Goat's cheese, olive and sunblushed-tomato muffins

Just about everyone thinks 'American' these days when they hear the word muffin. They forget the yeast-leavened squat, spongy English muffins, which I am suddenly tempted to try for the first time in ages.

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Method

Serves 9

  1. Preheat the oven to 220 deg C/425 deg F/gas mark 7.
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper into a large bowl.
  3. Rub in the butter and add two-thirds of the Cheddar and goat's cheese, olives,  tomatoes and basil, reserving the remaining third for the topping.  Mix well.
  4. Beat the egg and milk together and add to the dry ingredients, working quickly and lightly with a large fork until the flour is just incorporated.  I keep my movements large to allow as much air as possible into the mix and am very careful not to over-beat - less than 30 seconds is enough.
  5. Lightly butter and flour the muffin tin (or line with muffin papers) and fill each two-thirds full, sprinkling the remaining bits on top.
  6. Bake in the middle of the oven for 18-20 minutes until well risen and golden.  Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before loosening with the tip of a knife and transferring to a wire rack.

ingredients

225 g / 8 oz plain flour or Farina OO
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp garlic salt or Herbamare
Freshly ground black pepper
30 g/1 oz butter
100 g/4 oz cheese, half Cheddar and half goat’s cheese, cut into small pieces
60 g/2 oz black olives, pitted, chopped and patted dry
90 g/3 ½ oz sunblushed tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp chopped basil
1 large egg, beaten
250 ml/9 fl oz milk

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