Apple & Rhubarb Muffins

Apples & rhubarb go together like sunshine and laughter, just perfect. We had some rhubarb in the garden the other day. What to make of it - I wasn't in the mood for another crumble. Searching through the pantry, I found some apples and of course apple & rhubarb crumble came to mind, I still wasn't not in the mood for crumble tho. I started to peel apples and rhubarb, threw all in a saucepan, added brown sugar and started to heat it up. Since I threw all together, the rhubarb started to fall apart and acted as a binder for the apple cubes, similar to the texture you have when buying a cherry pie in the states. The flavour was amazing so I wanted to use it. That's when I thought of muffins and this recipe was born. I may add that Mr T ate 4 in the first sitting :-)

Apple & Rhubarb Muffins (makes 12)

• 200g self raising flour, 
• 150g Unsalted butter, 
• 100g caster sugar, 
• 2 eggs, 
• 100ml milk, 
• 2 tsp vanilla essence, 
• 4 apples, 
• 4 large sticks of rhubarb, 
• 2 tbsp brown sugar,
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Peel and chop the apples and rhubarb. Place the fruit together with the sugar in a saucepan, and cook over a medium heat until the rhubarb starts falling apart. Add the cinnamon. Keep simmering until the apples have softened.

Pre-heat oven to 160c. In the meantime, melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally go prevent the sugar from sticking to the bottom. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl. Combine the milk and eggs and add together with the melted butter to the flour. With a wooden spoon stir until combined but don't overbeat.

Place some muffin paper cases into a 12 hole muffin tin. Spoon one tbsp of batter into each case.  Top with a tsp or 2  of the apple and rhubarb mixture followed by another tbsp of batter mix. Bake  for about 15-20 mins or until slightly browned and baked through.