Apple, Carrot & Date Bran Muffins

My family loves a good bran muffin. It took me years to come up with this moist, flavorsome recipe worth making. A great breakfast for rushed mornings, sneaking in some fruit and veg towards the 30 plants a week goal.

Medjool dates are my first choice, but you can use any variety of dates available to you - they add an irresistible caramel-like flavour to the muffins. If you don’t have a blender, simply finely chop the dates before soaking them. The ingredients list seems long, but it is so worth it, I promise. This recipe makes a large batch of muffins - I normally freeze half straight away in an airtight container for up to three months.

Makes 20 - 24 muffins

BRAN MUFFIN BATTER

dates (pitted), 150g (250ml or 1 cup) - about 8 large Medjool dates

boiling water, 250g (250ml or 1 cup)

apple, 1 large (about 150g)

carrot, 1 large (about 150g) - or a few baby carrots

eggs, 2

buttermilk or unsweetened Kefir, 500g (500ml or 2 cups) - or use 1 cup milk + 1 cup unsweetened yoghurt

oil, 125ml (1/2 cup) - a neutral flavour oil works well

sugar (brown), 165g (3/4 cup)

wheat bran/bakers bran, 110g (500ml or 2 cups)

flour (plain/all-purpose), 300g (500ml or 2 cups) - cake wheat flour in South Africa

bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, 15ml (3 teaspoons)

fine salt, 5ml (1 teaspoon)

To start, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line two 12-hole standard size muffin tin with baking cups (or grease well with butter).

If you only have one 12-hole standard size muffin tin, the muffins bake quickly, so just bake them in two goes.

Chop the dates (roughly if you have a blender, finely if you don’t), then place them in a medium heatproof bowl.

Add the boiling water then leave them to soften.

Finely grate the apple (cored but skin on if you like) and carrot then place them in a large mixing bowl.

Add all the wet ingredients including the sugar.

Using a food processor or blender, puree the soften dates and water then add them to the wet ingredients (or simply add the finely chopped softened dates and water to the wet ingredients).

Mix until uniform.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix again until uniform.

Divide the mixture among the baking cups (about 3/4 full).

Bake the muffins for approximately 15 minutes (or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean).

Delicious warm out of the oven with salted butter but will keep for a couple of days at room temperature (or in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months).