Step aside cupcakes – I reckon muffins are due for a comeback!  Endless possibilities for different flavour combinations and a great way to use up fruit that hasn’t been eaten. When our children were growing up we would easily go through a couple of batches a week and I always had some in the freezer.

I’ve been sitting on the urge to make some muffins all week. The argument against making them is that  there’s only three of us at home now so we will end up eating more of them than we probably should. The argument for is, well, muffins!

Below is a basic muffin recipe that can be experimented on easily. I went for raspberry and white chocolate as I had a punnet of fresh raspberries in the fridge and a packet of white chocolate chips half open. I love using white chocolate chips as the exposed ones caramelise during cooking and might actually be the best part. Any that fall off when transferring the muffins to a cooling rack are fair game to be picked off by the cook!

A couple of tips for really great muffins. Use a separate bowl for the dry ingredients and add the mixed wet ingredients to it. I usually mix the wet ingredients in my stand mixer and fold them into the dry ingredients with a spatula.

You want to combine them with a minimum of mixing – you don’t want to end up with an elastic looking mix as the muffins will be dry and tough.

These are suitable to freeze.

Basic mixture

Wet mix

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup white chocolate chips (can substitute milk or dark)

3/4 – 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen (can substitute blueberries)

 

Dry mix

2 1/2 cups self-raising flour

 

Method

Grease the muffin tins or line with muffin cases. Pre-heat oven to 200° C.

Blend butter and sugar together thoroughly. Beat in the eggs and then milk.  Mix in chocolate chips and raspberries, taking care to keep raspberries as intact as possible. Gently fold the wet mixture into the flour making sure you don’t over-mix.

Place large spoonfuls into prepared muffin tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 15 – 20 minutes.  Muffins are cooked if they spring back when touched or when a cake tester or knife comes out clean.

Makes 12 – 14