Is it my favorite time of year because the potential for baking is doubled compared to the spring? May be, but even before I fell in love with baking I loved the autumn. Smell of sharpened pencils, leaves on the lawns and crisp air is wonderful. I even enjoyed going back to school! Of course, fall semester in America means Homecoming, football games, back to school dances and pep rallies.
Possibly this autumn I'll attempt to capture that new school year-meets end of calendar year feeling. The sense of something beginning whilst at the same time, nature is getting set to hunker down for the year.
In the mean time I still have summer harvest courgettes to use up!
2 tbsp sunflower oil
100g plain flour
100g wholewheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 egg whites
5 tbsp skimmed milk
225g (8oz can) pineapple in chunks, drained of juice and mashed
250g grated courgette/zucchini
40g sultanas or raisins
40g chopped walnuts
Grease or line a muffin pan. Preheat oven to 190C/375F/5.
Sift together both flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger into mixing bowl. Add the caster sugar and stir.
Whisk together egg whites in small bowl. Mix in the milk and oil. Add mashed pineapple, courgette, sultanas and nuts. Stir together gently. Add fruit mix to flour mix. Stir until just combined, don't overmix.
Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cases. Bake 20-25 minutes or until risen and golden.
These are relatively moist but if you want a really good frosting, mix together 8oz any soft cheese (quark, cream cheese, marscapone etc) with 1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Let muffins cool slightly before frosting; you don't want to curdle your cheese. Sprinkle with cinnamon or perhaps finely chopped nuts.
This is quite a healthy recipe, especially if you use low- or reduced-fat cheese to top.
Sorry for lack of pictures, again. These things just get eaten too quickly!
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