Lemon Saskatoon Berry Muffins

Do you know what a Saskatoon Berry is?  Have you ever heard of them?  If not, maybe you know them as a different name.  They have been called serviceberries, June berries and here in the Copper Country (Michigan) they are known as Sugar Plums.

Growing up in Saskatchewan, Canada we picked Saskatoon Berries every year.  My mom either canned them or froze them.  She would make many, many jars of fruit every year that we could enjoy all winter long.  Now that I am an adult, it amazes me to remember all the work she did, so that we could enjoy these berries all year.

As a child and young adult, we would find these berries out in the pastures.  I remember many times, picking and eating and hoping that the cows  in the field wouldn’t come and eat me.   I was so excited to find a berry patch close to wear I live here in Upper Michigan and now I get to pick the berries by the shores of Lake Superior.

I waited to long this year to go out and pick berries but I did get about a half gallon before the rain came, just enough for me to get a Taste of Home. I did freeze most of the berries as I didn’t have time to make very much after I finished picking them but I did make some awesome Lemon Saskatoon Berry Muffins.  They are a light muffin with a slight lemony taste with a brown sugar topping.  Perfect for a light dessert after a meal, a sweet breakfast or to snack on anytime during the day.

Lemon Saskatoon Berry Muffin

Yield: 12

A delicious light muffin made with Saskatoon Berries with a slight lemony taste and a brown sugar topping.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup Saskatoon Berries
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup oil
• enough milk to equal 1 cup with oil and egg
• 1 tbsp lemon rind
• Topping
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1 tbsp butter (softened)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon rind and mix well.
3. Stir in Saskatoon berries until berries are well covered with flour mixture.
4. In separate bowl add egg, beat slightly, oil and enough milk so that the egg, oil and milk equal 1 cup (I used my glass 2 cup mixing cup). Mix well
5. Stir together wet and dry ingredients until well incorporated.
6. Spoon mixture into greased muffin tins approx 3/4 full.
7. For topping: Mix together flour and brown sugar.
8. Add butter and using finger mix together with sugar mixture until crumbly.
9. Sprinkle topping mixture over each muffin.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees or until toothpick comes clean.

Notes

• This recipe also would work great with blueberries.
• If you have only frozen berries, don't thaw them out. I often coat berries with a couple of tbsp of flour before putting them in my recipe.

Another way to enjoy these berries is to make a sauce with them, eating them with pancakes, waffle or even ice cream.