I just love apricots, and thought they would be very good in a nice, plain muffin. But I wanted a little bit of crunch too, so I thought to make some Apricot Muffins with Walnuts.
As with all muffins recipes this one is very simple, one bowl with dry ingredients, once with wet ingredients, mix them together and add the stars of the show, apricots and walnuts. That it all there is too it, except for baking of course.
Now the recipe does call for buttermilk, which I know many people don’t ordinarily have in their fridge. But that is not a problem as you can easily make your own version. Simply take 250ml of milk(whole or 2% is fine) and add a tablespoon of lemon juice, or white vinegar to it and stir it in then leave it for 5 to 10 minutes. That will give you a nice buttermilk, thinner that shop bought, but just as effective.
The muffins dont take long in the oven, and they rise to a nice dome as they bake. Then it is simply a case of taking them out to cool and, if you wish, brushing some melted apricot jam over the tops to give them a nice sheen and a little extra hit of flavour.
Mine turned out very well, looking very nice and tasting just as good. Moist on the inside with the lovely apricot flavour and the crunch of some walnuts as well.
Ingredients:
- 130g dried apricots, chopped into pieces
- 30g walnuts chopped or broken into small pieces
- 250ml boiling water
- 250g plain flour
- 150g caster sugar
- 60ml unsalted butter, melted
- 60ml vegetable oil
- 1 medium egg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 225ml buttermilk
- 2 tbsp apricot jam, melted – optional
- Preheat the oven to 200c/180c Fan/390 F/Gas mark 6
- Line a muffin tin with paper cups or tulips, or grease the tin itself.
- Place the chopped apricots in a bowl and cover with boiling water and leave to soak for at least 5 minutes.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, salt and caster sugar together in a bowl and set aside.
- In another bowl whisk the melted butter, oil, buttermilk and egg together until combined.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ones in. Stir with a wooden spoon, gently, until the mixture is just combined.
- Strain the apricots, discarding the water.
- Add the apricots and walnuts to the mixture and stir in, gently, until combined. Do not stir too much, you just want everything combined. Lumps are fine.
- Divide the mixture into 12 muffin cups and bake in the oven for 18 minutes.
- Test with a skewer to see the middle is cooked and remove from the oven.
- Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then remove to a wire rack.
- If desired brush some melted apricot jam over the top as a nice, tasty, glaze.