Lauraine Jacob’s Whole Orange and Date Muffins

With juicy locally grown oranges at their peak now, it’s the perfect time to share a recipe its creator Lauraine Jacobs says is one of the most wonderful muffin recipes she’s ever baked. The whole orange is used in this muffin, with the skin adding a surprisingly fragrant flavour. If you don’t like dates, substitute sultanas or raisins.

Makes 12 muffins

210g flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Large pinch salt

100g pitted dates

150g brown sugar

2 large oranges

110g butter, chopped into small pieces

1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Butter a 12 cup muffin tray, or use paper cake cups in the muffin tray.

Sift 210g flour, with the baking powder, baking soda and and put aside.

Pulse half the pitted dates in a food processor with 50g of the brown sugar until the dates are coarsely chopped.

Wash 1 whole orange, cut into 8-10 pieces and add this to the food processor, pulsing until all is finely chopped.

Add remaining dates, brown sugar, the butter, the egg and the juice of the remaining orange juice and blend well.

Add the sifted ingredients and pulse until they just mixed, taking care not to over process.

Divide the dough among the muffin cups and bake until firm to the touch and lightly browned. (About 15 minutes.)

Serve warm with extra butter.