'The Simple Things'-'Cake In The House'-Spiced Beetroot And Pink Lady Apple Muffins With Crunchy Hazelnut Topping

The 'Cake In The House Recipe' in this months 'The Simple Things' was Spiced Beetroot and Pink Lady Apple Muffins With Crunchy Hazelnut Topping.We had bought some beetroot so that Mrs Monday Baker could have a go at making a Beetroot loaf from her bread machine book and we had some left so when i saw this recipe i decided that i would have a go at making them.

My beetroot was fresh from my local farm shop so was therefore uncooked.This task was done by Mrs Monday Baker(Basically just put them in some water and boil, much like potatoes,until soft).
When you are making the recipe the beetroot needs to be grated.This would be easy if the beetroot was still solid but once it is cooked it becomes soft and therefore a lot more difficult.

I couldn't get blanched hazelnuts so i had to spend time removing the skin.Even when i placed them in boiling water for a few minutes the outer skin still wouldn't come off easily.It took nearly an hour to achieve this and my fingers are still recovering now.

As Pink Lady apples are quite expensive i just used ordinary red apples,again from my local farm shop.These achieved the same taste effect as far as i was concerned.


Ingredients

275g plain flour.
2 heaped tsp baking powder.
2 heaped tsp ground mixed spice.
1 tsp ground cinnamon.
2 eggs.
125g unsalted butter,melted.
60g caster sugar.
175ml milk.
250g natural,cooked,beetroot.
2 Pink Lady apples.

Hazelnut Topping Ingredients

75g self-raising flour.
1 tsp ground mixed spice.
40g unsalted butter.
75g demerara sugar.
75g blanched hazelnuts.

Recipe

1.Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees c/375 degrees f/gas mark 5.
2.Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
3.Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl.
4.Sift the baking powder into the mixing bowl.
5.Sift the spices into the mixing bowl.
6.In another mixing bowl add the eggs,melted butter sugar and milk.
7.Whisk together the above ingredients.
8.Pour the whisked ingredients into the flour and mix lightly.
9.Grate the beetroot.
10.Core the apples and grate.
11.Add the grated beetroot and apples to the mixture and gently fold in.
12.Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases.

 

Hazelnut topping recipe

1.Put the self-raising flour into a mixing bowl.
2.Stir the mixed spice through the flour.
3.Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl.
4.Add the caster sugar.
5.Roughly chop the nuts then add to the bowl.
6.Rub all the above between finger and thumb until it is crumbly and well mixed.
7.Sprinkle evenly over the muffins.
8.Bake for about 30 minutes until they are golden and springy to the touch.

I had to bake mine for a lot longer than the above time but that is due to my oven.When they came out they felt moist underneath but this is to be expected as there is a lot of liquid in the two main ingredients.They were perfectly fine once they had cooled for a while.

 

The Monday Baker