Gold Kiwifruit Muffins

If you watched a tv show called Shortland Street during the 90s, then you might remember the name "Lionel Skeggins"- though you may not want to admit it. Lionel worked at a cafe near the hospital, had a relationship with crazy-lady Mackenzie, and most memorably, disappeared mysteriously...dun dun dunnn. Shortland Street is one of those naff tv shows that are so predictable that you can tune in and out yet still not struggle to follow the storyline. But despite how naff it is, I will admit it, I watch it. So as soon as I spotted this Shortland Street themed cookbook I laughed out loud, which was rather embarrassing since I was at the public library. The tag line on the back of the book proclaims: "Straight from Lionel's trolley...Rocky Road Muffin, Pecan Muffins, [etc], these taste sensations have completely won over the staff and patients of Shortland Street. You will find them irresistible too." How cheesy is that? Anyhow I am easily amused so I gave the book a whirl. So here is my version of "Lionel's kiwifruit muffins"; I adapted the recipe and chose to use gold kiwifruit as I prefer their delicate custard-like flavour, added a lemon curd centre and I also switched the sugar from brown sugar to vanilla sugar so as to enhance the gold kiwifruit flavour. These are a huge hit at my place and I have made a few other recipes from the book, all delicious. So despite the kitsch outlook, the book actually has some substance...unlike the programme.


Ingredients:

• 50g butter
• 200ml milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup chopped gold kiwifruit
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup vanilla sugar (caster sugar infused with vanilla) or regular caster sugar
• lemon curd for optional filling

Method:

Melt the butter, then mix it into the milk and eggs.

Add the remaining ingredients. Fold briefly, until just combined.
Spoon half the mixture into 12 greased or lined muffin pans. Place a teaspoon dollop of lemon curd onto each, then spoon remaining muffin mixture on top.
Bake at 200 Celsius for 20-25 minutes.

- recipe adapted from "Lionel's Muffins" (recipes developed by Vicki Hoffmann)

Banana Hazelnut Muffins

I love muffins with gooey centres, especially ones with contrasting complementary flavours, so I came up with this recipe the other day using my standard banana muffin recipe. I especially love it as it uses yoghurt in the mix, which imparts a yummy tang and leaves the muffin beautifully fluffy; I don't like muffins that are too sweet or too dense. And the yummy nutty sweet centre is just what the muffin needs to give it extra richness. I mixed the hazelnut spread with a little water and icing sugar to create the consistency I wanted, as I believed the hazelnut spread was too dense on its own and I didn't want to risk it sinking to the bottom. It all worked out ideally and now I have a new favourite muffin. Btw these keep really well, they will stay yummy and moist for days.

Ingredients for Muffin:

• 1 cup natural unsweetened yoghurt
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1 & 3/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 heaped tablespoons vanilla sugar
• chopped hazelnuts for topping
  

Ingredients for Filling:

• 4 tablespoons hazelnut spread
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar
• 3 teaspoons water (depends on the viscosity of your hazelnut spread, I used Nutella and it was like concrete, so perhaps you will need less)

Method:

In a large bowl; combine the yoghurt, oil and banana.

Gradually add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Spoon half the mixture into 12 greased or lined muffin pans.

Combine the filling ingredients and place a small teaspoon-sized dollop in the centre of each muffin then top with the rest of the muffin mixture.

Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and bake for 20-25 minutes at 180 Celsius.

Let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing.

These are yum when eaten warm or cold.

Rhubarb Muffins

We had a heap of rhubarb growing at the community garden, so I diced some up and froze them to use at a later date. And this recipe is where they mostly end up. I find it really needs the addition of the spices to give it extra zing. One day I would like to try this recipe with some orange zest, but I never seem to have one lying around when I need it.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups flour

• 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup milk

• 1/4 cup oil

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

• 1 egg, beaten

• 2 cups finely chopped rhubarb (I add them pre-chopped straight from my freezer)

• 2 teaspoons of spices ( I grind my own mixture of cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, but use what you like. I like to go quite heavy on the cardamom)

Also, if you have a very sweet tooth you can sprinkle over a cinnamon sugar mixture (1tsp cinnamon with 2 Tbsp white sugar) before baking. However I often prefer to make them without the topping.

Method:

Heat oven to 180 Celsius, and grease or line 12 muffin cups.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, oil, vanilla, and egg. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the rhubarb.
Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups.
Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar, if desired.

Bake for 20-25min until light golden brown.