Friday 15 April 2011

Simnel muffins

As it's Easter soon, I thought I give you a variation on a Simnel cake. Enjoy.

Simnel muffins
Ingredients:
250g/9oz mixed dried fruit
grated zest and juice 1 medium orange
175g/6oz butter, softened
175g/6oz golden caster sugar
3 egg, beaten
300g/10oz self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
5 tbsp milk
175g/6oz marzipan

For Decorating:
20g/8oz icing sugar
2 tbsp orange juice for mixing
sugar eggs or mini eggs

1 Tip the fruit into a bowl, add the zest and juice and microwave on Medium for 2 mins (or leave to soak for
1 hr). Line a 12 hole deep muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Heat the oven to 180ºC/ fan 160ºC/ Gas 4.
Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, spices and milk until light and fluffy, about 3-5 mins. Add the
fruit and mix together well.
2 Half fill the muffin cases with the mixture. Devide the marzipan into 12 equal pieces, roll into balls, then flatten with your thumb. Put one into each muffin case and spoon the rest of the mixture over. Bake for 25-30 mins, until risen, golden and firm to touch.
3 Beat together the icing sugar and orange juice to make icing thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Drizzle over the cooled muffins, then top each one with a cluster of eggs.

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