Apricot pecan muffins recipe

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 20–25 minutes

 

12/3 cups (250 g) plain flour

1/2 cup (75 g) bread flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cup (115 g) firmly packed soft brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (20 g) bran

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 cup (250 ml) low-fat milk

2 eggs

3 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter,

melted and cooled

250 g ripe but firm apricots, pitted and diced

1/2 cup (50 g) pecans, chopped

 

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Using a piece of crumpled paper towel and a small knob of butter, lightly grease a deep muffin tray – each cup should measure 6 cm across the top and be 2.5 cm deep.

 

2 Sift the flours, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir in the bran and lemon zest. Combine the milk, eggs and butter in a jug, mixing well. Pour into the dry ingredients and add the diced apricots and pecans. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened, leaving some small lumps of the flour mixture in the dough. Do not overmix the batter.

 

3 Spoon into the prepared muffin tray, filling the cups two-thirds full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until risen and golden brown and a wooden cocktail stick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 2–3 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. The muffins are best if served within a few hours of baking.

 

 

Each muffin provides 963 kJ, 230 kcal, 6 g protein, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 34 g carbohydrate (13 g sugars), 2 g fibre

 

 

Health experts regularly recommend that we should increase the amount of fibre in our diet. These muffins help to do just that, with fresh apricots providing a wide range of fibre components, including both soluble and insoluble fibre – not only good for digestion, but also helpful in controlling fat and sugar levels in the blood.

 

Bran contains the indigestible fibrous part of the wheat grain. It helps to provide the bulk that keeps the digestive system healthy.