Spiced Apple Muffins

INGREDIENTS
150g plain flour
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon – or a bit more if you are me
½ level teaspoon ground cloves – I didn’t use these
1 level dessertspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
40g dark brown soft sugar
120ml milk
50g melted butter let to cool slightly
3 medium dessert apples, cored, then 2 grated and the other chopped roughly into 1cm cubes

METHOD

With this recipe it is a good idea to have everything weighed and ready before you start.
Begin by sifting the flour, spices, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In another bowl whisk together the egg, sugar, milk and melted butter, then return the dry ingredients to the sieve and sift them straight into the egg mixture. (This double sifting is crucial as there isn’t much mixing.)
Take a large metal spoon and fold the dry ingredients quickly into the wet ones – the key word here is quickly (i.e. in about 15 seconds). What you mustn’t do is beat or stir, just do the folding, and ignore the uneven appearance of the mixture because that’s precisely what makes the muffins really light. Don’t over mix. Next, quickly fold in the grated apple – again no stirring. Now divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Arrange the cubes of apple on top of each muffin, pressing them down slightly.
Bake near the centre of the oven at 200g or mark 5 in the motorhome for 25–30 minutes (10, 10, 5, 5 in the motorhome) until well-risen and golden brown.

Remove the muffins from the oven and transfer them straight away to a wire rack to cool.