Tuesday 12 December 2017

Start the day with Cranberry & Orange Muffins

December brings fresh cranberries to the market and a chance to make one of my favourite muffin recipes for Cranberry and Orange Muffins. Spice them up with a sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg to make them Christmassy. Breakfast, lunch or supper, you can’t go wrong with these healthy beauties. 
Cranberry & Orange muffins
250g/8oz plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tbsps caster sugar
1 egg
 75 ml milk
75 ml vegetable oil
Juice and zest of 1 orange
125g/5oz cranberries (chopped)
3 tbsps demerera sugar 

Pre heat the oven to 200 C/Mark 6. Place 12 muffin cases in a baking tin. Mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. In another bowl, mix the egg, milk, oil, orange zest and juice, then add this to the dry ingredients and fold in the cranberries. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and sprinkle a little Demerara sugar on the top. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

Meryl’s tips :  Don’t overmix otherwise the muffins will be heavy. You can use dried cranberries if fresh ones are not available. 

These muffins make a perfect start to Christmas morning. Happy Christmas!
Try Cranberry and Pistachio Loaf for a lighter alternative to 
traditional Christmas Cake.  
And check the Recipes page for a host of Grandma's favourite Christmas bakes!