Muffin inspiration please!

[canarygirl]

I am planning a monster muffin making moment this afternoon for our local baby group. Does anyone have any inspiration for exciting flavours, choc chip and blueberry are getting a bit boring

I add a little oatmeal, cranberries and a mix of seeds like pumpkin/sesame/sunflower (you can get an Omega3 mix from somewhere like Holland and Barrett) - really nice!

That sounds good mumbojumbo, I'll pop into H&B later and see if they've got any - sounds healthy and yummy!

How about carrot and oranage.

chocolate & courgette - yes really. Lovely.

cherry are nice

chocolate and courgette what ratio of choc to courgette? Do you grate the courgette and/or steam it first? Sounds intriguing!

hang on will go and dig out recipe.

do you have the recipe for carrot n orange ones please goingfor3, they sound yummy

Right, its from this book which is ace on all things muffin ! muffin book

Makes 11-12 standard size

10 oz/280g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp bicarb
0.5 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp cocoa
1 egg
4-5 oz/ 110-140g light brown soft sugar
1-3 fl oz/ 60-90 ml milk or water
2 tsp vanilla essence/flavouring
12 oz/ 340g courgette finely grated (or chopped in food processor) which will yield about 16 fl oz when packed in a measuring jug (no need to peel)
3 floz veg oil or 3 oz melted butter
3 oz raisins (optional)

Basically mix dry and wet ingredients separately (courgette goes in with wet), Add dry fruit right at end.
Bake 20-25 mins at 190-200 C or gas 5-6

Phew. You'd better make some now

gingerbread muffins from the susan reimer book are delicious

as are the spicy apple ones

I sometimes buy a bag of frozen summer fruit .. pour half the bag into the wet ingredients (you have to chop them up) reduce the milk to about 5 oz to make up for the extra .. use soft brown sugar instead of granulated

To make the carrot and orange ones you could replace the courgette in your recipe with the smae amount of grated carrot, omit the vanilla and cocoa powder, add some grated rind of orange to taste.

Thanks wheelybug, I'll be onto it this afternoon, need to go out and get courgettes. I'll let you know how they turn out - how exciting (I don't get out much these days!!)

TWig I just KNEW you'd post on this thread

oooh thanks will have a go at them later.

You've inspired me to make some too ! or might try one of the ones twig recommends - I haven't done either of those although have done quite a few.

Meant to add - they freeze really well too.

I made chocolate muffins yesterday and am going to make another batch today as well as some cherry ones. Might do chocolate chip and orange too.

lemon and poppy seed muffins from the recommended book are fab and I like the marmalade and apricot ones but none of the rest of the family do.

Frozen raseberries and grated lemon rind stirred in is a great combination!

OK have just made choc and courgette muffins - hmmmmmmmmm smell lovely and look great .... but just realised I forgot the butter so they don't taste too good and a bit dry. Oh dear how embarrassing I really shouldn't try these things after a bad night. Maybe I'll have another go tomorrow feeling very silly indeed .

oops Canarygirl .

I have bought the ingredients to make choc/courgette, lemon & poppy seed and spiced apple. DD however had different ideas and insisted on the horrid disney princess cupcake mix so we've just made that... but am going to see how many of the above I can make this afternoon....

wheelybug I hope you do better than me let me know how it goes! I've got enough ingredients for oatmeal, cranberry and seed mix so may try again later if I have the energy !!

well have done apple spice and lemon and poppy seed. Thought I was a bit scuppered when I didn't have any plain flour but thankfully the recipe had alternatives for SR but then realised my baking powder was somewhat out of date but doesn't seem to have mattered... but haven't tasted them yet ! Will do cocoa and courgette either tonight or another day - there's only so much help from a 2 year old one can take in one day .

I know what you mean I think my 2 year old's assistance caused me to forget the butter! I have now made some with cranberries and nut mix which seem to have worked and my dh ate one and didn't complain!! I've run out of courgettes so will try again another day

white choc chip and blueberry

apple and cinnamon

summer berry

banana

cherry and dark choc