I’ve always found savoury muffins a bit of a challenge – often tasteless but I wanted to like them and kept trying them at cafes. I would always be disappointed.

I am now finally happy with this recipe I’ve adapted! The secret of light muffins is supposed to be in not over-mixing. But I still struggled to produce muffins I was satisfied with. Further experimentation proved that adding yoghurt helped to give a lighter muffin and a more interesting texture. An added benefit was that they kept fresh longer.

Ingredients:

• 1 lightly beated egg
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1 cup of plain unsweetened yoghurt
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of whole-grain wet mustard
• 1/2 cup of caramelised onions *
• 5 small sweet piquant peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup whole kernel sweet corn
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley and/or any other fresh herbs eg basil, oregano
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups self-raising flour

Method:

Lightly beat the egg in a medium sized bowl and then add all the remaining ingredients in order except the flour. Mix to an even consistency.

Sift the flour into another bowl.  Add to the wet mixture and lightly fold in with a wooden spoon. There is no need to mix so thoroughly that every single trace of flour is removed!

Lightly grease muffin tins with either butter or oil and generously fill each one. Bake at 200 C/400 F for 15 – 20 minutes. When lightly browned on top check if ready by pressing the top of the muffin. It should be soft and springy without feeling squishy! Leave in the tin for a few minutes to settle then remove on to a cooling rack.

*    Caramelised Onions:

Cut about 6-8 onions in half and slice each half in a cross-section. Place in an oven dish with around 5 tablespoons of olive oil, 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Mix together and bake in a moderate oven until nicely browned. They are divine to have in the fridge to add to sandwiches and anything that takes your fancy.

This recipe was recommended and passed on to me as an old family favourite. It originally came as having one cup of sugar but I’ve reduced that to suit my taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peeled and chopped apple
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 125 gm melted butter
• 1 beaten egg
• 1  1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup sticky raisins

Method:

Place the chopped apples in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with the sugar. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes.  Blend the melted butter and beaten egg into the apple.  Sift the dry ingredients together and stir into the mixture until just combined.  Add the raisins and nuts.  Turn the mixtue into a smallish baking tin and bake at 180 degrees C for 50 to 60 minutes or until cooked.   Cool before turning out of the tin.  When cool, sprinkle with sugar.

This is a nice plain cake. It is light in texture and the lemon and vanilla give it a subtle lift.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz/230 gm butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2  1/4 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1  1/2 cups sultanas
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• grated rind of 1/2 lemon

Method:

Beat the butter and sugar to a cream. Add the eggs one at a time and beat each one in till nicely mixed. Add the flour and baking powder combined. Mix in well and then add the fruit and again, combine well. Measure a half a cup of milk and add the vanilla essence and gradually pour the liquid into the batter, mixing well as you go. Put the cake into a greased tin and bake at 325 F/160 C for 55 – 60 minutes (if you are using a fan-forced oven  then you will need to lower the temperature by up to 10 degrees centigrade and/or adjust the time). Leave on a wire rack to cool and then store in an air-tight container.. Turn on to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle sifted icing sugar on top and store in an air-tight container.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz/115 gm butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 1 well-beaten egg
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or coconut
• 8 oz/200 gm crumbed/broken round wine biscuits (Graham crackers)

Icing:

• 1 oz/25 gm butter
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 1 cup icing sugar
• dash of boiling water

Method:

Put the butter, sugar and cocoa in a pot and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Add the beaten egg and then the walnuts/coconut and lastly the biscuits. Mix well. Press down in a tin to a thickness of about 1 inch/2.5 cm. Mix all the icing ingredients together to form a smooth paste and ice while still in the tin. Refridgerate. When cold cut into fingers.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz/115 gm butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 beaten egg
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 cups coconut
• 1 cup sifted flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch salt

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar and then add the egg and the vanilla essence. Combine the dry ingredients and add. Mix well. Put into teaspoon lots on to a cold, floured oven tray. Flatten with a fork. Bake at 180 C/350 F for about 10 minutes (if you are using a fan-forced oven  then you will need to lower the temperature by up to 10 degrees centigrade and/or adjust the time). Leave on a wire rack to cool and then store in an air-tight container.

I can’t help comparing these  with Anzac biscuits because they share some of the same ingredients. However they are lighter and less sweet and I when I first made them I didn’t expect to like them as much as I did-they’re very nice and definitely worth trying.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz/115 gm butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sifted flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the beaten egg. Combine all the dry ingredients and then add to the mixture and mix well. Roll into balls and place on an oven tray and press down thinly with a fork. Bake at 190 C/375 F for approximately 12 – 15 minutes (if you are using a fan-forced oven  then you will need to lower the temperature by up to 10 degrees centigrade and/or adjust the time). Place on a wire rack to cool and then store in an air-tight container.

When searching through my mother’s ancient recipe book I came across this recipe which is not one I had tried before or was familiar with. It’s nice to have a plain biscuit sometimes!

Ingredients:

• 8oz/225 gm butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the beaten egg and then the vanilla essence. Combine the dry ingredients and add them to the mixture. Roll into balls and place them on a cold oven tray. Press down with a fork. Bake at 180 C/350 F for about 15 minutes until light brown (if you are using a fan-forced oven  then you will need to lower the temperature by up to 10 degrees centigrade and/or adjust the time). Place on a wire rack to cool and then store in an air-tight container.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz/225 gm butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 beaten eggs
• 1.5 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup chopped walnts
• 1/2 cup chopped glace cherries

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar then add the beaten eggs and mix. Add the dry ingredients and then the walnuts and cherries. Grease a small round tin and pour the mixture in. Bake at 350F/180 C for about an hour (if you are using a fan-forced oven  then you will need to lower the temperature by up to 10 degrees centigrade and/or adjust the time).  Place on a wire rack to cool and then ice with plain or lemon icing. Store in an air-tight container.

Icing:

• 2 oz/50gm butter
• dash of hot water
• enough icing sugar to mix until firm

These are yummy!

• 6 oz/170 gm butter
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond essence
• 1  1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 cup cornflour
• 3/4 cup chopped glace cherries
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar and then add the two essences.  Combine the dry ingredients and add to the mixture. Add the cherries and walnuts and mix well and knead. Roll up pieces into small balls and place on an oven tray. Flatten each one using either a fork or the underneath of a (floured) tumbler. Bake at 325 F/160 C for about 20 minutes (if you are using a fan-forced oven  then you will need to lower the temperature by up to 10 degrees centigrade and/or adjust the time). Leave on a wire rack to cool and then store in an air-tight container.