RAIN ALERT - Make Muffins to kill time.

It was pouring down, dull and miserable - just a typical day in Scotland really.  I had everything in the house I needed, so decided to make some muffins to go with the mug of coffee I was looking forward to after being dragged out by the dogs for an afternoon walk.  The muffins could cool while I was out getting soaked and freezing.

Enough to make 6 BIG muffins - enough to last 2 days, at most.  Make sure you have big muffin cups in your tray, 7.5cm wide x 4cm deep is about right, or make more, smaller ones.  It's not rocket science.

You will need:
>  250g of plain flour.
>  140g of sugar. Use simple granulated, castor, light brown, or whatever you have (not icing sugar)
>  1tbsp of baking powder.
>  3/4 tsp of salt.
>  120g of butter.
>  1 large egg.
>  100ml of milk.
>  1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.  I actually used 1/4 each of vanilla and orange, but you could add some almond if that's what you have.  I also sneaked in a half tsp of mixed spice - use what you want.
>  A big handful of 'fruity' stuff, about 150g should be enough.  I used halved glace cherries, raisins and some chopped candied peel.  Use what you have lying about.

Note - these are muffins, not some airyfairy, artyfarty, baked creation that needs to be measured down to fractions of a gram and cooked to the exact second.  Muffins are far more forgiving than most baked goods.

1 - Preheat the oven to 200degC (180 for fan oven).  Prepare your muffin tins by lightly greasing them (with butter), even if they are non-stick.
2 - In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3 - Cut the butter into small cubes roughly about 1cm or less.  Tip that into the flour mixture and rub in with your fingers until you get the proverbial breadcrumb resemblance - or use a 'pastry blender' if you like more washing up.
4 - In a small bowl, beat the egg, milk and extracts until blended.  Don't over beat so the eggs become fluffy - no point in doing any more elbow work than necessary.
5 - Pour egg mixture into flour mixture all in one go.  Stir the mixture until it is just mixed and all the 'dryness' of the flour has gone.  It should be lumpy and again, do not over mix.  Not only is it not necessary, but it also makes for denser, heavy muffins.
6 - Tip the fruity bits in and fold through until just mixed in.
7 - Spoon mixture into the prepared muffin cups.  For 6 muffins using similar size of pan mentioned above, each cup should be filled almost to the top.  Push any cherry bits into the mixture so they don't dry out or burn first.  If all goes well this should create a perfectly shaped muffin top - the kind you see hanging over jeans all too often :-)
8 - Put into oven and bake for about 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into middle of a muffin comes out clean.  Tip - If using a non-fan oven I like to rotate tray 180degrees after about 15 minutes to get even cooking on the tops.
9 - Let cool a bit and then remove from tray.  Eat warm or cool on wire rack for a chewier top.
10 - You can zap one for 30 seconds in the microwave later, but regardless - Enjoy.