Raspberry- Rhubarb Muffins

I’ve been waiting for the start of the rhubarb season to make these again, having made them for the first time last year. Everyone knows of the pairing of strawberries with rhubarb, and delicious though that is, it doesn’t come close to raspberries and rhubarb. It doesn’t hurt that in this "muffin”, the fruits are suspended in a tender, delicious vanilla cake.

Normally, I take exception to an author calling a dessert a breakfast food and deduct a star from the rating, and with the amount of sugar, butter and crème fraiche in these, breakfast food they are not. But the flavour and texture of these are exceptional so I didn’t do it this time.

I’ve actually tried to make them healthier using oil, low fat yogurt and whole wheat flour but they ended up dense and rubbery. I’ve come to terms with the fact that this recipe is best left alone and served as a special treat.

I made 24 standard sized muffins which baked in 22min. I also used the author's recipe for creme fraiche, p28.