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Blackberry and apple muffins

Blackberry+and+apple+muffins-6This is such a colourful, romantic and interesting time of year if you like to be outside enjoying the last few rays of late summer sun. Blackberries, elderberries and windfall apples are everywhere. When I go running in the mornings I try to remember to take a plastic bag with me to gather any edible fruit or nuts I see.

Today I made something with them – just simple muffins spiked with chopped apple, blackberries and some lemon rind.

I made a dozen bite sized muffins and drizzled them with honey as they came out of the oven. You could add a pinch of cinnamon to the mix or even vanilla essence would be nice.

Ingredients:

150g self raising flour

half tsp baking powder

25g cold unsalted butter cubed

75g of blackberries and apples, peeled, cored and cut into 2cm cubes

1 eggs, lightly beaten

110 ml milk

Finely grated zest from half a lemon

Honey for drizzling

Method:

Preheat to overn to 200c/400f/gas mark 6.

Line a tin with 12 mini muffin cases.

Mix the flour and baking powder together in a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, lemon rind and the apple and blackberries.

In a separate bowl mix the eggs and milk then pour the mixture all at once into the dry ingredients and mix quickly.

Drop the batter into the muffin cases and bake for 10-15 minutes or until risen and golden and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for ten minutes.

After ten minutes transfer to a cool rack and drizzle with a little warmed honey.

www.joanransley.co.uk