Paddingtons Muffins

This recipe is dedicated to one of my all time literary heroes – Paddington Bear (who is 50 years old this year – 2008).  He loved marmalade and I made these muffins for a teddy bears picnic that my son went on when he was at playgroup and the recipe had to be repeated whenever he had to take cakes anywhere.                 Ingedients 12oz/350g self raising flour  1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 5oz/135g soft brown sugar 1 tablespoon runny honey  3oz/80g sultanas 125ml buttermilk  2 large beaten eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5oz/135g melted butter 9oz/260g marmalade, plus extra to decorate                       Method  1 Line muffin tin with paper cases. 2 Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, into a large mixing bowl. 3 Stir in the sugar and sultanas. 4 Make a well in the centre.  5 In another large mixing bowl whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract and melted butter. 6 Pour the egg mixture into the well in the flour mixture.  7 Add the marmalade. 8 Stir until the ingredients are just combined. Do not over-mix – the batter will not be smooth.  9 Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cases.  10 Bake at 190 degrees centigrade/gas mark 5 for approximately 20 – 25 minutes, or until the muffin tops are golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.  11 Allow to cool in the tin for 5 mintues before turning out onto a wire cooling rack. 12 Brush the tops with a little extra warmed marmalade. Makes 12 muffins   Notes If buttermilk is unavailable use 125ml fresh milk, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, it will curdle, this is perfectly alright to use. The muffins can be frozen at -18 degrees centigrade for upto 1 month.  The marmalade topping can seperate, best decorated afterwards.

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