Apricot Pumpkin Muffin

Happy New Year! May 2013 be a great year for everyone. As for me, I look forward to spending more time in my baking journey and sharing my treats with you. My younger son has started his secondary 1 education this year and I will not be able to help him in his studies that much anymore. Time for me to step back and for him to be independent and responsible. Hope it works out well.

I have not been baking muffins for some time. I have a tub of creme fraiche in my refrigerator which is going to expire soon. Can't remember why did I buy the creme fraiche the last time. Think it's more likely for some western food that I wanted to cook during last Christmas but got abandoned unfortunately. Pricking my brain what I can bake with it. The most fuss free would be muffins .... No need for any mixer at at all. Just 2 mixing bowls, a whisk and a rubber spatula. Simple and fast.

Rummaging through my refrigerator, I saw some dried apricots and pumpkin seeds. Add some orange zest to it. I can already imagine that the muffin would taste good - tangy from the citrus orange zest and dried apricots and the slight crunch from the pumpkin seeds. I can't wait to have a bite of it after these muffins were out of the oven; and they didn't disappoint me. The muffins turned out to be soft, moist and flavourful. I must say I will make these muffins again. I will replace the butter with corn oil next time. And also try replacing the creme fraiche with sour cream, buttermilk or just fresh milk. Which one will taste better? Give it a try and share your findings with me.

Apricot Pumpkin Muffin

Ingredients:

1 large egg

60g caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

75g creme fraiche

75g fresh milk

70g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

70g plainflour

80g cake flour

1¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ salt

6 dried apricots, cut into small bites

2-3 tsp pumpkin seeds, toasted

Zest from one orange, about 2 tsp

Preparation:

Line a standard size 6-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Preheat oven at 220°C.

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg with the sugar until slightly pale in color. Add in the vanilla extract, creme fraiche, fresh milk and cooled, melted butter and whisk mixture evenly. Mix in the orange zest and dried apricots. Set aside.
2. Sift the two flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into another mixing bowl. Create a well in the centre.
3. Pour in the egg mixture from Step 1 and using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Stop when flour mixture has been incorporated into the egg mixture.
4. Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan until almost full and top them with the toasted pumpkin seeds.
5. Bake for about 5 minutes before reducing oven temperature to 180°C and continue baking for another 15 minutes. A skewer inserted into the centre of the muffin should come out clean.
6. Cool the muffins in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes before removing them to cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 5-6 muffins