MINCE MUFFINS

If I were to decide to become a part-time psychic when I grow up, I know one day I would look into a snow globe and see this time of the season, and a very pretty house in a part of town that, I’m sure, was well pretty fifty years ago; and there would be a white fluffy carpet and wooden things and bottles as candle holders (there’s got to be candles), and the inhabitants wouldn’t worry too much about leaving the heating on for a while, nor about anything that happens in the outside world for that matter; and they would be sipping hot drinks from big mugs and eating muffins, or mince pies, or both (it’s Christmas).

I don’t know all that much about warm cosy living rooms in Victorian houses or carpets or nice décor, but if I were them, I really wouldn’t complain about such a great selection of Christmas treats; and until I take the leap and become Head of Extrasensory Perception or that season comes and so the snow, I’ll stick to mince muffins and I know I’ll be gold.

MINCE MUFFINS
with whisky icing

350g (3 cups + 2 tablespoons) self-raising flour

175g (3/4 cup) caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder
135ml (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) sunflower oil or other flavourless oil
375ml (1 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon) soya milk or other non-dairy milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g (7oz) mincemeat (use this stuff or make your own)

Icing:

150g (2 ½ cups) icing sugar

75g (3/4 cup) margarine

2 tablespoons whisky

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F and line two muffin trays with cases.

Mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and baking powder in a bowl. Add the oil, milk and vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Fold in the mincemeat and spoon into the prepared muffin cases. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the muffins comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.

While the muffins are cooling, make the icing. Whisk together all the ingredients and spread a couple of spoonfuls on top of each of the muffins. Decorate with holly leaf sprinkles if you secretly love Christmas.