Showing posts with label breakfast on the go. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breakfast on the go. Show all posts
If you’re craving a bake that feels like pure comfort and a touch of springtime sweetness, these Apricot & Honey Muffins are such a lovely place to start. They’re soft, tender, and just sweet enough — the kind of muffin that makes your kitchen smell warm and welcoming before you’ve even finished your first cup of tea.
They’re simple, wholesome, and perfect for breakfast, coffee breaks, or tucking into lunchboxes. A small batch of everyday ingredients… transformed into something that feels a little special. If you enjoy bakes that are easy, comforting, and full of flavor, you’ll want to try these.
These delicious muffins I am showing you today make for a fantastically tasty grab and go mid-week breakfast. Perfect for days when you are in a rush and don't have a lot of time to dawdle at the breakfast table.
I love muffins. Not quite a sweet as a cupcake, they almost make you feel like you are making a virtuous choice when you choose to have one. Who doesn't love a muffin? Small individual quick breads built just for one!
These lovely muffins smell heavenly when they are baking and no wonder as they are chock full of lovely nutritious things. Whole grain oats, grated fresh apple, chopped dried apricots, chopped toasted pecans. Ripe banana, sultanas and sweet honey. Oh, how I love baked goods sweetened with honey.
They are a perfect combination of fruit, nuts and fiber to keep up your energy levels and help keep you going the whole morning through!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE APRICOT & HONEY MUFFINS
There is nothing too out of the ordinary here. It is a fairly lengthy list, but most things are things which we almost always have on hand.
- 210g plain all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin or apple pie spice will work) (see recipe notes)
- 50g chopped dried apricots (1/2 cup)
- 50g chopped toasted pecan nuts (1/2 cup) plus a bit more for sprinkling on top before baking
- 100g porridge oats (1 cup)
- 50g sultana raisins (1/2 cup golden raisins)
- 2 medium bananas, very ripe and peeled
- 2 unpeeled eating apples, grated
- 2 large free range eggs
- 5 TBS vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 TBS honey
- 6 TBS milk
- 100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup, packed)
.JPG "Apricot & Honey Muffins")
INGREDIENTS NOTES
Do not use self raising flour. I cannot guarantee the results if you use it. The leavening would need to be adjusted if you did use self raising flour and I am not sure at this time how much baking powder would be needed. In any case, you will need the soda in addition to baking powder.
I give a recipe to make your own mixed spice in the recipe notes if you so wish to make some. It is not an ingredient which is common in North America.
I used organic dried apricots that had not been treated with Sulphur which means they are not bright orange in color.
Porridge Oats are cut or crushed, not flattened. The whole oat kernel is split into small oat fragments that are inconsistent in size and shape. Porridge oats are occasionally called Scottish oats or Irish oats, based on their respective country of origin.
By eating apples I mean an apple that is somewhat sweet and not too tart. I used Honey Crisp. Do not peel.
I used liquid honey, not solid or creamed.
I used whole milk. That is all I keep in the house.
HOW TO MAKE APRICOT & HONEY MUFFINS
These are not all that difficult to make. They are done in the same way as most muffins.
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/ 350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a 12 hole muffin cup with paper cases. Set aside. (Alternately you can butter the muffin cups and lightly dust with flour, shaking out any excess.)
- Whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder, spice, apricots, pecans, raisins, and porridge oats in a large bowl. (I use a wire whisk to do this.)
- Mash the banana well with a fork and then beat together with the eggs, oil, vanilla, honey, apples and milk. Stir in the brown sugar. (Make sure all of these ingredients are well combined.)
- Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in the wet and mix to combine, working from the center. (Do not overmix. It is okay for the batter to be a bit lumpy, but there should be no large dry streaks to be seen.)
- Spoon into the prepared muffin cases, filling them 2/3 full. Sprinkle the tops with few more chopped toasted pecans for texture and crunch. (Don't overfill the cups.)
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes until golden brown, well risen, and the tops spring back when lightly touched.
- Tip out to cool on a wire rack.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN THESE MUFFINS BE MIXED TOGETHER AHEAD OF TIME?
If you like you can mix together the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately, ready to mix together when you are ready to bake them. The dry ingredients can be kept in a bowl, covered on the countertop. The wet ingredients should be kept in the refrigerator, covered. Bring them to room temperature before mixing and baking. I would not do this more than 24 hours ahead of time.
WHAT ARE PORRIDGE OATS?
Porridge Oats are cut or crushed, not flattened. The whole oat kernel is split into small oat fragments that are inconsistent in size and shape. Porridge oats are occasionally called Scottish oats or Irish oats, based on their respective country of origin.
CAN I CUT THIS RECIPE IN HALF?
Yes, you can absolutely cut this recipe in half. Simply divide all of the ingredients by two. Bake times will remain the same and you will be able to make six delicious muffins rather than 12.
CAN THESE BE FROZEN ONCE BAKED?
Yes, these can be frozen after baking. Simply wrap each muffin individually in some cling film and then place them all into a zip lock baggie, label and date. That way you can take out as many or as few as you wish to eat. You can thaw them on the countertop for several hours, or you can gently reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high. You can freeze them for up to three months, properly wrapped.
HOW LONG WILL THESE MUFFINS KEEP ONCE BAKED?
They will keep for up to five days once baked. Store in an airtight container.
A FEW OTHER MUFFIN RECIPES TO ENJOY
Here are a few other muffin recipes that you might also enjoy!
SPECIAL K BREAKFAST MUFFINS - These are the PERFECT breakfast muffins. Quick and easy to make. Delicious. I highly recommend. Simple and filled with fiber. You can use ordinary Special K cereal, or you can be a bit more extravagant and use one of the varieties which contain fruit. This recipe makes half a dozen fabulous muffins.
GINGERBREAD MUFFINS - I am a hug fan of gingerbread anything. I think gingerbread is probably one of my favorite things to bake and eat! They are moist and delicious with a lovely crumb and beautiful ginger/cinnamon flavor. The recipe makes a full batch of 12 fabulous muffins!
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Yield: One Dozen
Apricot & Honey Muffins
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min
Moist and delicious for a fabulous breakfast on the go. They smell heavenly when they are baking!
Ingredients
- 210g plain all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin or apple pie spice will work) (see recipe notes)
- 50g chopped dried apricots (1/2 cup)
- 50g chopped toasted pecan nuts (1/2 cup) plus a bit more for sprinkling on top before baking
- 100g porridge oats (1 cup)
- 50g sultana raisins (1/2 cup golden raisins)
- 2 medium bananas, very ripe and peeled
- 2 unpeeled eating apples, grated
- 2 large free range eggs
- 5 TBS vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 TBS honey
- 6 TBS milk
- 100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup, packed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/ 350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a 12 hole muffin cup with paper cases. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder, spice, apricots, pecans, raisins, and porridge oats in a large bowl.
- Mash the banana well with a fork and then beat together with the eggs, oil, vanilla, honey, apples and milk. Stir in the brown sugar.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in the wet and mix to combine, working from the center.
- Spoon into the prepared muffin cases, filling them 2/3 full. Sprinkle the tops with few more chopped toasted pecans for texture and crunch.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes until golden brown, well risen, and the tops spring back when lightly touched.
- Tip out to cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Make Your Own Mixed Spice:
You can easily make your own mixed spice: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and all spice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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Todd is a Bakewell Tart man. He loves, LOVES the flavour of Bakewell Tart(s)! It doesn't matter if it is a whole tart or small individual tarts. You can count him in if Bakewell Tart is on the menu.
A Bakewell tart is an English pastry consisting of a shortcrust pastry shell beneath a layers of jam, almond flavoured frangipane, and a topping of flaked almonds.Oftimes the flakes almonds are foregone and the tarts are topped with an almond glace icing and a glace cherry. Those are Todd's absolute favourites! You can also find it baked as a large tart as opposed to small individual tarts.
The definitive flavours are almond and raspberry . . . the rest (the icing and cherry) are just gilding an already beautifully flavoured lily.
These muffins are moist from the use of buttermilk in the batter and deliciously almondy, using both ground almonds and almond extract . . .
They are filled with sweet raspberry jam . . . just a dollop in the centre, prior to baking . . . kind of like my jam doughnut muffins are filled with jam. The jam really stays in the centre of these however, and I think it is the ground almonds in the batter which helps with this.
They crown beautifully and come out of the oven with lovely muffin tops! Ohh, I do so love a good muffin top . . . all crispy edged . . . my favourite part of any muffin!
The almond glaze tops the off beautifully . . . and of course that cherry is the perfect dressing! And so very bakewellie.
Perfect for Elevensies, tea time, breakfast on the go, brunch, picnic baskets, or just because . . .
Go on! Treat yourself! You won't regret it. I guarantee!
*Bakewell Tart Muffins*
Makes 6
You will love these muffins. If you only bake one thing this weekend, let it be these! Bon Appetit!
I got a request earlier this week for Orange Muffins and what could I do? I just had to bake some.
Not sure if they will please the person who asked for them. All I can tell you for sure is that WE love these!
I do have another orange muffin recipe which we also like which uses a whole orange ground up, but this recipe here today is a bit simpler, but still very orangy.
With plenty of fresh orange juice and finely grated orange zest in the batter . . .
You can add dried fruit, or nuts, or even poppy seeds if you wish.
I had some dried currants I wanted to use up and so today I used them. Mmmm . . . perfect.
They also have a lovely but optional orange icing glaze that you dip the tops of the muffins into while still warm.
That has orange juice and zest in it also.
*Orange Muffins*
Makes 11 medium muffins
Fresh orange flavours, filled with optional fruit and glazed with an optional glaze. These are winners!
90ml vegetable oil (3 fluid ounces)
60g plain yogurt (1/4 cup)
Optional glaze:
60g icing sugar (scant half cup)
2 tsp orange juice
1/4 tsp finely grated orange zest
Preheat the oven to 190*C/3758f/ gas mark 5. Butter a non-stick muffin tin really well, or line with muffin papers. Set aside.
Whisk
the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together in a bowl. If you are
using any dried fruit, stir it in now. Beat together the egg, sugar,
orange zest, orange juice, water, oil and yogurt. Add all at once to the
dry ingredients. Stir lightly just to combine. No dry flour should be
visible. Spoon into the prepared muffin tins.
Bake for 20 minutes until well risen and the tops spring back when lightly touched.
Whisk
together all of the glaze ingredients. Tip the tops of the warm muffins
into the glaze and place onto a rack to set the glaze. Delicious warm
or cold!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
When I first moved over here to the UK, I knew I wouldn't be able to bring any of my cookbooks with me at that time. (IS it possible that it was almost 17 years now!
My time does fly when you are having fun!) Instead I took a small notebook and wrote down all of my favourite recipes and tried and tries that I didn't want to leave behind. It was a lot easier to carry a notebook with me than a bookcase. 😏
Golden Harvest Muffins was one of the recipes I had written down in that book. Adapted from a recipe which had been published in a Taste of Home Magazine, it has long been one of our favourite muffin recipes!
That says a lot as I have been baking muffins for quite a few years now. I do sos love muffins.
No surprise there! It is stogged full of lovely things. Not on but two flours.
There is a healthy combination of white and whole wheat flours, means that they contain an extra bit of healthy fibre.
Grated carrot and apple help towards your five a day . . . (don't burst my bubble, lol)You can't beat getting in a bit of extra fruit and vegetables really.
And what a way to get some of them in!
With grated coconut, and chopped toasted walnuts for a bit of crunchy, moreish nuttiness. I like to toast my nuts first. I always do that when baking.
Toasted nuts just taste nuttier. It is a simple thing to do. Just pop your nuts onto a baking sheet and toast them in a hot oven (190*C/375*F) for about 8 to 10 minutes. They will smell nice and nutty when they are done.
These are studded with sticky raisins. These lovely muffins are little powerhouses of flavour and texture!
Filled with scrumptiously tasty goodness!
They are moist and filled with delicious! The recipe does make a lot (36) but no worries, these are perfect for sharing.
Of course they freeze very well. Just pop them into an airtight container and pop it into the freezer.
These are perfect for keeping in the deep freeze. Wrap them up individually and then pop them into a hard container. Then you can take one out as and when you want it.
These are the perfect portable for your tea or coffee break. They make a nice addition for your lunch also, just add some carrot and celery sticks and Bob's your Uncle!
*Golden Harvest Muffins*
Makes 24 large muffins
350ml vegetable oil (1 1/2 cups)
120ml milk (1/2 cup)
4 tsp vanilla
3 large free range eggs, beaten
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter 2 large
muffin tins really well, or line with paper liners, buttering the top of
the tin. Set aside.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre of one comes out clean. Store in an airtight container.
Hearty, simple to make and most delicious! What more could a person want?
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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