Frosted Lavender Muffins

I already explained Mildred's misplaced birth, so you've probably guessed that she's the genius behind these muffins.

Next time, she wouldn't add so many lavender buds to the glaze (she added more than the recipe called for), and she left the buds in instead of removing them, but these were excellent muffins. The flavor of lavender came through quite prominently in the glaze because Millie left the buds in, but I imagine the flavor would be much more delicate if the buds were removed before frosting the muffins.

Frosted Lavender Muffins

Makes 12

oil for greasing muffin tin

1 large apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

3 tbsp. water

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

4 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. superfine sugar (whizz granulated sugar in blender or coffee grinder or just use regular)

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. dried lavender flowers

Lavender Frosting

7/8 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tbsp. dried lavender flowers

1 tbsp. liquid glucose (Millie just used milk)

1-2 tbsp. milk

The day before you make the muffins (I think Millie just did it the same morning), prepare the frosting.  Place the sugar in a bowl and add the dried lavender flowers.  Cover and leave overnight until ready to use.  

When you are ready to make the muffins, place the sliced baking apple and water in a pan and bring to a boil.  reduce the heat, cover the pan, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the water has been absorbed.  Remove the heat and let cool .  Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a muffin tin.  Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl. 

In a separate large bowl, cream together the butter and superfine sugar, then stir in the beaten egg, vanilla extract, apple puree, and dried lavender flowers, stripped from their stalks.  Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and the gently stir together until just combined.  Don't overstir the batter (lumpy batter is fine).

Divide the muffin batter evenly between the 12 cups in the muffin tin (fill cups about 2/3 full).  Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until risen and golden.  

While the muffins are cooking, finish making the frosting.  Remove the plastic wrap from the confectioner's sugar/lavender mixture, then sift the mixture into a bowl and discard the lavender flowers (Millie left hers in).  Stir in the liquid glucose and enough milk to make the frosting easy to spread or drizzle.  Cover until ready to use. 

When the muffins are cooked, remove from oven and place them on a cooling rack.  When they have cooled completely, spread each muffin with lavender frosting and serve.  

Millie couldn't wait.  We ate ours warm.  :)