One Perfect Bite: Gnarly Soda Bread Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you enjoy soda bread I think you'll enjoy these muffins. They are easy to make and quite tasty, despite their rough appearance. While I've done hundreds of coffees and more than my share of cocktail parties, I have never done a tea. I've been told by those who have and do, that these are a nice addition to a tea table. I suspect they will not have universal appeal because they are barely sweet and their appearance will keep most from choosing them if more attractive selections are available. Rest assured, they are great when served warm with butter, clotted cream or a really fruity jam or jelly. Like larger soda breads, these rolls stale quickly, so you should plan to serve them the day they are made. It is hard to go wrong when making these muffins. They come together quickly and I think you will enjoy the hint of orange and caraway that is added to what is otherwise a basic dough for soda bread. The muffins can be made with just a bowl and wooden spoon, so this is a good recipe to keep in mind when working in a kitchen that has no modern amenities. I do hope you will give them a try. Here is how they are made.

Soda Bread Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by King Arthur Flour recipes

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon, divided use
1-1/2 cups currants
2 teaspoons crushed caraway seeds
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 12 cups of a standard muffin pan or line with papers and spray the papers with a nonstick spray.
2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1/2 cup sugar, currants, orange zest and caraway seeds.
3) In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk and melted butter. Quickly and gently combine dry and wet ingredients and stir just until everything is evenly moistened.
4) Spoon batter into prepared pan, filling cups about 3/4 full. Stiff batter will look mounded in pans. Sprinkle tops of batter with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
5) Bake muffins for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove pan from oven. Wait 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a rack to cool. Serve them plain, or with butter and/or jam. Yield: 12 muffins.