WHOLEMEAL APPLE AND KARAKA BERRY MUFFINS

I am well aware that as a nation we are almost muffined out. But these little beauties are moist, aromatic and will last for a few days. They make the perfect afternoon tea and last well in lunch boxes. You won’t be disappointed!

1 cup wholemeal flour 1 cup flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1 Tbsp cinnamon 115g unsalted butter, at room temperature ½ cup sugar ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed, divided 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 cup buttermilk or yoghurt 1 cup karaka berries, roughly chopped 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

Method Preheat the oven to 190C. Grease and flour 12-18 muffin tins and set aside. Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and add the sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well; stop once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the buttermilk gently. (If you over-mix, the buttermilk will cause the mixture to curdle.) Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the apple and karaka berry chunks.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 160C, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.