Cranberry, Orange and Pecan Muffins

Just as I thought the UK season of imported fresh cranberries was coming to a close, what should I find? Only that a whole new batch of them has just appeared in Morrisons. North American friends – you have answered my prayers!

Time then for another round of muffins, obvs. This time I have blended the cranberries with the zest of an orange and chopped toasted pecan nuts, finished off with a whole pecan garnish. They can be enjoyed as a breakfast, a dessert or, erm, a naughty snack.

The pecan on the top gets a nice, deep roast as the muffins bake. Sometimes I save that whole to the last bite, to savour its rich smoky and nutty taste.

What better way to start 2024! Here we go, then…

Servings

Makes 12 muffins.

Timings

15 mins to make, 20 mins to bake in the oven at 180C.

You Will Need

• 280g plain flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• half tsp salt
• 120g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 110g fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped in a food processor
• zest of 1 orange
• 240ml milk
• 90ml veg oil
• 60g chopped, toasted pecan nuts
• 12 pecan nuts to garnish

Method

1. Prepare a muffin tin or mould. Switch on the oven to 180C.
2. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl, and stir in the sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, chopped cranberries, orange zest, milk and oil, and stir to combine.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir so that no dry ingredients are visible. Add in the chopped pecan nuts with the last few strokes.
5. Spoon the mixture into the tin/mould, and top each muffin with a pecan. Bake for 20 mins.
6. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Customise It!

Omit the nuts if they are not your thing – the mix of juicy cranberry and orange will still taste great.

Fresh cranberries aren’t the only great American export featuring in the ADK Kitchen in these first few days of 2024. I’ve been playing a lot from Interpol, the group that the NME once described as the most important band to come out of New York. Hmm sorry, they’re not – just pause for a moment to think of some of the competition to that claim: The Velvet Underground, The Ramones, Talking Heads, The Strokes to name a few.

They are very good, though. I went to see them live a few years ago at London’s Kentish Town Forum. It was on a weeknight, and I remember telling my boss that I had to leave work early that day to get to London to see Interpol. A look of fear and intrigue flashed across her face, worried that I had become entangled in a mysterious web of international crime.

At least I was able to see them play this track, which is one of my faves. Here are Interpol with C’mere.

PS. Happy New Year!