Savoury Mini Muffins with Two Flavourings

For a fresh approach to party nibbles, I offer you these magic little savouries that can be served warm from the oven or, if made in advance, frozen, defrosted and re-heated.

First some simple muffin mathematics: the basic muffin recipe makes 24, and after that there are two flavourings – each for half that quantity – which should be prepared first. They can be made with or without muffin cases.

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Method

First, you need to prepare the two muffin flavourings. To make the goats’ cheese, red onion and rosemary muffins, begin by melting the butter in a small saucepan and softening the onion in it for about 5 minutes. Then allow it to cool. Next, prepare and set aside the ingredients for the Gruyère, sage and onion muffins. Now pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C) while you make the basic muffin mixture.

First of all, sift the flour, baking powder and salt on to a large plate, then take a large mixing bowl and sift the mixture again, this time into the bowl, holding the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing.

Now, in a jug, beat one egg, then whisk it together with the milk. Next, fold all this into the flour, using the minimum number of folding movements. (Ignore the unpromising look of the mixture at this stage and don’t overmix.) Divide the mixture equally between two bowls in order to add the two different flavourings.

Now return to the first flavouring and gently mix the onion into the muffin mixture in one bowl, along with the goats’ cheese and chopped rosemary, folding in, as before, with as few strokes as possible. Next, add the prepared ingredients for the second flavouring to the muffin mixture in the other bowl and fold them in in the same gentle way.

After that, if you are using muffin cases, arrange them in the tins and spoon the mixture into them; alternatively, spoon the mixture straight into the greased tins. You can pile the mixture quite high. Beat the second egg and brush the surfaces with it, then top the goats’ cheese muffins with a sprig of rosemary, and the Gruyère muffins with the Parmesan and a sage leaf.

Then bake them for about 20 minutes, or until well risen and golden. Remove the muffins from the tins to a rack and eat as warm as possible.