Mató cupcakes with jam and crumble

You will regret making these mató muffins, because you will want to make them again and again! I must warn you that these mató muffins (or cottage cheese muffins, if you don't have one) filled with jam and covered in almond flour crumble are some of the most delicious I have ever made - I think I've found my perfect recipe!

In the dough, the mató provides softness and sweetness. I have chosen a rather greasy and unctuous mató (if I used a drier mató, I would increase the amount of butter).

Then we fill them with jam. I used a wild berry jam to give it a touch of intensity, although other sweeter jams, such as strawberry jam, would also be great.

Finally, we top the muffins with a crumble of almond flour and brown sugar, which you can add a touch of cinnamon if you like, it suits it well.

I hope you like this combination, and that it's a winning combination in your home too. If you prefer to make them without the crumble, make them without it... But if you like muffins at home, I encourage you to make them because they are amazing!

Le Creuset muffin pan and Emile Henry ceramic plates

Ingredients

For the dough for the mató or cottage cheese muffins:

• 250 g of mató (if not, use the same amount of cottage cheese)
• 3 L eggs at room temperature
• 50 g of butter at room temperature
• 120 g of sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 dessert spoon vanilla extract
• 25 gr mild olive oil
• 230 g baking flour
• 7 gr baking powder

• Forest fruit jam, raspberry or strawberry, for the filling

For the crumble:

• 75 g wheat flour
• 50 g almond flour
• 40 g butter at room temperature
• 50 g brown sugar
• 1 cc cinnamon (optional)

Preparation of mató muffins

1. Beat the eggs until they begin to foam, and add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is foamy. To do this, use a whisk or a KitchenAid with the whisk attachment at high speed.
2. In another bowl, mix the mató or cottage cheese with the butter using a spatula (or with the paddle attachment if using the KitchenAid).
3. Add the lemon zest, vanilla extract and olive oil. Continue mixing with the help of a spatula or the paddle attachment.
4. Pour the egg and sugar mixture into the butter and sugar mixture and mix using circular movements.
5. Add the sifted flour and baking powder. Mix until you have a homogeneous and integrated mixture, not more than necessary to ensure a fluffy mixture.
6. Prepare the Le Creuset muffin tin : you can either brush the cavities of the mould with butter or place muffin cups in each cavity.
7. Pour the mixture into the molds, filling them up to 3/4 of their height.
8. Now we'll add the jam: using a coffee spoon, slightly separate the dough in the centre of each cavity, as if you wanted to make a hole. Take a little jam with the same spoon and pour it inside. Do the same with all the muffins.

Luigi Bormioli airtight flour and seed jar and Laura Ashley tea towel

Preparing the crumble and baking:

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
2. While it is heating up, prepare the crumble: in a bowl, mix all the ingredients and mix with the whisk with the ball tips, which is ideal for this. You want the crumble to be rather loose or sandy. Apply a generous amount of the crumble on top of each muffin.
3. Place the muffins in the oven, on the bottom rack. Leave for about 20 minutes, until they look cooked and toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack.

WMF ball-point whisk and Le Creuset non-stick baking pan

Enjoy them, a lot!