Moist Bran Muffins

 

It’s the first week back at school and it’s a busy one!  Will keep this short. 

Bran muffin. 

Doesn’t sound very appealling, does it?  When I first heard the term I imagined a dry, tasteless cake and, frankly, that’s what my first batch turned out like.  My second attempt were far nicer but, with 120ml of melted butter, hugely calorific.  Then I remembered something Nigella Lawson had written in How to Eat.  In California, she said, pureed prunes are often used to replace butter in recipes.  Interesting…

I tried it out and it worked a treat!  These muffins are gorgeous!  I’m off to eat one now, actually.  🙂

Moist Bran Muffins

(Makes 12)

90g wheat bran (can be bought very cheaply in healthfood shops)

50ml plain yogurt

200ml milk

400g (or thereabouts) tin of prunes – drained, stoned and pureed

2 tblspn vegetable oil, plus extra to rub over muffin tin

1 egg, beaten

100g brown sugar

1 tspn vanilla essence

125g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

25g walnuts, chopped

25g raisins

• Mix together the milk and yogurt add the wheatbran and leave to soak.
• In a separate bowl add the prunes, oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla essence and whisk until combined.
• Add the bran mixture and stir well.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the bowl.  Add the nuts and raising.  Stir until just combined.
• Spoon mixture into an oiled muffin tin and bake in a 190oC pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes.
• When muffins are golden brown remove them from the oven and cool slightly.
• Keep in a air-tight container for a couple of days.  Or pop them in the freezer to keep them for longer.