3 Muffins to go until Christmas, and The Early Shift Christmas Lunch...

Most people count down to Christmas by the number of sleeps, but for users of The Early Shift, I'm sure it's more appropriate to do it in muffins!  I've attached the recipe for the Nutty Apple Muffins last week and also a very rude posting from my formerly dearly loved colleague in response to last month's photo!...

Not wishing to be out-done, seeing as though you have a posh photo of your muffins in front if the Aga, here's a picture of mine in front of my coffee machine!  Stick that in your Aga and burn it!!

 

Some of you will have heard on the grapevine and for others this will be news, but some of our regulars had the fab idea that we go out for Christmas lunch together!  Something cheap, cheerful and informal – never being ones to turn our backs on the opportunity of eating, we leaped at the chance and have subsequently booked space for us NEXT Friday, 10^th December, midday at The Duke of Cumberland in Holcombe.  It’s 2 meals for £10!  Won’t be Christmas lunch or anything as we figured we’d all be pretty sick of that soon enough anyway!  We need to give the pub a rough idea of numbers so we’ll try and tot up who’s around by our session this coming Friday. 

Now for that recipe - go on, you know you want to!

Nutty Apply Chocolatey Muffins

175g butter

140g soft brown sugar

2 tblsp apricot jam

2 eggs

140g plain flour

1 tblsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

100g nuts, chopped (any kind)

50g dark chocolate, chopped

2 eating apples, peeled and chopped

12 cup muffin pan lined with paper cases (although recipe might yield 13 or so)

Beat together butter, sugar and jam until light and fluffy.  Add eggs with a bit of flour (to prevent curdling) and beat in well.  Then add flour, baking powder and cinnamon and beat well into wet mixture.  Add the nuts, chocolate and apples and mix in by hand.  Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight if possible (I didn’t have time!)

Divide mixture between muffin cases and bake at 170C (not too hot) for about 30 mins or until first to the touch.  A skewer should come out clean.