Orange Date Muffins

This is the month of Ramadan and Dates are in abundance in all the supermarkets.  It is at this time of the year that we get to have a great variety of sweet, delicious dates, fresh or semi-dried, from the Middle Eastern countries and I've taken the opportunity to stock  up some.

mmm ......... aren't they inviting ............

 

Recipe for Orange Date Muffin

Ingredients :

• 8 oz Plain Flour
• 4 oz Light Brown Sugar
• 2  Teasp Baking Powder
• 1/2  Teasp Baking Soda
• 1/2  Teasp Salt
• 1/2  Teasp Ground Cinnamon
• 1  Tablespoon grated Orange rind
• 1/3  cup Orange juice
• 2/3  cup Milk/Sugarless Soyabean Milk
• 1  egg, lightly beaten
• 1  Teasp. vanilla
• 4  Tablespoons Cannola/Corn/Olive Oil
• 100 gm Dates -  coarsely chopped, and coat with some flour from the above 8 oz.
• Some granulated sugar for garnishing  -  Optional

Method :

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a mixing bowl.  Mix well.
2. Add in the brown sugar and orange rind and mix thoroughly.
3. In another bowl, mix the egg, soyabean milk, oil, orange juice and vanilla.  Stir well with a hand whisk.
4. Add the soyabean milk and egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix till just combined.  Fold in the chopped and coated dates.  Do not overmix the batter or the muffins will be tough when baked.
5. Spoon the batter into muffin cups and sprinkle each muffin with some granulated sugar, if desired.
6. Bake in a preheated oven @ 400 deg.F/200 deg.C for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.