Muffin makers

Last Saturday at RWFL, Dereck decided that he would make muffins for session this Saturday. I get an Ina Paarman newsletter and it had carrot muffins on it. I gave Dereck the list of ingredients and he went off and bought them all and last night we cooked up a storm. While he was grating carrots and apples and soaking raisins, I was mixing all the other ingredients. The mixture was put into the paper cups and into the oven and we literally watched them cook!!

I made the icing and before I went to bed, iced the muffins ready for the morning. We took them to RWFL and after everyone had worked off what they were going to eat, they tucked in. Rave reviews were received!!

Here is the recipe (makes 24 muffins):

Preheat the oven to 180 C and adjust oven rack to middle position. Remove the raisin-bag from the foil packet and pour boiling water over the raising to plump them up. Drain immediately and set aside to swell.

2 Extra large eggs, 125 ml canola or sunflower oil, 250ml plain yoghurt, 250ml milk, 1 x 700g Ina Paarman's Muffin Mix with Raisins and Bran, 10ml ground cinnamon, 500mlgrated carrots, 1 apple coarsely grated with skin on, 125ml chopped pecan nuts, paper cups.

Line two muffin pans with paper cups (we did ours in two batches). Beat eggs and oil for 2 minutes on high speed until well blended. Add yoghurt and milk and beat for 1 minute on high speed. Add contents of pack, cinnamon, drained plumped raisins, grated carrots, grated apple and chopped nuts. Stir by hand with a spatula +- 40 times until uniformly blended (DO NOT BEAT). Spoon one heaped tablespoon of mixture into muffin pans. Fill the hollows only about 2/3 full. bake for about 20-25 minutes until nicely risen and browned.

Cream Cheese Icing

60ml butter, 2,5ml vanilla essence, 250g sifted icing sugar, 125g low fat creamed cottage cheese, extra nuts and orange zest to garnish.

Cream butter and vanilla, gradually add icing sugar until you get a dry, crumbly mixture. Add the cream cheese. DON"T BEAT THE CHEESE, just fold it in gently by hand, as it becomes watery when over mixed - the icing must still look slightly lumpy. Ice muffins when completely cooled. Garnish with chopped nuts and orange zest.

HINT: Most cream cheeses have quite a high water content and must be dripped in a sieve lined with kitchen paper or muslin before used in the icing. I used Spar Low Fat Smooth Cottage Cheese (Plain) and it didn't need to be dripped.

Muffined out signing off ...