Maple Pecan Muffins

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 6 ounces pecans (170g)
• 12 ounces flour (340g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 1/2 ounces caster sugar (100g)
• 2 1/2 ounces light brown sugar (70g)
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 5 ounces butter, at room temperature (150g)
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 pint buttermilk (300ml)
• 60 pecan halves, for decorating

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f/180°c/gas 4. grease 20 deep muffin tins or use paper cases.
• 2 spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes. when cool, chop coarsely and set aside.
• 3 in a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon. set aside.
• 4 in a large mixing bowl, combine caster sugar, light brown sugar, maple syrup and butter. beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• 5 add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating to incorporate thoroughly after each addition.
• 6 pour half the buttermilk and half the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, then stir until blended. repeat with the remaining buttermilk and dry ingredients.
• 7 fold in the chopped pecans. fill the prepared cups two-thirds full. top each muffin with 3 pecan halves. for even baking, half-fill any empty cups with water.
• 8 bake 350°f / 180°c for 20-30 minutes (mine needed nearly 30mins). let stand 5 minutes before unmolding.
• 9 variation:.
• 10 for pecan spice muffins, substitute an equal quantity of golden syrup for the maple syrup. increase the cinnamon to 1/2 tsp, and add 1 tsp ground ginger and 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg, sifted with the dry ingredients.