Langsung ke konten utama

Cheddar & Honey Mustard Muffins


Many years ago when I was raising my family, I used to watch a television show on the PBS channel called Harrowsmith Country Life. I loved it. It was a lovely mix of all the things I embraced . . .  country life, bird watching, care of nature, gardening, wholesome food and cookery. I used to watch it and wish that I could live that type of life.  Out in the countryside, with my own big garden, living sustainably off the earth, close to nature, and all that. Mind you, when I was a really young women, still at school, I wanted to live in a commune, like a hippy. I think I had a romanticised notion of it all in my head that was a far distance from the reality.


What did I know about the world and life, not a lot really.  Just what I read or saw on the television.  Back in the 1990's I picked up this book at a second hand/cheap book shop in Meaford, Ontario.  Based on the column in the Harrowsmith magazine entitled Pantry, it is filled with lots of lovely, healthy, mother-earth type wholesome recipes.  I adapted the recipe that  I am sharing today from it's pages.



They sounded really delicious . . .  with plenty of cheese, honey mustard,  and liquid honey. Tim Horton's used to make a cheddar cheese muffin that was really good.  They has not been on offer in their cafes for a very long time, and I have spent years trying to replicate them. This comes close, but not quite there.  If anything they are better.


I think that is because of the liberal use of honey mustard, which adds a lovely tang and a warm colour to the mix. Back home I was addicted to Honey Cup Mustard, which is what I would use for these if I was there.  Today I used Maille Honey Mustard, which is very close to that brand, with lots of lovely honey in it.


They do tend to get browned and could easily look burnt if you don't watch them . . .  because of the honey and the cheese . . . just keep an eye on them.



The recipe calls for buttering the tins, no mention of using papers.  I used papers and regretted it because they did stick to the papers. DON'T be tempted to use papers.  Just DON'T!!


DO bake them however, because they are really lovely muffins, with a beautiful flavour and texture.


I just peeled the paper off as best as I could and we ate them anyways, and they were gorgeously flavoured.  A bit sweet, a lot savoury . . .  with some snap from the mustard.  Cheese and mustard, what a lovely combination!


These would go well with soups or salads or scrambled eggs.  They are a great muffin and I hope you will try them!!


*Cheddar & Honey Mustard Muffins*
Makes 12


This is a savoury muffin filled with the tang of honey mustard, some black pepper, sweet honey and the richness of a good cheddar.  Delicious! 


280g plain flour
1 TBS baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
120g grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup sharp cheddar)
(Grate your own)
1 large free-range egg
3 TBS honey Dijon mustard
2 TBS liquid honey
300ml milk (1 1/4 cup)
65g butter, melted (1/4 cup)




Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/gas mark 6. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin really well. Don't be tempted to use paper liners. These will stick to papers.  Set aside.


Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Whisk in the salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the grated cheese.  Whisk together the egg, mustard, honey, milk and melted butter. Add to the dry ingredients and fold in gently, but thoroughly. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins.  Bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden brown.  Serve warm.



These would make a great muffin for a Ploughman's Lunch.  With a bit of ham, some salad leaves, chutney . . .  I don't think you could get much better than that!  Bon Appetit!



Komentar

Postingan populer dari blog ini

Classic English Scones - A Complete Tutorial

  No English Tea Party would be complete without a tray of beautiful Scones.  Is it scone that rhymes with on, or is it scone that rhymes with stone??  Who knows. It sounds mighty delicious no matter which way you say it. If asked what the difference between a scone and a North American baking powder biscuit is, I would have to say first and foremost, it is in the preparation.  I thought it would be fun today to do a tutorial for you on how to prepare and bake the classic English scone.   North American baking powder biscuits generally use all vegetable fat, and sometimes cream . . . scones usually use all butter, and sometimes butter and cream.  The two things are not the same thing at all, no matter how similar they might look.  Scones are sweeter as well, which makes them perfect for enjoying with a hot cuppa.   The first thing you will want to do is to sift your flour baking powder and salt into a bowl  I find that aerating the flou...

The Great British Sausage - A Tutorial

  Sausage wasn't something I enjoyed very much when I was growing up. I am not sure why.  I never really began to enjoy them at all until I was a grown woman and cooking my own.  I liked them almost burnt on the outside with catsup for dipping. My father enjoyed them dipped in mayonnaise.  As a child growing up in Canada, in my experience at least, there was only one kind of sausage.  Ordinary breakfast sausage, long thin cylinders of meat, stuffed into skins, fatty and flavoured with nutmeg and poultry seasoning. That was it. Growing up in the 50's /60's and early 70's in small communities meant that we were not exposed to outside flavours or choices.  We had what we had, and that was that. It was not until I was an adult that I experienced another kind of sausage. My sister-in-law who lived in Toronto had studied at the Cordon Bleu and was considered to be an expert in cooking.  We spent the weekend at hers once, and she cooked sausages for us for br...

Quick & Easy Firecracker Chicken

  One thing I really miss over here in the UK are Chinese Food Buffets.  I have not seen one yet that even comes close to what I was used to back home. My favourite one had probably about 25 different entrees to choose from, along with sides, etc. Plus a salad bar and a dessert bar.   There was Won Ton Soup, crispy fried won tons, egg rolls, spring rolls . . .  boiled rice, fried rice, chinese chicken wings, garlic spare ribs, sweet and sour chicken, beef and broccoli, ginger beef, chow meins, lemon chicken, prawns, chop suey, etc.  You think of a Chinese dish and they had it, plus stuff for those who were not overly fond of Chinese dishes, like chips, battered fish, onion rings,etc.   I suppose that was to appease people who can't eat a meal out without chips or who have to bring their children and want their children to have something they will eat as well.  I am not sure.   I miss Egg Rolls  . . .  there is no such thing here.  T...