Muffins and rusks - oh my!

This Autumn, Natasha Liviero shares easy-to-prepare muffins and rusks that are the

perfect treat to warm up your day. Enjoy them on the go or with a relaxing mid-morning

or afternoon kaffepause - a little taste of comfort as the cooler days settle in.

Photographs: Natasha Liviero

Text: Natasha Liviero

Pecan and Orange Muffins

(Makes 12 regular-size muffins)

Ingredients:

200g oranges/mandarins, deseeded and cut into quarters with the skin on

200g light brown sugar

100g pecans, roasted

85g dried cranberries

1 XL egg

6g vanilla extract/paste

125g full cream milk

50g neutral oil

50g butter, melted

250g flour

6g baking soda

6g baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp mixed spice

200g icing/confectioners sugar

100g pecans, roasted and salted, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan) and line a 12-hole cupcake tin with muffin liners.

2. In a blender, place the oranges and sugar and blend for two minutes until smooth.

3. Add the pecans, cranberries, egg, vanilla, milk, oil and melted butter and blend for a further two minutes.

4. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and mixed spice and pulse for 10 seconds. With a spatula, mix in any remaining flour. Do not overmix the batter.

5. Spoon the batter into the muffin cases, approximately 88g in each.

6. Bake in the oven at 200°C fan for the first 8 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180°C fan and bake for a further 10 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and rest for one minute before placing the muffin cases onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

8. Sift the icing sugar into a medium-sized jug. Slowly whisk warm water into the icing sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

9. Drizzle the icing over each muffin, then sprinkle with the roasted and salted pecans. Gently press the pecans into the icing to keep them in place.

10. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.

Buttermilk Nut and Seed Rusks

(Makes 40 rusks)

Ingredients:

50g full-cream milk powder

150g light brown sugar

100g honey

250g butter

350g flour

100g wholewheat flour

100g oats

50g desiccated coconut

100g bran flakes

12g baking powder

3/4 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp salt

150g mixed seeds, i.e. 50g each of flaxseeds/sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds

100g pecans, roughly chopped

100g raisins (optional)

250g buttermilk

1 XL egg

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan) and lightly grease a 33cm x 23cm baking tin.

2. Place the milk powder in a frying pan and heat over medium heat, stirring regularly with a whisk or spatula. Continue stirring until it turns golden brown. It burns easily, so don’t walk away from the stove! Set aside to cool.

3. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the sugar, honey and butter to a slow boil, stirring now and then until the sugar has dissolved.

4. In a large bowl, add the milk powder, flour, wholewheat flour, oats, coconut, bran flakes, baking powder, mixed spice, salt, seeds, pecans, and raisins (if using).

5. With a large wooden spoon, stir until all the ingredients are evenly combined.

6. Add the buttermilk and egg to the melted butter mixture and mix to combine.

7. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.

8. Weigh the mixture and divide by 40 to know how much to weigh out for each rusk. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes (this will make it easier to roll).

9. Weigh portions of the mixture to the predetermined weight for each rusk, then roll each into a ball between your palms. If you are using raisins, push them into the ball, as they tend to burn if exposed during baking.

10. Lay out eight rows of five balls in the baking tin for 40 rusks total.

11. Bake for approximately 42 minutes. You will need to loosely cover the rusks with foil when you see them browning unevenly - usually, it’s the outside ones.

12. Check from the 25-minute mark.

13. Once baked, remove the tin from the oven and rest for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 80°C (fan).

14. Place a cutting board over the top of the baking tray and gently flip over to release the rusks, then turn the rusks over onto another cutting board so they are facing upwards. With a serrated knife, carefully separate the rusks. Some crumbs are normal.

15. Place a cooling rack over the baking tin used to bake the rusks. Place the rusks on the cooling rack, leaving enough space for air to circulate each one.

16. Return to the oven to dry for 6 hours. Switch the oven off and leave to cool inside, with the door closed. I leave them overnight.

17. Store rusks in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.