Lemon, Flowering Currant and Pistachio Oat Muffins

This spring we've fallen in love with the beautiful flowering currant (Ribes Sanguineum). It flowers in April and has an amazing raspberry colour and a divine smell, very similar to currants. We used the edible flowers infused in milk to make this slightly flavoured currant muffins. We added lemon zest for a citrusy kick and pistachio for extra crunch. These muffins have a lovely texture given by the addition of oats and shredded coconut to the batter. All these fabulous ingredients put together to create a light, fluffy and flavourful muffin.

Makes: 6

Prepare: 15 minutes

Cook: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 100g self-raising flour
• 40g rolled oats
• 2 tbsp shredded coconut
• pinch of sea salt
• 50g soft brown cane sugar
• 125ml flowering currant infused milk
• 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tbsp cold pressed sunflower oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 lemon, zest
• 2 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped

Method:

1. To make the infused milk, place one handful of freshly picked flowering currant blooms, wash them properly under running water then place in a glass jar. Pour over the milk, cover tightly and place in the fridge for at least 2-4 hours, or overnight if you have more time. Then strain the milk and discard the flowers. We advise doing this a day before, making sure you take out the milk from the fridge half an hour before starting to make the muffins.

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line a 6-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Roughly chop the pistachios, then put aside

3. To make the muffins, sift the flour into a large bowl. Then stir in the sea salt, porridge oats, shredded coconut and brown sugar. Mix well with a large spoon.

4. Next, lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl then beat in the oil and infused milk. Then ass the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not over-mix.

5. Spoon the mixture in the prepared muffin tin. Scatter the chopped pistachios over each muffin. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.

6. Leave the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Store in an air-tight container and consume within 2 days.

Optional: When the muffins have been cooled completely, you can spoon over this perfectly sweet glazing. In a small bowl mix 2-3 tbsp sifted icing sugar with 1 tbsp infused milk and a few drops of lemon juice. Mix well until the mixture thickens, adding more sugar if necessary then drizzle over the muffins. Enjoy!