Though I baked these muffins a day or two later, I expect that this recipe will consistently remind me of Saturday, June 26. On this day Michael and I took a friend to the Slow Food Farmers' Market in Abbotsford. I bought a bunch of rhubarb and while Michael was lining up for coffee, I also succumbed to the temptation of a single-serve rhubarb tart, sold with a dollop of fresh cream.
An hour later we congregated at the Convent for the Meatless Blog Meet over lunch. Though Duncan, Claire, Agnes and Ed provided reassuringly familiar faces, it was quite exciting to meet many others for the first time: FoodieFi, Another Outspoken Female, Lucy, Anh, Bunches, Dani, Melba and Johanna. And it's with Johanna that we come full circle, because it's her recipe for oaty rhubarb muffins that I particularly bought the rhubarb for!
Oaty Rhubarb Muffins
(I got 14 standard-sized muffins out of this quantity)
2 cups rhubarb, sliced into 3-4 cm segments
3 tablespoons raw sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons of spice - I used a mix of ginger, cinnamon and Chinese five spice powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
40g candied orange, diced
An hour later we congregated at the Convent for the Meatless Blog Meet over lunch. Though Duncan, Claire, Agnes and Ed provided reassuringly familiar faces, it was quite exciting to meet many others for the first time: FoodieFi, Another Outspoken Female, Lucy, Anh, Bunches, Dani, Melba and Johanna. And it's with Johanna that we come full circle, because it's her recipe for oaty rhubarb muffins that I particularly bought the rhubarb for!
This muffins are prime afternoon snack material - wholesome and filling, with pink fruity bursts providing the sweetness I'm typically craving at that time. They're also no too taxing to put together on a weeknight - no softening of butter is required!
Oaty Rhubarb Muffins
(I got 14 standard-sized muffins out of this quantity)
2 cups rhubarb, sliced into 3-4 cm segments
3 tablespoons raw sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons of spice - I used a mix of ginger, cinnamon and Chinese five spice powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
40g candied orange, diced
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and lightly grease a muffin tray.
In a saucepan on gentle heat, stir together the rhubarb and raw sugar until the sugar has melted and the rhubarb softens just slightly.
Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, oil and brown sugar. When the rhubarb's cooled down a little, stir it into this mix.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, oats, spices and salt. Toss through the candied orange and ensure the pieces are separated and lightly coated in flour.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray and bake it for about 20 minutes - I think I baked mine for a little less time, so keep an eye on them and use the skewer test.
Now how did I miss them on Johanna's blog? How delicious.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I'm always on the lookout for new delicious things to do with rhubarb, addicted to the stuff as I am.
ReplyDeleteit was great to meet you at the Convent - v amusing navigating all those stairs to get to handsome steve's.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the muffins - I enjoyed mine for work snacks too but I made so many mini muffins I was glad to finish the batch which lingered in my freezer for quite a while! I think making them as regular muffins is probably wiser
OMG - softening butter is the bane of my existence. I can never remember to take the stupid stuff out of the fridge in advance. Even without this added advantage these muffins sound great.
ReplyDeleteHooray for that. Butter is a right royal pain to soften without one of those microwave thingamies.
ReplyDeleteI just bought some tiny, 'forced' stalks of rhubarb this morning. Recipe looks great.
(And was, of course, great to meet in the flesh so to speak)
Kathryn, it was hidden behind a photo and recipe for rhubarb relish - perhaps that distracted you. :-)
ReplyDeleteHayley, I am seriously hooked on it at the moment too! Stay tuned for more rhubarb in my next post.
Johanna, I thought I'd similarly be eating these forever when I read that you made 50+ mini-muffins from the recipe! I packed mine away in the freezer but barely needed too - Michael helped me get through them with quite some enthusiasm. :-D
I hear you, KJ! My typical approach is much like Clotilde's - "remove from the fridge, dice, and count to ten before you decide it is soft enough". It doesn't prove very successful, especially in winter. :-D
Lucy, I'd never heard of 'forced' rhubarb before but just looked it up - how wonderfully strange! Have you detected a difference in taste or texture?