Cheese, Bacon, and Red Onion Muffins are great served as finger food or taken on a picnic. In fact, they are great all year round and are one of my regular contributions to village social events.

Muffins are easy to make, and once you have mastered the basics there is a wealth of ingredients that can be added, both sweet and savoury. Let me take you through the process, and lets get baking!

You will need.

• 12-hole muffin tray
• Cooling wire
• Muffin cases
• Small saucepan
• Small frying pan
• Mixing bowl
• Chopping board and knife
• Scales
• Flour sieve
• Measuring spoons
• 2 tablespoons
• Spatula
• Coarse grater

Cheese, Bacon, and Red Onion Muffins

Makes 12

Bake at 200˚c /400˚f. Fan 180/˚c / 350˚f

• 1tsp                oil
• 100g               streaky bacon or pancetta (I like smoked)
• 80                    finely chopped red onion
• 200g               sr flour
• 100g               wholemeal or rye flour
• 2 tsp                baking powder
• 1 tsp                bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ tsp              salt
• Good pinch   cayenne pepper
• 2                      large eggs – room temperature
• 70g                 unsalted butter
• 225ml             buttermilk – room temperature
• 2tbsp              chopped chives
• 130g               grated extra mature cheddar cheese

Topping

80g                 grated extra mature cheddar cheese

Bake at 200˚c /400˚f. Fan 180/˚c / 350˚f

Cheese, Bacon, and Red Onion Muffins – preparation.

Put the butter into a small saucepan, gently melt then leave to cool. Chop the bacon into 5mm pieces and chop the red onion as fine as possible.

Heat a small frying pan and add the oil. When the oil is hot add the bacon and fry steadily until the bacon is golden brown and crisp. Reduce the heat a little and add the red onion. Cook the onions until soft then tip the contents of the pan onto a plate to cool.

While all that is cooling sieve flours, bicarbonate of soda, cayenne, and baking powder together into a mixing bowl.

Crack the eggs into a jug and add the salt and whisk together. Now add the melted butter and buttermilk to the jug and whisk well.

Cheese, Bacon, and Red Onion Muffins – the mixing.

This stage is crucial to getting a light well risen muffin. The key is to work quickly and don’t over mix. As soon as the mix has come together, stop mixing and get the batter into muffin cases as soon as you can. Chop your chives now and check you have everything in place Check the oven is ready at temperature, and the baking tray is ready lined with paper cases.

The dry mix.

Give the sieved flours and raising agents a good mix, then add the cooled bacon and red onions and mix again. Add the grated cheese and chopped chives and fold in.

Adding the liquids.

Make a well in the centre of the mix, then add the contents of the jug into the bowl in one go. Using the spatula fold the flour into the we ingredients lifting from bottom to top and turning the bowl as you mix.

As soon as all the dry ingredients are worked in, check nothing is lurking at the bottom of the bowl. If you’re happy, stop mixing.

Immediately begin to fill the muffin cases using two tablespoons. Lift the mixture from the bowl with one spoon and use the second to scrape the mix off the spoon into the paper case.

Cheese, Bacon, and Red Onion Muffins – Baking.

As soon as all the cases are filled, put a generous pinch of grated cheese on top. Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes and when ready cool on a cooling wire. Let the muffins cool for at least 15 minutes before use.

Cheese, Bacon, and Red Onion Muffins – Serving

The muffins are at their best freshly baked. But are fine kept in an airtight box for a couple of days, (make sure they are completely cold before storing) or can be kept in the freezer for a month or so.

Serve slightly warm if possible. And if you want to spice them up, add a dollop of my Red Onion and Chilli Jam on top before serving.

F.A.Qs

Enjoy Life!

John.

© Copywrite, John Webber. 2024