Irish Soda Bread Muffins

By sybrmom

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, fluffed to aerate before measuring
• 3/4 cup 100% White Whole Wheat Flour, preferably King Arthur, fluffed
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons ground caraway (enough for subtle caraway flavor)
• 1-1/2 cups dried fruit (currants, cranberries, apricots, golden raisins), larger pieces cut small
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk (see TIPS)
• Demerera sugar for topping (see TIPS)

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from kitchenparade.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400F. If using silicone liners, drop into a muffin tin. If using muffin tins, grease the cups or line with papers.

In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (that’s the flours, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt and caraway) and the dried fruit.

In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave in 10-second increments. While it melts, in a large bowl, whisk the egg and buttermilk, then whisk in the melted butter. With just a few quick stirs, turn the flour mixture into the wet mixture. The dough will be quite stiff.

With two spoons, one to scoop and one to scrape, fill the muffin cups. Gently sprinkle the sugar over the tops. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then either dig in! or turn out onto a rack to finish cooling. Best served warm or on the first day but still quite moist on the second and third days. After that, you may want to ‘toast’ the muffin halves in a toaster oven or skillet.

TIPS The inspiring recipe says that buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream can be used. The sugar topping is optional but provides a burst of sweetness and a slight crunch, both welcome. It’s a lot, a whole cup and a half of dried fruit. I was tempted to cut back to a cup or less but was glad I didn’t. If you choose to use less fruit, consider adding more sugar.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Muffin: 156Cal; 6g Tot Fat; 4g Sat Fat; 33mg Cholesterol; 272mg Sodium; 22g Carb; 1g Fiber; 13g Sugar; 3g Protein; Weight Watchers 3 points