Cranberry Mandarin Muffins

by Jen Kwan, on muffin, breakfast, orange, cranberry, baking

Cranberry + orange is one of my favourite flavour combinations especially when baked into breakfast sweets such as muffins, scones, and quickbreads.

These are modified from this recipe using ingredients that I had on hand. Since I did not have oranges or orange juice, I substituted in seasonal mandarin oranges.

After the oranges were zested I peeled them, blended the flesh, and "juiced" them through a fine sieve. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

They are an atypical muffin in that they are tender and fluffy, more like a cake. The mandarin orange is a delicate citrus touch that builds on your tongue.

I started eating one whilst typing the last paragraph. It's gone now ... and I'm a little sad.

Cranberry Mandarin Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
zest and juice from 4 mandarin oranges
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup homemade brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups frozen cranberries
1 Tbsp spiced sugar (sugar + cinnamon + nutmeg)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a muffin pan with eight paper liners. (You can make 12, they will just be smaller.)
In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.
In a liquid measuring cup combine orange zest and juice, oil, sugar, and egg. Whip it real good. I used an immersion blender, you can use a whisk. Just as long as it's very smooth.
Add cranberries to flour mixture. Toss to coat the berries in flour.
Pour wet stuff into dry stuff, fold in just until everything is moistened.
Dish equal portions into paper liners.
Sprinkle spiced sugar on tops.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
Allow to cool in pan for a few minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely or set on a pretty plate for immediate consumption.

No joke, The Cranberries just played on my Pandora No Doubt station.