Versatile Muffins

I made muffins quite often as they are so quick to make and great to put in lunch boxes, for afternoon tea, after school snacks or coffee mornings.  They are so easy to mix and quick to cook they are brilliant for cooking with kids.  Great tasting treats from start to finish in under half an hour!   

This is my generic sweet/fruit muffin recipe, you can use milk instead of yoghurt - just add an extra ½ cup of self raising flour.  Two batches of muffins were baked today using this recipe.  It only took me 5 minutes to make the batter and 20 minutes to bake the muffins.  

I mixed fresh pear chunks and blueberries into one batch, then mixed grated apple and sultanas into the other batch.  I peeled the pears but didn't peel the apple before I grated it.  You could put a dollop of jam, lemon curd or chocolate spread into the middle of each muffin should you want a change from using fruit or use frozen fruit, dried fruit or well drained tinned fruit instead of fresh fruit.  Leave out the mixed spice or cinnamon if it is not to your taste or vary the spice according to the fruit you are using - ground ginger with peach or pear works rather well.    

Versatile Muffins

2 cups self raising flour 

1 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice

½ cup caster sugar

1/3 cup (80ml) oil

250ml (1 cup) natural yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 free range eggs

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4.  Line your muffin tin with paper cases.

Sift the self raising flour and cinnamon/mixed spice into large mixing bowl, add caster sugar then stir to combine.  Measure the oil, yoghurt or milk, vanilla extract and eggs into a jug.  Mix until totally combined.  

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Don't be tempted to beat the mixture or over mix it or your muffins will be tough and not light.  

Stir through whatever fruit you are using then spoon the mixture into the paper cases.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean.  If you have put a dollop of jam or filling into the centre of your muffins lightly press the top of the muffin and it should spring back if cooked through.