Raspberry and Lemon Muffins

This is an adapted recipe inspired by:
http://www.channel4.com/4food

I had previously made blueberry muffins and lemon muffins successfully so thought I'd use up the raspberries I bought.

Muffins

Makes enough for 12 muffins (but I get worried about overfilling and end up with 3 cake sized muffins as well)

Ingredients:  

  

300g Self Raising Flour

100g Caster Sugar (I used Unrefined Granulated Sugar, np)

1tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

175ml Milk (I used Soya Milk, np)

125ml Vegetable Oil (I used Corn Oil)

1 Egg
1 Lemon Rind, grated

165g Raspberries (125g to 150g is fine, I wanted to use the surplus up, I used slightly thawed frozen ones)

Method:

1.  Take a tsp of flour from the measured amount and mix with the raspberries.  This will help dry them up and stop them sinking.  Set aside.

2.  Sift flour into a large bowl, add baking powder, sugar and the salt.  Stir thoroughly so the baking powder is distributed evenly.

3.  Measure the milk and oil into a measuring jug, add egg and beat together. Add the lemon zest.

Zesty goodness

4.  This is when I turn the oven on.  It's quick because it's a fan oven, heat to 170c.  Line the muffin tin with 2 paper cases for each hole.  When it is hot enough, you can mix the wet and dry ingredients together.  Don't forget to line a few extra (cake or muffin in case of excess), you get the luxury of hindsight :p

5.  Quickly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture is 'just' mixed. I got a few flour pockets but that is ok.

Left teaspoon, right dessertspoon

6.  Spoon about 2 dsp into each case.  Put the muffin tray into the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.  If you're baking cakes, 20mins will definitely do.

Transfer the muffins from the tray to a cooling rack.  My cooling rack is just an extra that came with the microwave.

Review:

The muffins came out slightly blue due to the frozen raspberries.  I should wait until they are fully thawed and dry before I use them (even better, use fresh!).  The lemon was nice, they left brilliant yellow specks in the muffins.  I was going to make a lemon drizzle icing if it wasn't sweet enough but they were fine.  The presentation would benefit from setting aside a few raspberries and placing on top after you have put the mixture in the cases so you get lovely peeks of fruit.

I enjoyed making these but personally prefer them with blueberries.