Happy Easter! Although this Easter, for me, brings deadlines and long days in the library, its been nice to take a break and do some seasonal baking. I love the baked treats that come with the Easter weekend (not just the chocolate eggs) and making these muffins has been a nice way to enjoy the weekend without taking too much time away from studying. The muffin mix also is really easy to make and quick to cook. Overall I think that these muffins are great, a fun take on the traditional hot cross bun, with all the right flavours and no need for the fuss of bread making!
Shopping List
2 medium eggs
125ml vegetable oil
250ml semi skimmed milk
200g golden caster sugar
400g self raising flour
1 tsp salt
100g raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
zest of 1 clementine
For the topping:
1 tablespoon apricot jam
50g white chocolate
1 tablespoon icing sugar
Method
Heat the oven to 200 degrees and grease your muffin tin well with vegetable oil. In a large bowl beat the eggs for 1 minute with a hand held electric mixer, then add the milk and oil and beat together for another minute. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
Sift in the flour, salt and spices then add the raisins and clementine zest and mix until smooth. Be careful not to over mix the mixture as the muffins may be tough when cooked.
Fill each muffin hole two thirds full with mixture and bake for 20-25 minutes until they are risen, firm to the touch and golden brown.
Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then remove the muffins to a tray to cool. They should come out pretty easily if the tin has been well greased.
Put the apricot jam in a microwave safe bowl or mug and heat for about 15 seconds or until the jam is liquid. Use a pastry brush to paint the jam on to the muffins to glaze them.
Put the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl or mug and heat at 30 second intervals until melted. Spoon the mixture into a sandwich bag or piping bag (if you’re fancy) and push it down towards one of the corners. Snip a tiny triangle off one of the corners of the bag (really tiny- you can always make it bigger if you need, its just a nightmare to transfer the chocolate to another bag if you’ve made the hole too big!) and push the chocolate towards it, making sure there are no air bubbles.
Pipe the chocolate on to the muffins in the shape of a cross, then leave to dry. You can leave the muffins as they are with the shiny glaze, or use icing sugar to top them off.
Enjoy with a cup of english breakfast tea!
Louella's Kitchen 