Читать книгу Cake: 200 fabulous foolproof baking recipes - Rachel Allen - Страница 8

Apricot, pistachio and saffron muffins

I adore the combination of the sweet juicy apricots with the exotically perfumed saffron. Use peaches (fresh or tinned) in place of the apricots if you wish. These muffins are delicious served with a spoonful of crème fraîche and a piping-hot cup of coffee or tea.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 35 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutes

Makes: 12 muffins

225ml (8fl oz) buttermilk

2 eggs

Pinch of saffron

300g (11oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

200g (7oz) caster sugar

125g (4½oz) butter, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes

300g (11oz) fresh or tinned apricots (about 7 fresh apricots, stones removed), roughly chopped

75g (3oz) unsalted shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.

Place the buttermilk, eggs and saffron in a bowl and whisk together until smooth.

In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix in the sugar. Add the cubes of butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Add the wet ingredients and mix together, then fold in the apricots and pistachios. Spoon the batter into the muffin cases, filling each case about three-quarters full.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown on top and springy to the touch. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.