Dates and raisin muffins

   For this CCC Challenge, I took my help from Morphy Richards Recipe Guide, that dates back to twenty years :)  Thanks to my dear mom, who saved it for me :)  From this book, I choosed Dates and Raisin muffins.  There has been an usual dilemma between cupcakes and muffins, isn't it?  So, let me resolve this before getting back to my post :)

         

With this tabular column shown above, we can see an clean introduction about muffins, yes they are quickbreads that are served at breakfast.  I completely followed the recipe (Apart from adding additional nuts, which I felt would heighten up the 'crunchy'effect on these) And so, the end-product was fabulous, we all enjoyed them as an lovely treat.  My daughter has declared them as an ideal bournvita-time snack :P  :P

These muffins are very dense and yes, just half of very single muffin would easily fill up your stomach.   The dates, raisin and nuts added paired well with the batter.  What surprised me the most, is their moist bite and an crumble texture that came out with butterless, minimal oil-used batter. They were too easy to make, because unlike cupcakes, they didn't require any icing, nor creaming  in initial stage.  I would also say that these are super-time saver :P  :P 

One challenging aspect of this recipe, is that they called for well-beaten egg.  I never had, heard about well-beaten egg (All I had known is stiff-peaked whites :P)  Nor were any videos to explain regarding the same.  But, wiki answers provided three important clues/guide to an well-beaten egg.  According to them, an egg can be termed as 'well-beaten' when,

• The beaten egg becomes frothy
• The beaten egg gains volume
• The beaten egg turns pale yellow colour

And, I found all three points concluding happily with my result :P  This well-beaten egg is an realization for the moistened and crumbly effect these muffins had.   I am now, treasuring the book :P

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Baking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients required

Dry ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups of Flour/Maida 
• 3 tbspn of Powdered sugar
• 2 tsp of Baking powder
• 3/4 tsp of salt
• 1/2 cup of chopped dates, raisin
• 1/2 cup of thinly sliced nuts like cashew, pista, almonds (this is optional ingredient)

Wet ingredients

• 1 Egg (that is well-beaten)
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1/3 cup oil/melted butter (I used refined oil)

Method

At first, I gathered all my dry ingredients together.  Added flour, baking powder, sugar and salt  and sieved them, to this I added dates and nuts mix.  

Pre-heat the oven to 130 degree celsius.  In an separate bowl, I cracked open an egg and started beating them.

After five minutes of beating, I got the specified,'well-beaten egg' that increased in volume, became frothy and changed colour.

It was like this...

 Now to our dry ingredients, I made an well and added all wet ingredients together, like well-beaten egg, milk, oil.

Gradually mixed them till dry ingredients are moistened.  

Poured them onto paper cups lined mould and baked for 25 minutes at 130 degree celsius.  Cool them on wire rack.  

Enjoyed them with cup of tea :P  Happy Baking :)  :)

Linking this to Srivalli's CCC Challenge