Welcome to my English Kitchen. I moved over here to England from Canada in the year 2000. Before I arrived, I was told that the cooking and food over here was awful, except for the Roast Beef and the Fish and Chips. I had no idea of what to expect, but it didn't sound good.
I landed at Heathrow with a bulging suitcase full of kitchen tools, handwritten recipes and a 4 litre can of Maple Syrup, totally prepared to be greeted with the worst.
I am happy to say that over the past 
Wasn't the Royal Wedding spectacular!!! It was everything I dreamed it would be and more. I even cried, I was so moved by it all. Kate was beautiful William was so handsome. The service was lovely . . . and they seemed to be so much in love.
I gave it a 15+ out of 10! I wonder where the couple are going to honeymoon??? I am sure somebody knows . . . just not me.
They are more than welcome to come to Chester and stay for a few days at Casa de Rayner! I'd even give up my bed for them. I'd break out the best towels and my extra special guest sheets and bedding. I'll even bath Mitzie, so she smells extra sweet and is extra cuddly.
Heck, I'll even bake these muffins and serve the young couple breakfast in bed . . . who could resist these!
Tender and moist apple muffins, warmly spiced with cinnamon and chock full of apple bits . . . Served up warm with a delicious cinnamon butter . . . ohhhh so scrummily melting into all those lovely appledy dappledy nooks and crannies.
Oh dear, I better go out and buy some oranges so I can make them some fresh orange juice, do ya think??? One look at these muffins and they just might be up here and knocking on my door lickety split!!
*Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Butter*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe
Faff free and oh so delicious. The butter isn't really necessary, but do make it. One of these muffins, broken open when warm and spread with the cinnamon butter is pure bliss.
300g self raising flour (2 cups)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large free range eggs, beaten
75ml of plain yogurt (1/2 cup)
100ml of milk (scant 1/2 cup)
115g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
6 TBS sunflower oil
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
For the cinnamon butter:
4 ounces butter, at room temperature (1/2 cup)
60g of icing sugar, sifted (1/3 cup)
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a 12 hole muffin pan, or line with paper liners. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, soda and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, yogurt, milk, brown sugar, oil and chopped apple in another fold. Fold this into the dry mixture, mixing together only until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Lumps are ok and actually preferred. Spoon big dollops into the prepared muffin pan.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until well risen and golden. Leave to cool in the pan for several minutes before scooping out to a wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile, beat together the butter, sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon butter. Serve the muffins warm with the cinnamon butter for spreading. Delicious!
And now for something really wonderful! A week or so ago, I was over at my friend Jan's page, A Glug of Oil, and she had been granted the wish of a new Ice Cream Maker by the Fairy Hobmother! I left a comment and what do you know! I had a visit from the Fairy Hobmother myself, who granted me the wish of a voucer to use for whatever I wanted on Amazon.co.uk! It didn't take me two shakes of a lamb's tail to pick what I wanted and the good news is, YOU COULD HAVE A VISIT FROM THE FAIRY HOBMOTHER TOO!! Yes . . . YOU!
Just leave a comment on this post telling me what you would like and why, and your wish could be granted! Your wish doesn't have to be things that Appliances Online sell, like cookers and other appliances, it could be something as different as an Amazon Voucher like I got, and then you can get whatever you want. You never know, this could be your lucky day!
And I bet you are all just gagging to find out what I got with my voucher . . . wonder no more!
Now, tell me you aren't surprised!! Thanks Nigel! You're a star!
I can't pretend to know everything, but I more than welcome your questions and suggestions. Feel free to e-mail me on MarieAliceJoan at aol dot com and I'll endeavour to find out the answers to your most burning questions. Maybe we can learn together!
10 comments:
Oh, those muffins look fabulous! And easy to make I bet.
Hmm, I could really use a food processor.
Perfection (as always)! Love the close up photos with the butter melting!
I don't think I'm in the running for the voucher since I'm in the States, but I wanted to leave a comment all the same. I came over because apple muffins sound soooooo yummy!! I can't wait to try these out. And your commentary on Will and Kate stopping by made me chuckle. You are do cute, Marie! The wedding was lovely, wasn't it? Perfection!
Your muffins look amazing, perfect Marie! send you huggs, and kisses have a nice day, gloria
Even the cinnamon butter is a nice touch.. we have made this since tasting it at a B&B ..I think:)
I think the lovely young couple should go to Chester. They would have a great time. Loved watching the wedding. Reminded me how overdue I am for trip to England.
you're so cute! over here, i watched the entire prog from afternoon 4pm to 10 at night. i didnt want to miss that!
Exquisitos muffines se ven bien elaborados ,me encanta tu cocina,cariños y abrazos.
So glad I stumbled across your blog. the recipes are all amazing, I keep 'saving to make later' more recipes than I have time for!!
And apple & cinnamon muffins are my favourite; cinnamon butter, now there's an idea...
I'm a uni student attempting to build up my kitchen, food processor would be a very handy =)
And question: I'm making a rainbow cake [first time trying it!] for my friend's surprise party. I found a recipe for a seven layer cake but I wanted to mix colours rather than making it that tiered, if I made it in a deep cake tin would I need to slow cook it to make sure top doesn't burn & it cooks through?
P.S. sorry for the long post!
Tahima, without actually seeing the recipe I would not be able to accurately comment on this. Are the layers thin layers??? Or are they thick layers??? Do you have a recipe that I could look at? I could then give you more accurate advice. E-mail me on MarieAliceJoan at aol dot com!
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