Cranberry and orange polenta muffins

There’s nothing like a spot of homemade baking on a cold winter’s day. Try these gluten free muffins (which can also be made dairy free) to warm you up and bring some cheer to these short, dark days.

One of the keys to making great muffins is using a good quality non-stick tin – there’s nothing worse than your baking getting stuck when you remove it from the oven. I have found these UK- manufactured tins by Great British Bakeware to be really good – they have a really nice scratch resistant, non-stick finish and are easy to clean. Using a good tin means you’re one step closer to the perfect muffin!

Cranberry and orange polenta muffins

Makes 12

Ingredients

-  120g Wheat and gluten free plain flour blend

-    100g Polenta (N.B. Ensure is gluten free )

-    50g ground almonds

-    1 tablespoons baking powder

-    1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

-    1400g golden caster sugar

-    2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

-    Finely grated zest of 2 large oranges

-    250 ml sunflower oil

-    250 ml milk or soya milk

-    2 large free-range eggs

-    200g fresh blueberries

Method

1)    Preheat the oven to 200°C/400F/Gas Mark 6

2)    Line a muffin tin with paper cakes

4)    Sift the flour, baking powder & bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Mix in the polenta, ground almonds and sugar and make a well in the centre.

5)    Pour the oil and the egg into the milk and orange juice and whisk until well combined.

6)    Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix gently. Stir in the cranberries and orange zest

7)    Divide the mixture into the cake cases and bake for 15- 20 minutes until golden brown.

8)    These muffins are delicious fresh for breakfast or a snack and also freeze extremely well.

Thanks to Great British Bakeware by George Wilkinson for the excellent muffin tin.