautifully or you can halve the recipe if you prefer. You can make the blueberry and cream cheese filling ahead of time and freeze until needed, making this a fast recipe to whip up fresh for breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) frozen blueberries, thawed
• 1 cup (250 mL) corn flour
• 3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
• 5 teaspoons (25 mL) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) melted butter
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (250 mL) milk
• 1 can (14 ounces/400 mL)) creamed corn

Method

• Beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and thawed blueberries until smooth. Refrigerate until firm then, using two spoons, form twenty-four balls (approximately 2 teaspoons each) and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Once solidly frozen, transfer to an airtight container until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, corn flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a slightly smaller bowl, whisk together the oil, butter, vanilla, eggs and milk. Add the wet ingredients to dry and stir gently with a spatula until a batter forms. Fold in the corn to the batter.
• Line 24 muffin tins with muffin liners. Place about a tablespoon and half of batter into the bottom of each muffin liner. Top each with the frozen balls of blueberry cream cheese filling.

• Divide the rest of the batter evenly among the muffins liners, covering the cream cheese filling. Batter will come almost all the way to the top of the muffin liners.
• Bake muffins for about 20 minutes, or until tops are firm but springy to the touch.
• Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes in the muffin tins before removing to cooling racks to cool completely before serving.

Makes 24 muffins.