Tag Archives: quick

Easy home-baked strawberry muffins

14 Apr

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The Hungry Mum family is meeting some friends in the morning for a beachside breakfast BBQ. We thought this mild autumn weather in Sydney would be a perfect time to catchup out of doors. Knowing how ravenous kids can be I baked some strawberry muffins for them to munch on while our breakfast poper is cooking. This recipe, from bestrecipes.com.au, was originally titled ‘Kim’s Moist Muffins.’ It is super easy and failsafe and versatile – everything you want in a muffin receipe [or any recipe, really]. If I knew how to link the site I would but I’m not that talented…

I had three punnets of strawberries in the fridge so I added some of those plus a handful of blueberries that were hanging around. I rounded that out with a pinch of allspice, which is my go to ingredient for all things baked. Kim herself suggested white choc & raspberry but almost anything can be used: mashed banana/sultanas/grated apple…

GATHER:

220g sifted self raising flour

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup of milk [or buttermik if you have it]

1/4 cup vegetable oil [not olive oil as it is too strong-tasting]

150g added flavours [eg strawberries]

LET’S GET TO IT:

Preheat oven to 170C and line a muffin tin with wrappers.

Place flour and sugar in a large bowl, stir with a wooden spoon.

In a jug place egg, oil and milk, whisk. Add to flour mix and stir until just mixed [do not over mix]

Add in flavours then pour into muffin pans.

Bake 15-20 mins / until golden.

These are fab warm but also can be frozen in a ziplock bag when completely cool.

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The best triple chocolate brownie recipe

27 Feb

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I bake so often that I am rarely tempted by my own sweet baked goods. Whenever I make a new recipe I try a piece but other than that I can take or leave cakes & things. A notable exception = brownies. I adore brownies – they are rich, gooey and not OTT in terms of sugary sweetness. Continue reading →

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Banana bread that doesn’t cost $4 a slice

12 Feb

I am always amazed when I see bakeries and cafes charging outlandish prices for banana bread. There is nothing in a slice of your ordinary, run-of-the-mill banana bread that makes it worth the $4 price tag. So when I saw my elderly neighbour fork out $8 for two scrawny slices of banana bread at a local bakery yesterday I was mortified. I came home, raided my fruit bowl & pantry and set about making a loaf. She was pleasantly surprised  when I lobbed at her doorstep and handed the loaf over [at this point we didn’t even know one another’s names] and I was happy I saved someone on a fixed income $8 [every cent counts, right?]. Because I couldn’t exactly cut a slice off to taste it before I handed it over I’ll go by the smell that emerged

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as it was baking : super divine.

I tweaked a recipe from taste.com.au, an online recipe site that never lets me down.

GATHER:

2 large over-ripe bananas, mashed

1  3/4 cups self raising flour

1/4 cup plain flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, whisked

1 tablespoon cinnamon

50g cooled, melted butter

1/2 cup milk

LET’S GET TO IT:

Preheat oven to 180C, spray a large loaf tin with cooking spray and line with baking powder.

Sift flours and cinnamon together in large bowl, add sugar.

In a jug gently mix melted butter, eggs, milk and bananas and stir into the flour mixture with a metal spoon. It will be lumpy, do not over beat.

Bake 40 ish minutes, checking with skewer. It make need another five or so depending on your oven. Remove, place on wire rack and wait until cool before slicing [if you can be that patient with such a delicious smell wafting through the kitchen…]

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Strawberry & custard muffins

11 Feb

When in doubt, bake. And when you don’t want to faff around with lining cake tins or decorating cupcakes, bake muffins. Quick, simple and perfect size for sharing – what’s not to love? These little numbers have a surprise in the shape of fresh strawberry & custard in the centre, elevating them from morning tea fare to, ummm, exciting morning tea fare.

Makes 12

GATHER:

2 cups self-raising flour

1 cup plain flour

1 egg

1 cup of milk

90 g butter, melted

12 strawberries, hulled & halved

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/4 thick shop-bought custard

1 teaspoon cinnamon PLUS 1/2 teaspoon, extra

2 tablespoons brown sugar

LET’S DO IT:

Preheat oven to 170-ishC.

Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin wrappers.

Mix together the extra 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon with the brown sugar in small bowl, set aside.

Mix flours, sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl with a metal spoon. In a jug stir together egg, milk and butter then add to bowl with other ingredients. Stir until just combined, do not over mix.

Fill each wrapper until half full then add a generous dollop of custard and 2 strawberries. Add more mixture to cover but do not overfill.

Sprinkle with extra cinnamon and brown sugar then cook for 20-ish minutes.ImageImageImage

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