Tag: Cranberry

Cranberries, Autumn & Winter Jewels

Cranberries20101210

Cranberries, Autumn & Winter Jewels

Cranberries are full of goodness and yet they seem to surface only once a year in our diet in the form of cranberry sauce, which goes beautifully with roast turkey over Christmas or Thanksgiving.

This is such a pity because it has been found that cranberries can prevent and treat a number of ailments such as bladder/urinary infections. Cranberries are natural diuretics, which means they aid in flushing out toxins from the body.

Cranberries are also known to contain flavonoids.  Flavonoids are plant pigments which give fruits and vegetables their red and yellow colouring, which produce antioxidants that helps to combat harmful radicals in the body. Studies have found that people with low intake of flavonoids have a high risk of coronary disease.

Cranberries can be made into delicious juices, muffins, cupcakes, sauces for pancakes and many more.

Snack on dried cranberries, which are a good source of anti-oxidant vitamin A, C & E.

Anyway, cranberries can be kept in the freezer in an airtight freezer bag for up to a year, thereby having a constant stock throughout the year.

Cranberry Muffin Recipe

Cranberry Muffin Photo by PH Morton

Cranberry Muffin
Photo by PH Morton

Cranberry Muffin Recipe

 

Ingredients

110g/4oz plain flour
110g/4oz butter
65g/2½oz caster sugar
2 medium eggs
1½ tsp baking powder
125g/4½oz cranberries, or equivalent in frozen cranberries
pinch nutmeg
2 tbsp icing sugar
double cream, to serve

Preparation method

Cream the butter and sugar together then slowly add the eggs, mix for three minutes.

Add the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, stir to combine, then refrigerate for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

Place a spoonful of muffin mixture into each muffin case, filling each to just over half way.

Stud each muffin with about eight cranberries.

Bake in an oven set at 200C/400F/Gas 6 for 20 minutes, or until golden on top.

Leave to cool.

In a small bowl cream the icing sugar and drizzle on top of the muffins.

Serve with cream.