Sugar Jam Muffins

 

Here in the UK as I write this, we are enjoying one of the nicest days so far this summer.  The sun is shining and the skies are blue, well kind of hazy actually.  Its one of the lazy hazy days of summer!  

 

I was up especially early this morning as we had a Missionary Correlation meeting to go to at 9:30.   I baked some special muffins to take  . . .  Sugar Jam Muffins  . . .  but then we ended up not going because it had ended up that Todd had a bad night last night, one of those night where he had not slept a wink (according to him) but in any case he felt pretty blah. So I told him to go back to bed.  

 

The recipe itself is an old handwritten recipe  . . .  the kind that you write down  . . .  shared from a loved one or friend.  With really brief instructions.  Sometimes only the temperature and cook time.  These are the best kind of recipes.  The tried and trues, but with such a brevity of instruction, you do have to have somewhat of a natural feel for cooking! 

 

These are a really fabulous muffin . . .  with a tender buttery crumb . . .  its pretty basic.  Just butter, sugar, egg, baking powder, flour, milk  . . . 

  

Most times when you make a muffin, you just whisk together the dry ingredients, and add the wet.  These go together in slightly different manner . . .  

 

You cream together the sugar and butter and then beat in the egg.  Once that is done, then you fold in the flour/baking powder, alternating with some milk. 

  

Half the batter gets put into a well buttered muffin tin, topped with a dab of jam . . . I like strawberry . . . and then the remaining muffin batter gets spooned on top . . . before baking in a hot oven. 

 

Once they are baked, all puffed and golden brown, you roll them in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar.  You don't want to do this as soon as you take them out, they are a bit too fragile for that right then . . .  wait about 10 minutes or so . . . 

  

Just long enough to sit and stare out the window at the fine day that is coming to life and happening right on your doorstep . . . 

 

I love my glass birds.  I got them here, from Simon Alderson, on Etsy. On  sunny warm day, they glow with light.  He does about 8 different once.  I have four.  I had been looking for a sparrow a while back, to remind me that "His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me." I bought one of his sparrows.  Then I bought one for my mom for Christmas last year, and one for me at the same time, so we could share the joy.  Mom's went with her . . .  that brought me comfort to know that a piece of my love for her will always be in her hands.  Since then I have bought a couple more as and when I can afford them.  They're really pretty. 

   

Almost as pretty as these delicious muffins!  

  

 I sat in my chair by the window while Todd slept, enjoying a hot cup of fruit tea and one of these fabulous muffins while I practised my penmanship . . .

  

My handwriting has deteriorated so much over the last 30 years or so since I first  wrote out the recipes in my folder  . . .  I hardly write at all these days. Its mostly typewriting.  I started practising my penmanship a while back so that I could get back the skill.  If you don't use it you lose it.  

Yield: 8

Author: Marie Rayner

Sugar Jam Muffins

Buttery tender muffins, filled with jam and coated in cinnamon sugar.  Scrumptiously tasty!

ingredients:

• 100g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
• 120g butter, softened (1/2 cup)
• 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
• 120ml milk (1/2 cup)
• 210g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• strawberry jam or your preferred jam to fill

To coat the muffins:

• 150g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 120g butter, melted

instructions:

How to cook Sugar Jam Muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Butter 8 large muffin cups really well.  Set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.  Sift together the flour and baking powder.  Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, making 3 dry and 2 wet additions.  Spoon half of the batter into the muffin tin.  Dab about 1 tsp of jam into the centre of each, avoiding the sides of the tin.  Cover with the remaining batter.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes.  Let sit in the tin for about 5 to 10 minutes before tipping out.
4. Whisk the sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.  The original recipe only called for 1/2 tsp cinnamon, but we like more.  Place the melted butter in another bowl.  Gently roll the baked muffins (still warm) in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar to coat.  Set aside on a wire rack to dry.  Enjoy with a nice hot cuppa!

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