Bran Muffins and Tea

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups toasted wheat or oat bran (about 4 ounces)
• 3/4 cup chopped dried figs
• 1 cup boiling water

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk
• Optional: sunflower seeds, cranberries, raisins

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 24 muffin cups with muffin papers. Stir flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl to blend. Combine bran and figs in another bowl; mix in 1 cup boiling water.

Beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar, then honey. Beat in eggs 1 at a time.

Beat in buttermilk alternately with flour mixture in 3 additions each. Mix in bran mixture. Divide batter among lined muffin cups.

Bake muffins until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Turn muffins out onto racks and cool completely.

First time we tried (something similar to) this recipe was: with camomile tea at the 'Eat.' near Embankment station on November 16, 2013. Right after Nicholas did his first WoS pitch to an agent at Foyle's Discovery Day.