Baking 2 - Baklava Muffins

Sunday evening I was at a bit of a loss. With Brothers and Sisters not having another episode till April 19th, I decided that rather than slump in front of the Cookery Channel, I would cook. Whilst browsing the wonderfully named "How To Be A Domestic Goddess - Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking" by the wonderfully sensuous Nigella Lawson, I came across the following recipe for Baklava Muffins. Quick, easy, and not too sweet!

For the Filling

• scant 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

For the muffins

• 1 cup plus 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of buttermilk (or 3/4 cup plain yogurt and 1/3 cup low far milk)
• 12 cup muffin pan lined with 12 metallic baking cups (if you use paper, they will stick!)

For the topping

• About 1/2 cup honey

1.Preheat the oven to 400F

2. Mix all the filling ingredients together in a small bowl and put to one side.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar.

4. In a large measuring jug, whisk the egg, melted butter, and buttermilk (or yogurt - milk mix)

5. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid, and mix lightly and gently, remember to keep it bumpy rather than going for a smooth batter; heavy handling of the batter produces a heavy muffin.

6. Fill the muffin cups one third full and then put a teaspoon of filling in each one.

(I actually over-filled slightly, be careful the recipe makes exactly enough for 12 muffins so you have to spoon it out carefully)

7. Cover with more of the muffin batter until 2/3 full. If you have any remaining filling mixture (I didn't) you can spoon it over the top.

8. Bake for 15 minutes, they should be golden brown when finished. Remove them from the oven, and stand them still in their cups on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath. Drizzle them all over with honey and then allow to cool.

They are not overly sweet, so they went great with my morning cup of tea.

Enjoy - and thanks Nigella!!!