Blackberry surprise muffins recipe

• Serves 12
• 55 minutes, plus cooling
• 260 calories/serving

Ingredients

• 200g self-raising flour
• 75g porridge oats
• 75g light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Two eggs, beaten
• 100ml maple syrup
• 100ml vegetable oil
• 100g Greek-style yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
• 1 ½ eating apples, peeled, cored, and diced (about 150g prepared fruit)
• 200g blackberries
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus 2 tsp extra
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 60g icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, and fan 160°C.
2. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Put the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and mix.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and mix in 75ml maple syrup, the oil, yogurt, vanilla, and milk.
4. Stir the wet mix into the dry; fold through the apple.
5. Spoon into the cases and bake for 25 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean.
6. Meanwhile, put the berries in a pan with 1 tbsp lemon juice and the remaining maple syrup.
7. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 5 mins, or until the berries have softened.
8. Put in a blender and purée. Return to the pan, reserving 1 tbsp in a small bowl.
9. Whisk the cornflour into this, then add to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 3 mins, or until thick.
10. Remove from the heat and cool.
11. Remove the muffins from the oven and leave them to cool in the tin for 10 mins.
12. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
13. Using an apple corer or teaspoon, remove the cores of the muffins to about halfway; reserve.
14. Fill the holes with blackberry purée, then press the core back in place.
15. Whisk 2 tsp lemon juice with the icing sugar in a bowl, then drizzle over the muffins.