Savoury Muffins

Savoury muffins offer you the perfect excuse to eat muffins without the sense of guilt you sometimes get when you are eating cake! They're versatile too - you can enjoy them at any mealtime, either on their own, or paired with salad. You can serve them as a starter or just use them as bread.

The muffins in this section make use of meats, cheeses, chicken, fish and shellfish, and I've added a variety of herbs, pulses, vegetables and spices to create a colourful and very tasty selection of snacks and main-course recipes.

I've also included several examples of sweet and savoury all rolled into one irresistible, harmonious taste experience. Bacon, Sweet Potato and Maple Syrup, Pear, Date and Stilton, Black pudding, Apple and Watercress, and Brie, Fig and Red Onion - just listing the recipe titles makes my tastebuds tingle!

Bacon, Sweet Potato and Maple Syrup

I find the combination of sweet and savoury flavours just irresistible and these sweet, tender, light muffins each have an utterly tempting bit of crisp bacon on the top. The recipe is very reminiscent of a traditional American breakfast, but these muffins are also perfect with your evening meal!

Makes 14 muffins

For the batter
300 g/10½ oz smoked streaky bacon
100 g/3½ oz unsalted (sweet) butter
450 g/1 lb sweet potatoes
200 g/7 oz dark muscovado sugar
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 eggs
150 g/5 oz milk
50 g/1¾ oz maple syrup
For the filling
14 tsp maple syrup

Take five rashers (slices) of bacon from the bacon for the filling. Cut these five into thirds and reserve for the topping. Chop the rest of the bacon.
Melt the unsalted butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the chopped bacon gently in the butter for 3-4 minutes, then set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6/fan oven 180ºC. Grease and flour 14 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners. Use a little extra oil or butter to grease the top of the muffin tin as well, as the maple syrup is very sticky.
Cook the sweet potatoes until tender. I find this easiest to do in the microwave (use your manufacture's booklet instructions for a jacket potato). Alternatively, bake them like jacket potatoes in the oven, or boil them in their skins, or peel and steam them. When the sweet potatoes are cooked, peel them, if necessary, and weigh out 250 g/8½ oz of the flesh, then use a fork to mash it together with the sugar. Allow the mixture to cool a little.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
Place the eggs, milk and maple syrup in a medium-sized bowl and mix together thoroughly with a fork.
Add the sweet potato mixture to the flour, together with the egg mixture and the fried bacon and all the butter in the frying pan. Fold together with a large metal spoon until just combined.
Spoon in enough batter to half-fill the 14 prepared sections of the muffin tins. Place a generous teaspoon of maple syrup on top of the batter in each one, then share the remaining batter among all the muffin sections.
Place one piece of the reserved streaky bacon on the top of each muffin and then bake for 23-25 minutes until well risen and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack as quickly as you can, as any syrup that made its way up on to the top of the tin will become very sticky as it cools.

Black-eye Bean and Bacon

Black-eye beans (or black-eye peas, as they are often called) and bacon are made for each other, with the rich, buttery beans making a perfect contrast with the salty bacon. Add in a bit of piquancy from the spring onions and the hot sauce and you have a very tasty muffin.

Makes 12 muffins

For the filling and topping
200 g/7 oz canned black-eye beans
250 g/8½ oz smoked streaky bacon
100 g/3½ oz butter
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
75 g/3 oz spring onions (scallions), finely sliced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
30 g/1 oz caster (superfine) sugar
10 g/3 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 12 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Prepare the filling. Rinse and drain the canned black-eye beans. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Reserve four of the rashers of bacon for the topping and cut into thirds. Chop the remainder and place in the pan with the spring onions and fry for about 3-4 minutes until just cooked, then remove from the heat.
Add the hot pepper sauce to the bacon and spring onions. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper, stir well and set aside.
Make the batter. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the chopped parsley.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs and milk with a fork.
Add the egg mixture and the contents of the frying pan to the flour mixture.
Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined, then fold in the black-eye beans.
Spoon the batter evenly into the sections of the muffin tin, top each with one of the reserved pieces of bacon and bake for 23-26 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool a little before eating.

Black Pudding, Apple and Watercress

This is a very moist muffin, packed full of exciting taste and interesting texture. In your mouth, each flavour asserts itself and you finish with a little peppery note from the mustard. They make a delicious snack on their own, or you can serve them as a lunch or supper dish, with a salad on the side.

Makes 15 muffins

For the filling
40 g/1½ oz red onion, finely chopped
100 g/3½ oz butter
200 g/7 oz black pudding, chopped into 5 mm/¼ in dice
100 g/3½ oz finely chopped unpeeled eating (dessert) apple
40 g/1½ oz watercress, roughly chopped
10 g/3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For the batter
330 g/11½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
5 g/1½ level tsp English mustard powder
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
150 g/5 oz full-fat crème fraîche

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 15 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Prepare the filling. Over a medium heat, fry the chopped onion in the butter for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the black pudding and the chopped apple and fry for just 2 minutes - no longer, you are just trying to impart a bit of fried flavour to the black pudding and apple. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped watercress and parsley, then set aside.
Make the batter. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, sugar and mustard powder into a large bowl. Tip in any black pepper that didn't go through the sieve (strainer).
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the eggs, milk and crème fraîche with a whisk.
Add the egg mixture and the contents of the frying pan to the flour mixture.
Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared sections of the muffin tin and bake for 23-26 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.

Brie, Fig and Red Onion

An understated, creamy and slightly sweet muffin with an interesting combination of savoury flavours and a pleasing contrast of taste and texture from the figs. You don't need an overly ripe bit of cheese for this recipe - it is easier to prepare the cheese when it is firm, preferably straight from the fridge.

Makes 12 muffins

For the filling
100 g/3½ oz butter
120 g/4½ oz finely chopped red onion
150 g/5 oz brie cheese
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
150 g/5 oz ready-to-eat dried figs
For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
30 g/1 oz light muscovado sugar
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 12 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Prepare the filling first. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry for about 3-4 minutes until just cooked. Remove from the heat, add the balsamic vinegar, stir well and allow to cool a little. Chop the cheese into 1 cm/½ cm cubes and quarter the figs.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and black pepper into a large bowl. Tip in any bits of black pepper that don't go through the sieve (strainer).
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs and milk with a fork.
Add the egg mixture along with the contents of the frying pan to the flour mixture. Use a spatula to scrape all the oniony butter out of the frying pan.
Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined, then fold in the brie and figs.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 23-26 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool a little before eating.

Carrot and Coriander

These muffins taste really fresh and vegetable-sweet. Try them split and thickly spread with cream cheese, with a pile of grapes on the side. I also like to eat them with a handful of seaweed peanuts - the crisp seaweed-flavoured coating of the nuts, with just a hint of chilli or sesame, provides a perfect flavour complement.

Makes 11 muffins

For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
30 g/1 oz chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
170 g/6 oz grated carrot
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
100 g/3½ oz oil

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 11 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Into a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and black pepper. Add to the bowl any black pepper that didn't go through the sieve (strainer). Using a large metal spoon, stir in the chopped coriander, then add in the grated carrot and mix well.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and oil with a fork.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Fold everything together with a large metal spoon until just combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin sections.
Bake for 23-25 minutes until well risen and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.

Fresh Dill and Cottage Cheese

The cottage cheese provides a light, open-crumbed muffin with a lovely, moist texture. But inside these muffins, there's delicious flavour-packed surprise: sweet fried onions and the distinctive aniseed flavour of fresh dill! A couple of these and a crisp green salad will make a perfect light lunch.

Makes 11 muffins

For the filling
100 g/3½ oz butter
50 g/1¾ oz finely chopped red onion
For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 g/about 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (dill weed)
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
250 g/8½ oz cottage cheese
For the topping
11 small sprigs of fresh dill

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 11 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, melt the butter and add the finely chopped red onion and fry for 3-4 minutes until softened and starting to go golden. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and black pepper into a large bowl, tipping in any black pepper that didn't go through the sieve (strainer). Add the chopped fresh dill and stir well.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and cottage cheese with a fork. Add both the egg mixture and the contents of the frying pan to the flour mixture.
Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin sections and top each muffin with a dill sprig.
Bake for 23-25 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.

Fresh Pesto

These muffins have a really unusual appearance - they are a beautiful, pale green colour. They are also light, fresh, fragrant and full of flavour. Making the pesto for the muffins is very easy and very pleasing to do and all those fresh, fragrant flavours and colours from the pesto mixture carry through into the finished muffin.

Makes 9 muffins

For the pesto
20 g/¾ oz fresh basil leaves
120 g/4¼ oz extra-virgin olive oil
50 g/1¾ oz pine nuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves, roughly sliced
1 tsp salt
40 g/1½ oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
30 g/1 oz caster (superfine) sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
For the topping
15 g/½ oz extra-virgin olive oil
9 large fresh basil leaves
40 g/1½ oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 9 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Place all the pesto ingredients except the black pepper into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Season to taste with a few grinds of black pepper.
Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large bowl.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs and milk together with 200 g/7 oz of the fresh pesto.
Add the pesto mixture to the flour mixture.
Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the sections of the muffin tin. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese. Dip a fresh basil leaf into the extra-virgin olive oil from the topping ingredients and then place the basil leaf on top of the cheese. When you have finished all the basil leaves, sprinkle any remaining olive oil over the muffins.
Bake for 20-23 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.

NOTE
Any remaining pesto can be stored in a small container. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top of the pesto and it will keep in the fridge for a week.

Goats' Cheese and Thyme

This is a simple, straight forward, yummy, savoury muffin; and like the others, it's great with a salad. I like to use chèvre blanc, which is a French full-fat goats' cheese. It has a soft, edible rind that melts when cooked, so it doesn't have to be cut away before being added to the muffin mixture.

Makes 10 muffins

For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
5 g fresh thyme
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
100 g/3½ oz butter
For the filling
200 g/7 oz goats' cheese, roughly chopped into 1 cm/½ in dice
For the topping
10 sprigs of fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 10 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and black pepper into a large bowl. Tip in any black pepper that didn't go through the sieve (strainer). Strip the leaves from the thyme (don't worry about very soft stems, they can go in too), then roughly chop. Stir the thyme into the flour mixture.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs and milk with a fork. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave or in a small saucepan. Add both the egg mixture and the melted butter to the flour mixture.
Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined. Then gently fold in the chopped goats' cheese.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin sections and top each with a sprig of thyme.
Bake for 23-25 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool before eating.

Hummus

These are very tasty savoury muffins on their own, but they really come into their own as an accompaniment to curries. I like to serve these with keema mattar - a Indian dish of minced meat, fresh peas and yoghurt, flavoured with chilli, turmeric, fresh coriander, garlic, ginger and garam masala.

Makes 12 muffins

For the hummus
410 g/15 oz can of chick peas garbanzos, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
30 g/1 oz lemon juice
50 g/1¾ oz tahini paste
95 g/3½ oz extra-virgin olive oil
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
100 g/3½ oz extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 12 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Place all the hummus ingredients in the food processor and whizz to a smooth purée.
Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, black pepper and ground cumin into a large bowl. Tip in any pepper remaining in the sieve (strainer).
Beat together the eggs, milk and extra-virgin olive oil with a fork. Weigh out 200 g/7 oz of the hummus and then beat into the egg mixture.
Add the egg and hummus mixture to the flour mixture. Use a large metal spoon and fold everything together until just combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin tin sections and bake for 23-26 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool before eating.

NOTE
The hummus mixture makes enough for two batches of muffins but you can just serve the extra portion with the muffins themselves if you like. You can also use shop-bought hummus, in which case you should add an extra ½ tsp of ground cumin to the flour mixture. It is not hard to make the hummus yourself, however, and it does taste so much nicer!

Peanut Butter, Chilli, Coriander and Chicken

Yes, really - chicken muffins! And very good they are too, especially cooled to room temperature, when you can fully appreciate the complex savoury flavour of the muffin and the cold, juicy chunks of chicken. I find the little mini chicken fillets sold now in supermarkets the easiest to use for this recipe, but you can use chopped chicken breast or even thigh meat.

Makes 12 muffins

For the batter
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
70 g/2½ oz oil
50 g/1¾ oz finely chopped red onion
400 g/14 oz chicken breast or thigh meat, cut into 1 cm/½ in dice
1 large fat red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp dried shrimp paste
50 g/1¾ oz crunchy peanut butter
20 g/3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
30 g/1 oz light muscovado sugar
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz coconut milk

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 12 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners. Put the lime zest into a large bowl.
Place the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the chopped onion for 2 minutes and then add the chicken. Fry the chicken for 3 minutes over a medium heat until all the chicken turns white and is nearly cooked through. Add the chilli, garlic and dried shrimp paste, then fry for 2 minutes.
Add the peanut butter to the frying pan and allow it to melt. Remove the pan from the heat, squeeze in the juice of the lime, then add the chopped coriander and stir well. Leave the mixture to cool while you prepare the dry ingredients.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and light muscovado sugar into the large bowl with the lime zest. You will need to push the sugar through the sieve (strainer) with the back of a spoon. Stir well.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs and coconut milk with a fork. (Coconut milk can become a bit solid in the can, so give it a good shake before you open it, and then a really good stir with a fork once it's open.)
Add the egg mixture and the contents of the frying pan to the flour mixture.
Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin sections and bake for 23-25 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool a little before eating.

Pear, Date and Stilton

The pear is a subtle flavour in this muffin but it provides a well-rounded sweetness that is accentuated by the dates and in perfect counterpoint with the stronger, slightly salty flavour of the blue cheese. These muffins are wonderfully versatile - you could eat them as a snack or a light lunch with salad, or even add them to your cheeseboard at dinner.

Makes 11 muffins

For the batter
340 g/12 oz plain (all-purpose) flour
170 g/6 oz caster (superfine) sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
220 g/7½ oz drained canned pears
100 g/3½ oz oil
2 eggs
For the filling
50 g/1¾ oz ready-to-eat dates, chopped
70 g/2½ oz Stilton cheese, crumbled
50 g/1¾ oz walnuts, roughly chopped
For the topping
50 g/1¾ oz walnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6/fan oven 180ºC. Grease and flour 11 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and stir well.
Whizz the drained pears in a blender or food processor, then use a rubber spatula to scrape the purée into a medium-sized bowl.
Add the oil and eggs to the puréed pears and beat together with a fork.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and fold together with a large metal spoon until just moistened.
Gently fold in the dates, Stilton cheese and the walnuts.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin sections.
Sprinkle the chopped walnuts evenly over the top.
Bake for 22-24 minutes, until the muffins are well risen and a deep golden. The tops will spring back when gently pressed with a finger.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.

Pepperoni and Sun-dried Tomato Pizza

This muffin recipe includes some classic pizza topping ingredients; pepperoni, onions, garlic, anchovies, extra-virgin olive oil, Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes and oregano! You even get the pizza experience of melting, stringy cheese when you pull the warm muffins apart.

Makes 12 muffins

100 g/3½ oz extra-virgin olive oil
75 g/3 oz finely chopped red onion
1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane grater
2 anchovies, chopped
100 g/3½ oz pepperoni slices
For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp dried oregano or 2 tbsp fresh chopped oregano
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
For the filling
75 g/3 oz sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
50 g/1¾ oz sliced black olives
150 g/5 oz grated Mozzarella cheese
50 g/1¾ oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For the topping
50 g/1¾ oz grated Mozzarella cheese
35 g/1¼ oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh or dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
Sun-dried tomato oil from the jar of tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 12 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Put the extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and fry for 3 minutes or until just softened. Add the grated garlic and chopped anchovies and fry for a minute or so until the anchovies melt. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a little.
Cut six slices of the pepperoni into halves and reserve for the topping. Chop the remainder.
Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Tip in any black pepper that doesn't go through the sieve (strainer), then stir in the oregano.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs and milk with a fork.
Add the egg mixture along with the contents of the frying pan to the flour mixture. Use a spatula to get all the olive oil out of the frying pan.
Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined.
Put the chopped pepperoni into a bowl with all the other filling ingredients and then gently fold all the filling ingredients into the muffin batter. Be careful not to over-mix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin sections. Top the muffins with the mixed cheeses, half a slice of pepperoni, a sprinkle of dried or fresh oregano and a grinding of black pepper. Drizzle ½ tsp of sun-dried tomato oil over each muffin.
Bake for 23-25 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating, but do serve them warm!

Prawn with Fresh Chives

The flavour, the colour, the textures...! Never mind making prawn cocktail and stuffing it into little puff pastry cases, or even prawn sandwiches, make these - they are fantastic! Don't serve them too warm - I think these are at their best when they have cooled almost to room temperature.

Makes 11 muffins

For the batter
330 g/11½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
20 g fresh chives, finely chopped or snipped with scissors
2 eggs
130 g/4½ oz milk
150 g/5 oz full-fat crème fraîche
50 g/1¾ oz tomato ketchup (catsup)
100 g/3½ oz butter
For the filling
300 g/10½ oz cooked peeled prawns (shrimp), thawed if frozen

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6/fan oven 180ºC. Grease and flour 11 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Tip in any pepper that doesn't go through the sieve (strainer). Stir in the chives.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, crème fraîche and ketchup. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
Add the egg mixture and the melted butter to the flour mixture. Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined.
Squeeze the prawns to remove excess moisture and pat dry on kitchen paper (paper towels). Gently fold the prawns into the muffin batter.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin sections; the sections will be very full.
Bake for 23-25 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.

Smoked Mackerel, Courgette, Tomato, Olive and Fresh Basil

These are a meal in themselves - you have fish, vegetable and muffin all in one - and they are equally delicious hot or cold. The grated courgettes make the muffins very moist and their green flecks look very attractive, contrasting with the red sun-blush tomatoes and black olives.

Makes 12 muffins

For the filling
100 g/3½ oz grated courgette (zucchini)
75 g/3 oz sun-blush tomatoes, halved
40 g/1½ oz sliced black olives
150 g/5 oz smoked mackerel, skinned and torn into small chunks
15 g/3 heaped tbsp torn or roughly chopped fresh basil
For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
100 g/3½ oz extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 12 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Put the grated courgette into a medium-sized bowl with the rest of the prepared filling ingredients. Mix well.
Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and black pepper into a large bowl. Tip in any black pepper that doesn't go through the sieve (strainer).
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and olive oil with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and fold everything together with a large metal spoon until just combined.
Gently fold in all the filling ingredients.
Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin sections.
Bake for 23-25 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.

Smoked Oyster, Buckwheat and Chives

The buckwheat flour in the muffins provides wonderful colour and a rich earthy flavour, which holds its own and works beautifully with the strong smokiness of the oysters. Crème fraîche provides just the right acidic, sour note and the chives round everything off with a slight oniony flavour.

Makes 12 muffins

For the batter
200 g/7 oz plain (all-purpose) flour
100 g/3½ oz buckwheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
20 g fresh whole chive stalks
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
150 g/5 oz full-fat crème fraîche
100 g/3½ oz unsalted (sweet) butter
For the filling
2 x 85 g/3¼ oz cans of smoked oysters in oil, drained and halved

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 12 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Sift the flours, baking powder, sugar, salt and black pepper into a large bowl. Tip in any black pepper that didn't go through the sieve (strainer). Reserve 12 of the chive stalks for topping. Chop or snip the remainder and stir into the mixture.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and crème fraîche. Melt the unsalted butter in a small bowl in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
Add the egg mixture and the melted butter to the flour mixture, fold everything together with a large metal spoon until just combined.
Gently fold the halved oysters into the muffin batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin sections. Tie each of the whole reserved chives into a knot and place one on top of each muffin, pressing down gently.
Bake for 23-25 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.

Tuna, Celery, Spring Onion, Apple and Pecan

A super-healthy combination of apple, vegetables, tuna and toasted pecans goes into this fantastic muffin. Chop all the vegetables very finely - the celery in particular - and you will be rewarded with a fresh and tasty muffin, perfect for lunch, supper or an 'any time' snack.

Makes 13 muffins

For the filling
1 x 185 g/6½ oz can of tuna in brine or spring water, drained
130 g/4½ oz finely chopped unpeeled eating (dessert) apple
60 g/2 oz very finely chopped celery
60 g/2 oz finely sliced spring onion (scallion)
50 g/1¾ oz pecan nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
For the batter
300 g/10½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
15 g/½ oz caster (superfine) sugar
2 eggs
185 g/6½ oz milk
100 g/3½ oz butter

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4/fan oven 160ºC. Grease and flour 13 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners. Mix all the filling ingredients together well in a bowl.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, paprika and sugar into a large bowl. Tip back in any black pepper that didn't go through the sieve (strainer).
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs and milk with a fork. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
Add the egg mixture and the melted butter to the flour mixture.
Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together until just combined. Gently fold the filling ingredients into the muffin batter.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin sections and bake for 23-26 minutes until well risen and golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.

Wholemeal with Muscovado Sugar

Although these have a sweet flavour, they also work well as a savoury muffin, so I've included them in this section. They are ideal for spreading with butter or jam but they also go really well with a slab of your favourite cheese for tea or an afternoon snack. You could try them with soup or salad, too.

Makes 10 muffins

For the batter
300 g/10½ oz wholemeal bread flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
185 g/6½ oz milk
2 eggs
100 g/3½ oz butter
185 g/6½ oz dark muscovado sugar
For the topping
40 g/1½ oz demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6/fan oven 180ºC. Grease and flour 10 muffin tin sections or line with paper liners.
Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Add back into the bowl all the bran that was sieved out of the wholemeal flour.
Combine the milk and eggs in a medium-sized bowl and beat together with a fork.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized bowl in the microwave or in a small saucepan. Add the dark muscovado sugar to the melted butter and mix well with a fork.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold everything together with a large metal spoon until just moistened.
Spoon into the prepared muffin tin sections. Sprinkle the demerara sugar evenly over the tops.
Bake for about 18-20 minutes until well risen and the tops of the muffins spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before eating.