Cranberry Muffins recipe

Festive Spiced Cranberry Muffins

 

These lovely light muffins have a deliciously festive flavour. They even smell of Christmas as you take them from the oven!

 

 Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 25 minutes

Makes: 8

Suitable for freezing

Suitable for vegetarians

 

Ingredients

 

100g (4oz) Jordans Super 3 Seeds Granola

125g (5oz) butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, beaten

100g (4oz) self-raising flour

1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

75g (3oz) light muscovado sugar

75g (3oz) dried cranberries

1 banana, mashed

Topping:

75g (3oz) dried cranberries

Finely grated juice and rind of 1 small orange

200g (7oz) medium-fat soft cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan oven 160°C, Gas Mark 4. Line 8 holes of a muffin tin with squares of baking paper or paper muffin cases

2 Mix together the cooled melted butter, milk, vanilla extract and eggs

3 In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, mixed spice, sugar, cranberries and Jordans Super 3 Seeds Granola, breaking up any large clusters

4 Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with the mashed banana, taking care that you don’t over-mix. Don’t beat the mixture! Spoon into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 25-30 minutes, until firm and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack

5 Meanwhile, make the topping. Put the cranberries into a saucepan with the orange juice and simmer gently until the liquid has evaporated. Cool completely, then stir them into the soft cheese with the vanilla extract. Use to top the cranberry Christmas muffins, then decorate with the orange zest

 

Cook’s tips:

·      The secret of successful Christmas muffins is to make sure that you don’t over-mix the wet and dry ingredients

·      You could serve the Christmas muffins without the topping, if you prefer

·      Another time, use dried cherries instead of cranberries, though you’ll need to chop them in half