Almond Rice Flour Muffins: A Cozy Morning in Cape Breton

The sun had barely risen over the Cape Breton hills, casting a soft golden glow over the little house by the ocean. Ana and her family were slowly waking up, the sound of the waves gently lapping at the shore providing a soothing backdrop. After the previous day's blueberry-picking adventure, Ana's kitchen was filled with the sweet scent of fresh wild blueberries. It was the perfect morning for baking.

Cristian, always the eager one, had already washed up and was helping his younger sister, Crina, set the table for breakfast. “Mama, can we bake something with the blueberries today?” he asked, looking excitedly at the basket of berries on the counter.

Ana smiled, glancing at the clock. It was early, but the air felt right for a cozy baking session. 'How about we make some muffins?' she suggested. “Almond rice flour muffins, with those beautiful blueberries. They’ll be perfect for a breakfast treat.”

Cristian’s eyes lit up. “Yes, let’s do it! I’ll help!” Crina clapped her hands, happy to join in, though she wasn’t quite sure what muffins were yet. But if they had blueberries in them, she was all in.

Step 1: Preparing the Ingredients

Ana started by gathering the ingredients for the almond rice flour muffins. She measured out almond flour and rice flour, carefully placing them in separate bowls. Cristian was right there with her, helping to pour the flours into a large mixing bowl. “Look at how soft this flour is, Mama,” he said, feeling the almond flour between his fingers. Ana smiled, proud of his attention to detail.

Crina, standing on her tiptoes, handed Ana the eggs and watched curiously as the muffins came together. Ana cracked the eggs into a bowl, whisking them with powdered sugar until the mixture became frothy. “We’ll need this to make the muffins nice and fluffy,” she explained, showing the kids how to mix.

Step 2: Mixing the Wet Ingredients

“Now, let’s add the almond butter,” Ana said as she added it to the egg mixture. Cristian stirred the bowl, and Crina carefully poured in the milk with a little help from her mother. The liquid mixture was smooth and creamy, with a gentle nutty aroma from the almond butter.

Ana reached for the vanilla extract and added it to the bowl. “It’s the little things that make baking special, don’t you think?” she asked, looking at her kids. Cristian nodded, excited to see how the muffins would turn out.

Step 3: Adding the Dry Ingredients

Next, it was time to add the dry ingredients. Ana poured the almond flour and rice flour into the wet mixture, adding a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of baking powder. Cristian stirred the mixture gently, making sure not to overmix. He carefully folded in the blueberries, marveling at the color and how the small fruits seemed to burst with flavor.

Step 4: Scooping the Batter

“Now for the fun part!” Ana said with a grin. She handed each child a spoon to scoop the batter into a muffin tin. Cristian filled each muffin cup, while Crina giggled and tried to sneak a taste of the batter. Ana winked at her. “We’ll save some for the muffins, Crina.”

The tin was filled with their carefully prepared muffin batter, each one ready to be topped with a few fresh blueberries. The sight of those tiny bursts of color atop the golden batter made Ana’s heart warm. “These will be delicious,” she said as she slid the muffin tin into the oven.

Step 5: Baking and the Smell of Fresh Muffins

As the muffins baked, the house filled with the comforting aroma of warm, rising batter and toasty almond and rice flour. Ana kept an eye on the oven, and soon, the muffins began to turn golden-brown. Cristian stood by the oven, eyes wide, unable to resist the delicious smell that wafted out. “Are they ready yet, Mama?” he asked, unable to wait any longer.

Crina, now seated at the kitchen table, played with a few of the blueberries, but her eyes never strayed far from the oven either.

Finally, after 25 minutes, the muffins were done. Ana took the tin out of the oven, careful not to burn herself. The tops were golden and slightly cracked, just the way they should be. They looked perfect.

Step 6: Cooling and Enjoying the Muffins

Ana placed the muffins on a cooling rack, and the family gathered around, eager to taste the fruits of their labor. As they cooled, Ana spread a small dab of butter on each muffin, the soft heat melting it into the muffin’s fluffy interior. Cristian took the first bite and smiled widely. “Mama, these are the best muffins ever!” he said, his mouth full of muffin and blueberries.

Crina took a little bite, and her face lit up. “Yummy!” she giggled, crumbs falling from her lips.

The family sat together, enjoying their fresh muffins with a cup of warm tea, looking out over the ocean. The waves gently lapped at the shore, and the sun cast a soft glow on the morning. It was a simple moment, but one that would stay with them forever. The sweet memories of their time in Cape Breton, baking together and savoring fresh muffins with wild blueberries, would always remind them of the magic of family, good food, and the beauty of simple, wholesome ingredients.

As they finished their muffins, Ana smiled and thought to herself that there was nothing better than sharing moments like these with the people she loved most.

Almond Flour	120 gr	1 1/4 cups
Rice Flour	100 gr	1 cup
Almond Butter	40 gr	1/4 cup
Milk	50 ml	1/4 cup
Powdered Sugar	110 gr	1 cup
Eggs	4	4
Baking Powder	6 gr	1 teaspoon
Salt	3 gr	1/2 teaspoon
Vanilla Extract	6 ml	1 teaspoon