10 September 2012

treacle, caraway and apple muffins :: it's officially autumn

I have this lovely friend (you can see just how lovely here) who probably won't mind me telling you that she went into a fast, furious labour with her first child while a cake was in the oven. I remember listening, hand clamped over mouth in horror, as she explained that she was fine when the batter went in, but had to crawl across the floor in a painful rescue operation by the time the beeper went off. Her birth story actually got more and more dramatic (and slightly hilarious in the recounting!) as the evening progressed, but that's not what I'm here to share.

I am desperate for this bubba to arrive. DESPERATE. Despite there being officially a few days left on the clock, we're thoroughly cheesed off waiting. So I thought I'd do some baking and see if I could tempt Lou's jinx.

The marvellous Dan Lepard wrote a recipe in the Guardian magazine a few weeks ago that called for some slightly obscure ingredients (spelt flour and caraway seeds) as well as three small apples. Not only did I happen to have the spelt and caraway in the cupboard, but for the first time in its short life my adolescent apple tree was positively dripping with small and nearly ripe apples.

Daily I have wandered around the tree, checking the largest fruits with a gentle twist of the wrist. All the while wondering which would come first: ripe apples for muffins or a tiny baby.

Well, today I got my answer. 



This muffin recipe is as delicious as it looks, it's Autumn on a plate and I thoroughly recommend it to you. But evidently, the beeper has rung and I didn't have to commando crawl across the floor to rescue them. Turns out my second born won't be named after you Dan, sorry.

Humph.



Photobucket

23 comments:

  1. I love that story, I would LOVE to hear your friend's story, and as for the muffins, the people in my house would say...yumbo magumbo.

    Now, go and squat on a stack of phone books and visualise your cervix opening like a rose... (that was advice I was given 10 days over with my first...)

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    1. Visualising, visualising, visua... no, I can't help it, I'm thinking about a bowl of rice krispies now. No stamina.

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  2. You are too funny! I do remember those days of thinking the baby would never come. I have ridden down more bumpy dirt roads than I care to count with no luck.
    I actually have all the ingredients for the muffin in my pantry and in honor of the first cool morning I've had in a while [it's only 64 degrees] I am going to bake a batch. Thanks for the idea.

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    1. I hope you baked them and enjoyed them as much as I have been! :-)

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  3. I hope as you read this that you are holding a baby!! I was EXACTLY like you way back when :)

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  4. I love it!... but don't have it just yet... a few more days and it'll share my birthday on the 24th! lovely muffin x

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    1. The 24th? Twenty? Fourth?
      THE TWENTY FOURTH?!?
      I will be a KERAZEE lady by then (could be quite amusing I suppose :-)

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  5. Hee, I was baking a cake too last time round, but I never managed to get it into the oven. Not that my labour was either fast or furious... Enjoy your muffins - they sound delicious. And now that the apples are ready, I hope your baby will be very soon, too!

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    1. It's definitely ready... Just too comfy in there! I'm getting SO fed up waiting!!!

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  6. :D hee hee.

    Have you put sunflower seeds on top instead of almonds? They sound VERY good.
    I do love Dan Lepard and his scrumptious yet slightly better for you concoctions. He certainly does a good line in Autumnal fare. Am making one of his rye cakes next week if I can get to the baking club club in Aberdeen in time. Starts at 7pm at Tiger Tiger. Chance sof me getting out of work by 7 never mnd into the middle of Aberdeen are virtually nil.

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    1. Yes, I forgot flaked almonds in my shopping list, but actually I recommend sunflower seeds instead because they were so nutty and lovely. These really really were super yum, but with treacle and brown sugar, probably not that much of a healthier option. I hope they freeze well because I did a dozen for the lunch boxes, it's so obvious I'm nesting, my freezer is GROANING!
      Baking club sounds fab! Hope you make it in time, I want to hear all about it!

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  7. oooh, I remember this so vividly. The fatigue, the waiting, the discomfort of not having any room left for your own insides, let alone another little person. The days that never seem to end.
    Your muffins look yummy-I do hope that your own little muffin doesn't keep you waiting too much longer! Good luck!

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  8. No baby for you, yet, though? ♥ Those muffins sound really good....I just learned what treacle is (thank you for helping me learn more, I think I would use molasses, if I couldn't find it)!

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  9. This post is like de ja vu for me. I remember thinking Vivian would come early, and from three weeks before her due date on, I was ready for her. There was one day I jogged up and down the 32 stairs at the park numerous times and then did lunges up them for good measure. Even that didn't work. She was two days past her due date. I hope you find some comfort and rest these last few days, and I hope your little one makes an appearance soon. So excited for you!

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  10. ahhhh I love the composition of that photo. I have no doubt the muffins taste delicious. and lol about the labour story, talk about entering the world with a big bang!

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  11. When I got fed up I walked six miles, that did it, kiddo number three was on the way by midnight!

    Fingers crossed baby decides 16 is a nice round number!

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  12. Sorry that the muffin trick didn't work but glad to hear that the baby has now arrived!

    I am a huge fan of muffins so I will definitely try these...thanks for the recipe!

    Visiting from POTMC.

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  13. Looks delish!! Have to stop by your more recent posts to see how your baby story ends :) Congratulations (based on above comment)! XOL

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  14. Popping over from the POTMC. The muffins look wonderful. I've been wanting to cook with spelt. I'll have to try this one.

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  15. SUCH a lovely post! Thanks for the great recipe link too. I love a good muffin. I kid myself that they are NOT cakes. Not at all.

    I'm visiting from Jane's and very happy to meet you indeed. x

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  16. Oh Camilla, this is so entertaining. Thanks so much for linking it up with the POTMC. But more importantly, congratulations on your gorgeous news! I'm so delighted for you. J x

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  17. That photo makes me want to cook some up NOW.
    Thanks for sharing the link on my blog, as well.
    So excited to see pics of the babe.
    Hugs,
    Cory

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