These soft and fluffy, spicy, vanilla muffin sponge, loaded with yoghurt, chopped fresh apricots and chunks of delicious white chocolate are a wonderful way to start the day or to have with your morning coffee.
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
Preheat oven to Fan Oven 200°C /220°C/425°F/Gas 7 (Unless freezing.)
Melt the butter in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl. (If you do not have a microwave, you can melt the butter in a large saucepan and then use the saucepan as your mixing bowl – if you are using a metal balloon whisk, make sure your saucepan is not non-stick!) Leave to cool slightly whilst you collect the remaining ingredients together.
Halve the apricots and remove the stones. Chop each half into small pieces. Also chop the white chocolate into chunks.
Add the sugar, yoghurt, eggs and vanilla extract to the melted butter. Mix thoroughly with a balloon whisk.
Place a sieve over the top of the bowl and weigh in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and salt. Sieve over the egg mix.
Fold until 80% mixed in.
Add the chopped apricots and white chocolate and fold in. Do not over mix – it is OK to have a few lumps.
Divide equally between the muffin cases.
If you have any extra chopped apricots and white chocolate, add these to the top of the muffins now and sprinkle over some Demerara sugar. You can actually freeze these muffins at this stage, before cooking, and then cook them from frozen. If freezing, put in the freezer in the tin straight away. When frozen, cover with cling film.
Put into the oven on the middle shelf for 5 minutes, if cooking immediately, or 10 minutes, if cooking from frozen.
After the 5 minutes (if cooking straight away) or 10 minutes (if cooking from frozen), turn the oven down to Fan Oven 160°C /180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and cook for a further 15 – 20 minutes or until cooked. They are cooked when they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the sponge is clean.
Leave in the cake tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Equipment:
Suggested accompaniments:
Storage:
These muffins are best eaten on the day they are made. However, they will store well in an airtight container for 2 -3 days, or in a fridge or 4 – 5 days. If you are storing them in the fridge, allow time for them to come to room temperature before eating.
What is the best way to freeze uncooked muffins?
You can freeze these muffins before you cook them. All you need to do is:
What is the best way to freeze cooked muffins?
You can also freeze these muffins after they have been cooked, for up to 3 months. Once cooked, allow to cool and freeze as soon as possible in an airtight container.