Do you know the muffin man? I do. Turns out he’s about four-ft tall, blonde, extremely cheeky and only six-years old.
Inspired by our recent bushtucker adventures in Jervis Bay, Raffles asked me if we could hit the kitchen for a little experimenting with some of the native flavours we’d learned about and tasted in Booderee National Park. Three-year old Sugarpuff too wanted in on this particular caper so to keep things simple I figure we could just torment a basic muffin recipe and see what we come up with.
But our innocent afternoon in the kitchen soon deteriorates into full and bloody combat with my normally sweet and non-competitive son determined to out muffin his mother. It’s a bake off!
In fact, it is spatulas at dawn when, justifiably proud of thebush tomato, lemon myrtle and pepperberry combo that I was planning to share here, Raffles and his sassy sous chef, Sugarpuff, tell me where I can stick my savoury offering. Not that they don’t like them, It’s just that they’ve declared theirs superior (even while munching happily on mine).
Indeed so sure they are of their muffin supremacy that they have commandeered the blog and are insisting that instead I share their contribution to our experiment in native flavours – macadamia, wattle seed and crystalised ginger muffins with a hefty dollop of golden syrup.
And, just quietly, while I hate being bested by a six-year old in the kitchen, I’ve got to admit my muffin man’s sweet, sticky and aromatic creation is a moist and moreish work of gingery genius…
THE RECIPE
Macadamia, wattle seed and crystalised ginger muffins
(makes six large muffins)
Ingredients;
1 ½ cups self raising flour
1 tsp wattle seeds
½ cup macadamia nuts chopped
½ cup crystallised ginger chopped
50g butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons golden syrup
1 banana, sliced (for moisture)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a muffin tray with individual baking papers.
- Sift self raising flour and wattle seeds into a large bowl.
- Add macadamia nuts and crystallised ginger.
- Make a well in the centre and add butter, milk and egg, banana and golden syrup.
- Mix ingredients (mixture should remain lumpy)
- Spoon evenly into lined muffin tray.
- Bake for 20 minutes (or until they spring back when touched lightly)
- Cool and serve (these are particularly lovely still warm).
An award-winning travel writer and photographer, Aleney de Winter was fresh from school when she first set off to explore the far reaches of Australia with a two-man tent and a beaten-up Kingswood for company. Three decades, and two kids later, and she's still on the go, with her itchy-footed offspring in tow. 
Lisa
August 19, 2014 at 9:10 pm (12 years ago)They both sound delicious.
BOYEATSWORLD
August 20, 2014 at 7:57 pm (12 years ago)They both were thanks Lisa. But I gotta admit Raffles ones rocked. 😉
Erin
August 20, 2014 at 9:39 am (12 years ago)Yum, what a clever flavour combo.
BOYEATSWORLD
August 20, 2014 at 7:54 pm (12 years ago)Thanks Erin, Raffles gets teh credit for the creative combo…
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
August 20, 2014 at 6:12 pm (12 years ago)Hehe okay he’s definitely going to be in the food business isn’t he! 😛
BOYEATSWORLD
August 20, 2014 at 7:53 pm (12 years ago)Yep, though he doesn’t want to be a cook. He wants to be fed 😉
Lauren @ Create Bake Make
August 22, 2014 at 11:33 am (12 years ago)They both sound great to me, you’ve got to love a bake off!
BOYEATSWORLD
August 23, 2014 at 10:30 am (12 years ago)Except when your six year old beats you 😉
Annaleis from Teapots and Tractors
August 22, 2014 at 4:41 pm (12 years ago)Ginger and macadamia Nuts are some of my favourites – I love that they are very keen in the kitchen.
BOYEATSWORLD
August 23, 2014 at 10:29 am (12 years ago)Thanks Annaleis. It’s great that they;re interested and I love that they are starting to get combining flavours.
Karin @ Calm to Conniption
January 22, 2015 at 7:37 am (12 years ago)Macadamia Nuts are a favourite of mine. Yum! These look delish.
Malinda (@MBPaperPackages)
January 23, 2015 at 7:05 am (12 years ago)Well done Raffles – awesome combination of flavours. Gotta love a kid that loves to eat and knows how it all works.
Cooker and a Looker
January 23, 2015 at 8:22 am (12 years ago)What that little chef lacks in height, he makes up in talent! These look delicious Aleney, thanks for linking them to the Australia Day party. Have a great weekend!
Min (@riteofthemiddle)
January 26, 2015 at 8:05 am (12 years ago)Wow that’s very impressive for a six year old! Yum! 🙂
BOYEATSWORLD
January 26, 2015 at 8:22 pm (12 years ago)He’s a bit of a freak of foodie nature Min and very very handy to have about 🙂