Blueberry and Lemon Muffins...

...plus a few other things, like nutmeg and cherries and other berries!

It looks like half term is ending with a flurry of visitors, so I've been up early today to get the first batch of muffins in the oven. I have three different groups of people coming for three different meals over the next three days, then I'm going back to work for a rest! The kitchen has been a hive of activity since first thing - oh and did I mention, I've also made a pair of curtains before breakfast today too - just call me superwoman :)

In a large bowl mix together:
375g self-raising flour
220g caster sugar
grated rind of one lemon
teaspoon of nutmeg

In a small bowl mix together:
90g melted salted butter
half cup sour cream
quarter cup lemon juice (or milk if you don't have enough)
2 large eggs

Mix the wet into the dry then stir in:
1 cup fresh blueberries (and if like me you don't quite have enough, then make up with a mixture of other dried berries and cherries)

Divide the mixture between 12 muffin cases
Bake on Gas 5/6 for 20-25 minutes
Leave in the tin for a few minutes before moving onto a wire rack to cool

Then start making the second pair of curtains!!!

Masterclass in Chocolate Cherry Berry Muffins

I got another chance to teach someone just how easy baking muffins is. We fooled the people we shared them with, no one knew I hadn't baked them. Good job Inger! the best bit, of course, was licking out the bowl.

In a large bowl sift together:
50g cocoa powder
300g self-raising flour
Stir in:
220g caster sugar

In a small bowl mix together:
90g melted butter
half cup sour cream
quarter cup milk
1 large egg

Mix the wet into the dry
Stir in:
1 cup mixed dried cherries and berries

Divide between 12 muffin cases
Bake Gas 5/6 for 20-25 minutes
Leave in the tin for a few minutes before removing onto a wire rack to cool

White Chocolate and Cherry, Chocolate Muffins

Saturday was the release of the Benjamin Generation's first EP 'Miles and Miles', so being as they had used one of my photos on the cover I thought it only honouring to turn up to the release gig with a tub of muffins in hand - as a nice accompaniment to their chip shop dash.

In a large bowl sift together:
300g self raising flour
50g cocoa
Stir in:
220g caster sugar

In a small bowl mix together:
90g melted butter
half cup sour cream
three quarters cup of milk
1 large egg

Stir the wet into the dry then stir in:
100g white chocolate chunks
half cup chopped glace cherries

Divide the mixture between 12 muffin cases
Bake on Gas 5/6 for 20-25 minutes
Leave in the tin for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool

Now download the EP from i-Tunes and enjoy :) 
my daughter is the singer, and I'm one proud mamma 

Cherries and Berries

Well this was one of three batches of muffins I made for a few get togethers I'd been invited to over the weekend. 
They were so eagerly awaited that someone just couldn't wait to get tucked in his and managed to flip it into his water glass rather than his plate.

My mixed pack of dried cherries and berries included: cranberries, blueberries, sour cherries and large raisins

In a large bowl mix together:
375g self raising
220g caster sugar

In a small bowl mix together:
90g melted butter
half cup sour cream
quarter cup milk
2 large eggs

Mix the wet into the dry then stir in:
1 cup mixed dried cherries and berries (170g packet)

Divide the mixture between 12 muffin cases

Bake on Gas 5/6 for 20-25 minutes
Leave in the tin for a few minutes before removing onto a wire rack to cool

Banana and Custard Muffins

There was a break time discussion about the blandness of bananas this morning. I suggested that they weren't bland when eaten cream. Or custard, someone else piped up! Then before you know it someone wanted to know if I'd put that combo into a muffin yet, and because I hadn't tried it yet, and had an over ripe banana in the fruit bowl again, I find myself a few hours later about to take my first bite of my latest flavour invention. It smells gorgeous in my kitchen this evening. Oh how I love custard.

In a large bowl mix together:

375g self-raising flour

220g caster sugar

level teaspoon of nutmeg

In a small bowl mix together:

90g melted butter

half cup sour cream

quarter cup (ready made) custard

2 large eggs

Mix the wet into the dry then stir in:

half a cup of mashed banana

half a cup of diced glace cherries

Put a dollop of the mixture to cover the base of 12 muffin cases

make a little well in it

drop in a teaspoon of custard in each one

then cover with the remaining muffin batter

Bake on Gas 5/6 for 20-25 mins

Leave in the tin for a few minutes before removing onto a wire rack to cool

I imagine these will taste even better tomorrow once the custard has had a chance to set a bit, but the one on my plate won't make it to the air tight tin tonight.

Glittery Chocolatey Scrumptiousness!

For Barbara's birthday bash this evening I made some more of the blackforest gateaux muffins, and remembered to take a photo this time. So this is what they look like if you sprinkle glitter sugar on top just before baking.

See below for the recipe (23rd November)

Blackforest Gateaux Muffins

As a bit of a twist to chocolate with more chocolate, I decided to go down that '70's dinner party' Blackforest Gateux route - adding cherries and kirsch liquor to a chocolate muffin.
I was meant to add a chocolate creamy filling, but forgot, but I'm pretty sure they'll taste even better if you do add it. I also had battery failure so no pictures exist of the said muffins - but I have baked them. Honest!
So instead,for your amusement, here is a picture of a couple of Rhino's I met in Chester Zoo!The recipe:

creamy filling:
i was going to mix half a tub of cream cheese with a tablespoon of castor sugar and some cocoa powder - but having never tried it, I don't know how much cocoa to use - so try it if you dare and let me know how you get on!

for the muffins:
put 300g self raising flour into a large bowl
add 50g cocoa powder (sifted)
add 220g castor sugar
then mix together a bit

in a small bowl mix together:
90g melted butter
half a cup of sour cream
quarter cup of milk
2 large eggs
a glug or two of kirsch liquor
(thanks emmigrating Martin family for leaving it behind in my goodie box!)

then pour the wet into the dry and mix together
add 100g chocolate chunks
and half a cup of cherry pie filling (I used fruits of the forest - not much different, eh?)
mix together

put a dollop into each of the 12 muffin cases
then put a teaspoon of the creamy filling (if it worked) on the top
then share the rest of the mixture out on the top

Bake at Gas 5/6, for 20-25 mins

Cherry and Almond Muffins

When searching through the baking box I found an abundance of cherries and ground almonds. So today's muffins had to be just that - no time to turn them in Cherry Bakewell Muffins (see recipe in my May 2011 Blog).
They turned out to be lovely, and just what you need to take on a rock climbing expedition to Stanage Edge, in the Peak district. Let's hope that Jack and Sean come back with photos of some extreme places to eat Mostly Muffins!!

Mix together:
300g self raising flour
75g ground almonds
220g castor sugar

In a small bowl mix 90g melted butter with
half a cup of sour cream
quarter cup of milk
half a teaspoon of almond essence
2 large eggs

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry
then add and mix in three quarters cup of chopped glace cherries

Divide the mixture into 12 muffins cases and
sprinkle chopped almonds on the top before baking on Gas 5 or 6,
for 20-25 mins

Cherry Bakewell Muffins

Thank you Mr. Kipling for the idea.

Today (well it will be in less than an hour, but I need my sleep) would have been Kev's birthday, so it seemed only fitting to put his all time favourite muffins up here to share with the world. Both he and our Jack love the original Mr. K's pies, and Rose's mega-sized birthday bakewell, so one day I found some ground almonds and went for it - and the Cherry Bakewell Muffin was created. The results are very sweet and sticky, and totally scrumcious.

You will need:
300g self raising flour
75g ground almonds
220g castor sugar
90g melted butter
half a cup of sour cream
quarter cup of milk
half a teaspoon of almond essence
2 large eggs
red jam
glace cherry halves
icing sugar
water
mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
mix the wet ingredients together in a small bowl
mix the wet into the dry and stir together

cover the base of each muffin case with half the muffin mixture
drop half a teaspoon of red jam (jack says it has to be plum jam to be authentic, but raspberry will do) onto the mixture
cover the jam with the remaining mixture

bake on gas 5/6 for 20-25 mins

leave to cool on a wire rack

while cooling make the icing by mixing
a small amount of water to large quantities of icing sugar - i always put in too much water and use half a packet of icing sugar - so go easy to start with.
mix to a paste

when the muffins are cool, spread icing on the top of each of them
then pop a half glace cherry in the centre

Voila! I'm sure Mr. Kiplng would approve, Kev did :)