FIVE SPICE RHUBARB MUFFINS

To continue my series of recipes using rhubarb, here's one that I fell upon when googling in search of a small thing that I could bake to satisfy my sugar cravings!

I found it on the William-Sonoma site and, as it's my habits, I changed a few details...

This muffin recipe was incredibly fine; I never ate such fluffy babies! Their texture was so light and airy that it knocked you off your feet. Taste-wise, the combination of the Chinese "Five Spice" powder with rhubarb was very successful and gave an extra kick to the whole!

If you love soft muffins, rhubarb and you like testing new flavour combinations, then this "Five Spice Rhubarb Muffins" recipe is a must try!!!

Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Plain white flour
1/4 Cup Wholewheat flour
2 Tsp Baking powder
1 Tsp Baking soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Chinese "Five Spice" powder
1/" Tsp Cinnamon powder
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Plain yoghurt
1/3 Cup Vegetable oil (peanut oil)
1 Egg (~50g)
1 1/4 Cup Rhubarb, finely chopped

Method:
1. Preheat an oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Grease the cups of a standard muffin pan or line with muffin papers.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and "Five Spice" powder.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, yoghurt, oil and egg.
5. Stir the rhubarb in the wet mixture.
6. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full.
8. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
9. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan.

Remarks:
The original recipe used: 2 1/4 cups plain white flour instead of 2 cups plain white flour and 1/4 cup wholewheat flour, 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger instead of 1 teaspoon "Five Spice" powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, sour cream instead of plain yoghurt and 1 cup chopped rhubarb instead of 1 1/4 cup.
To mix the fllour with the liquid mixture I used a fork.
The secret of light and tender muffins lies within the blending of the wet ingredients with the dry ones. It's not a problem if you've left some lumps that look as if they want more stirring. Don't continue stirring no matter how hard it is, resist the impulse!

Serving suggestions:
Hey, do I have to tell you how to eat muffins?!?... There's no adequate moment for such a greedy activity: any time is the right time!