Cranberry & Orange Muffins

Cranberries, a winter berry that is traditionally synonymous with Christmas, however this crimson, tart little berry has so much more potential than simply accompanying turkey dinner but once a year.

Cranberries have refreshingly sharp, acidic flavour that pairs well with a little bit of sweetness. It’s a flavour that I’m are very fond of, every winter when ice begins it’s return, I reproduce one of my favourites, cranberry & orange cheesecake. This marriage of tangy, sweet orange & tart burst of cranberry is superb.

Simple as a cheesecake is to make, I do loathe the washing-up that ultimately follows. It’s times like these when I steer in favour of the quick, simple, one-bowl muffin. With minimal effort involved, I can still be creative in the kitchen & have something to show for my efforts all within an hour (& relish in those praises again). 

Versatile little muffins never last long in my house. I often make them as a means to use up any fruit on the verge of being thrown out of the fridge (not that I tell others this as they’re eating said muffins). So with an abundance of cranberries in the fridge & little energy to spare, who needs cheesecake when my winning combination of colourful flavours translates so well into simple cranberry & orange muffins.

CRANBERRY & ORANGE MUFFINS
(makes 6 muffins)

Ingredients:

• 150g plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Zest x1 orange
• 50g butter
• 1 egg
• 40ml milk
• juice 1/2 orange
• 1/2 orange, sliced
• 150g cranberries
• 1 tbsp demerera (to top)

Method:

• Line a 6 hole muffin pan with cases or square pieces of baking parchment
• Gently melt the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan
• Add the egg, juice, zest & milk to the melted butter & set aside
• In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients
• Add the butter mixture to the bowl & fold together until just combined
• Stir through the cranberries
• Divide the mixture equally between the muffin cases (tip:use an ice-cream scoop)
• Place an orange slice on top of each before sprinkling over the demerera sugar
• Bake at 180°c for 25-30 minutes, until a beautiful golden brown
• Carefully remove the muffins from the tin & place on a cooling rack to fully cool