PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes COOKING TIME 15–20 minutes MAKES 8 large or 12 medium-sized muffins
115g (4oz) gluten-free maize (corn) meal
85g (3oz) rice flour
1 tablespoon gluten-free baking powder
a pinch of salt
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
55g (2oz) butter, melted
55g (2oz) light soft brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
200ml (7fl oz) milk
115g (4oz) cooking apple (peeled & cored weight), chopped
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Grease 8 or 12 cups of a 12-cup muffin tin or line each cup with a paper muffin case and set aside. Place the maize (corn) meal, rice flour, baking powder, salt and ginger in a bowl and stir to mix.
2 Mix together the melted butter, sugar, egg and milk and pour over the dry ingredients. Fold the ingredients together gently – just enough to combine them. The mixture will look quite lumpy, which is correct as over-mixing will result in heavy muffins.
3 Fold in the chopped apple, then spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly between each one.
4 Bake the muffins for 15–20 minutes, or until risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold.
Variations Use fresh raspberries or blackberries in place of chopped apple. Use ground cinnamon or mixed spice in place of ginger.