Blueberry Muffins (low sugar)

These muffins use very little sugar - just 2 tablespoons for a dozen muffins. For anyone who needs to cut back on sugar, this recipe is great - although the muffins do not rise as much as others and they do not have quite the same flavor. Spread with a little cream cheese before eating.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled butter or margarine, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 egg, well beaten
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter or margarine until particles are the size of small peas; make a well in the center. In a small bowl, combine egg and milk; add all at once to the well in flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Fold in orange zest and blueberries.

Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE:
If using fresh blueberries, dust them lightly with flour; this helps prevent the blueberries from "bleeding" into the muffins.

If using frozen blueberries, add them frozen to the batter; this will help prevent them from "bleeding" out their juices.

Yields 12 muffins.