Aromatic spices and dried fruit impart such a luscious taste in every bite. They bring out the best in each other. Not too sweet and oh so fragrant! My husband Jim says it tastes like a holiday treat.
Dried fruit should be treated as a perishable ingredient with a long shelf life. Store dried fruit in airtight containers at room temperature away from light, heat, and above all, moisture. Stored properly, it should last at least 4 months. Don’t forget to label your container. Many a dried cherry can be mistaken for a cranberry!
Makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients:
½ cup (120 mL) 2% milk
½ cup (120 mL) maple syrup
½ cup (120 mL) diced fresh pineapple with juice
¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil
2 cups (480 mL) unbleached white flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
½ tsp (2 mL) sea salt
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cloves
¾ cup (180 mL) dried cherries
½ cup (120 mL) raisins or currants
¾ cup (180 mL) walnuts, toasted
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
2. In a medium-size bowl, mix milk, maple syrup, pineapple, and oil.
3. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add the pineapple mixture. Stir until just combined.
4. Sprinkle with the cherries, raisins, and walnuts. Fold until combined.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Tip: If fresh pineapple is not available, you can use any fresh or frozen berry.
In this recipe, olive oil was used in place of butter. Olive oil is a versatile ingredient used for various applications such as a fuel, for skincare, medicinal, and as a condiment. To learn more about olive oil, visit my recent post on Olive Oil Tastings.
This recipe is from my upcoming cookbook Fair Trade Ingredients (spring 2021, Whitecap).
