Fresh Apricot and Pecan Muffins

20 minutes - 30 minutes
to cook

I love American home cooking, and one of the things I feel Americans are particularly good at is baking (both at home and commercially).

The American muffin reigns supreme – not like the British bread version but more like superior fairy cakes and oh so much easier to make and more of a treat. Like many other things in America, they used to come big, but now that calorie counting is here to stay there are mini versions, which means you can make lots of different bite-sized flavours.

The Delia Online Cookery School: Delia shows how easy it is to make Muffins. Click the image to play the video.

This recipe is from The Delia Collection: Baking. Makes 20 mini or 6 man-sized muffins

Method

Start off by sifting the flours, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.

Then, in a separate bowl, mix together the egg, sugar, milk, melted butter and vanilla extract. Now return the dry ingredients to the sieve and sift them straight on to the egg mixture (this double sifting is essential because there won't be much mixing going on). What you need to do now is take a large spoon and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones – quickly, in about 15 seconds. Don't be alarmed by the rather unattractive, uneven appearance of the mixture: this, in fact, is what will ensure that the muffins stay light.

Now fold the apricots, pecan nuts and cinnamon into the muffin mixture, again with a minimum of stirring: just a quick folding in. Spoon in just enough mixture to fill each muffin cup (if you're not using papers, grease the tins well), and top with the chopped pecans and crushed sugar before putting into the oven.

Bake on a high shelf of the oven for 20 minutes for minis or 30 minutes for the larger ones or until well risen and brown. Remove the muffins from the oven and cool in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack (if they are in paper cases remove them from the tins straight away).

Additional

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).

Using a fan-assisted oven? Click here

Equipment

You will also need a Delia Online 6-cup Muffin Tray lined with 6 paper cases, generously brushed with melted butter or two 12 hole mini muffin tins (with paper cases).

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