Wedding Fever

I'm not a monarchist. In fact, there was a referendum in Australia some years back, and I voted to make Australia a republic. Luckly, at that time, more than half the population was over 50 (baby boomers), and they like ER and what she does very much, thank you. I say luckily, because if Australia was a republic, we would have lost touch with the British Royal Family, and I wouldn't have been at all excited that there was a royal wedding this weekend.

I probably wouldn't have decided that because I was going to a birthday party on the day of the royal wedding, that I should make my own version of english muffins, just because I felt the occasion needed to be celebrated via baking.

And so, we have English Muffins by Sarah. Complete with St George's cross (albeit baked in wonkily). Full of 'sweet as a princess' wedding white chocolate, and absolutely nothing like a standard English Muffin.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup canola oil (or any oil with little flavour)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 150g block of white chocolate, chopped into 1/4 inch(ish) cubes
• 12 strawberries, washed and quartered

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180ᵒC. Sift dry ingredients, then add egg, oil and milk gradually while stirring or beating on a low speed. Finally stir in white chocolate.
2. Spoon into muffin tins lined with cup-cake papers, then arrange stawberry quarters lightly on top to make a cross.
3. Cook for 20 minutes, or until centre springs back when touched. 

Should make 12 small/medium sized muffins. You could make the same recipe with double the quantities and bake is as a cake in a 22cm round for about 40 - 45 minutes. Great on their own, or sweet and delicate enough to use as a dessert with strawberries and cream on the side.