Festive Cranberry, Pecan & Orange Muffins

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas.....

More festive baking going on in Sika Lodge today, with our ole faithful muffins, adapted to give a festive twist. They are the perfect snack when needing a break from wrapping presents and writing Christmas cards.  I especially made these for our new next door neighbours who recently moved in, as a way of introducing myself and breaking the ice, however my fear is that they will be all eaten if I don't take them over soon.

This recipe is the same basic muffin recipe as all my other muffins recipes!

Ingredients

·         400g Plain flour

·         150g Caster sugar

·         85g Butter

·         2 eggs

·         1 tbsp Baking powder

·         Zest of an orange

·         260ml Buttermilk

·         Salt

·         150g of fresh cranberries

·         50g of chopped of pecan nuts

Method

1.       Sieve the flour into a bowl, along with the baking powder, salt and sugar.

2.       Melt the butter over a low heat.

3.       Zest the orange over the flour mixture

4.       Lift the flour mixture high from the bowl and let it fall between your fingers, do this maybe 10 times. This helps to lighten the flour.

5.       Beat the eggs in a jug with the buttermilk and add the melted butter once its cooled slightly.

6.       Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

7.       Add the cranberries and nuts and gently fold.

8.       Have the oven preheated to 200 degrees.

9.       Line a muffin tray with 12 paper cases and using a dessert spoon fill each case.

10.   Bake in the oven for 23-25 minutes.

11.   Remove and cool on wire rack.