Redcurrant Muffins with Lemon Glaze

I made these a month or so ago and totally forgot I hadn't blogged them.

These redcurrant and lemon muffins are extraordinary. The lemon glaze is sweet but tangy and the redcurrants give a sour tang. You could eat these any time of the day. They taste light and refreshing and are a real burst of summer.

I was astonished Oliver had a go at these. He ate about 1/2 of one - which was good going for him. Right enough, he would have been begging for a second one if chocolate had been involved !

Last summer, I saw punnets upon punnets of redcurrants for sale on a fruit and veg stand by the side of the road. We are in a very rural area, and loads of people sell fruit, veg and eggs outside their door. You literally take what you want and put your money in a jar. Lovely. Fresh produce and usually very cheap. In autumn, EVERYONE seems to have apples and there are stacks of folk giving slightly imperfect ones away by the carrier bag full free. All you need to do is stop and pick some up

Sucked in by the lure of masses of redcurrants - freshly picked and on the vines, I doubled back to get some. I remember at the time getting about 4 or 5 punnets full and at the same time stupidly already realising I'd have no chance to use them over the following couple of days.

Just as well then that they froze so well ! I've had redcurrants there for sauces etc all through winter. Given masses still remained however, I can up with these on a rather damp and dreary winter day and it rather brightened things up.

Line a 12 hole silicone muffin mould (preferably hot pink to cheer up a gloomy day !) with paper cupcake / muffin cases. I like to use liners with delicate batters like this one and also when I am useing icings or glazes as it makes it a much less stick affair to both handle and eat the finished product !

Preheat fan oven to 200deg C

Recipe - makes exactly 12

275g plain flour (sifted)

3 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

160g sugar

1 egg

250ml milk

100ml sunflower or vegetable oil

180g redcurrants

Add all dry ingredients together and combine with a fork

Add all wet ingredients together and combine with a fork

Add wet to dry, and mix with a spoon until it looks lumpy and almost combined. Throw in the frozen redcurrants during the last couple of strokes.

Spoon into the cases. Pop the silicone muffin mould (on top of a baking tray) into the oven and reduce temperature to 180deg C.

Cook for approx 20 > 25 mins until done. Remove from oven.

For the glaze, all I did was mix icing sugar with some lemon juice until a thick paste (tooth paste consistency) formed.  Spoon this on to the hot muffins and it will melt to form a simple glaze



Enjoy !

Sarah-Jane Nash, http://www.siliconemoulds.com/ - silicone bakeware specialists