Blackberry Muffins with Spiced Ginger Crumb Topping

Last week I had an exhausting day of chopping wood, painting and a lot of sanding directly in the sun. I came out of it with an aching arm and burnt shoulders. On the same day my mum and spontaneously I decided to go blackberry picking after dinner, this wasn't your usual drive to a place and mosey on down along the road filling your box. My mum had mentioned she kept seeing blackberries on her morning walk and even though it was a little early for blackberries we drove up to the usual place we pick them and they were miniature and mostly red. So our blackberry picking consisted of driving to a place spending a few minutes there picking the big ones then moving on, I finally had the idea to go look on the other side of town where we used to live and we hit the jackpot, well, mostly the jackpot, we filled an ice cream tub which is more than enough for what I wanted and at this point the sun was starting to set so we went home.

Is this tooting my own horn a little? I made these thinking well I've never had a blackberry muffin before I'm sure they'll be yummy but oh my damn these are good. I didn't think these muffins would taste better than my blueberry muffins but I stand corrected, the slight tartness of the blackberries balancing with the sweetness and the gingery topping my mouth is watering just thinking about them.

For the crumb topping:
90g caster/brown sugar (1/2 cup)
45g plain flour (1/3 cup)
45g butter/margarine (1/4 cup)
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger

For the muffin mixture:
205g/1 1/2 cups plain flour
170g/ 3/4 golden caster sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
80ml/ 1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 free range egg
80ml/ 1/3 cup milk, I use almond but any will work
150-180g blueberries, fresh or frozen (a little over 1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and grease or line the muffin pan.

To make the crumb topping place flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix with a fork until crumb-like and set aside.

To make the muffins; combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Measure the vegetable oil; add the egg, then add enough milk to make 230ml/1 cup. Mix the liquids and dry ingredients together then fold in the blueberries.

Fill the muffin tin/cases 3/4 of the way full and sprinkle on the crumb topping. Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven or until cooked through.

Makes 9 muffins.