Mary Berry's savoury muffins, which take just 20 minutes to prepare, have been described as "lovely" and "oozy" thanks to one unexpected ingredient: sun-dried tomato paste. The recipe, from her Quick Cooking programme, is praised as a rapid breakfast, modest lunch, or afternoon bite.
Why the muffins stand out
BBC Food praised the recipe, saying: "Mary Berry's quick savoury muffins are superb with soup, salads or for eating on the go." It added: "The cheese is lovely and oozy if you serve them warm. Eaten cold, they are still fragrant, with a nice saltiness from the cheese and olives."
The recipe yields 12 portions and requires a 12-hole muffin tin and muffin cases, though cupcake cases are a suitable substitute. Cupcake cases are larger than fairy cake cases but not as deep as muffin cases, so you may have enough mixture to make a few additional muffins.
Ingredients and method
You will need 275g of self-raising flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, half a teaspoon of salt, 50g of butter, one large free-range egg, 250ml of milk, 75g of Gruyère cheese, a bunch of basil, 75g of pitted black olives, and two tablespoons of sun-dried tomato paste.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan or Gas 6) and line the muffin tin. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Grate the Gruyère, finely chop the basil and olives, and fold them in. Melt the butter, whisk the egg, and blend with the milk. Add the wet mixture and combine with a fork. Spoon in the sun-dried tomato paste and swirl through for a marbled finish.
Serving suggestions
Bake for 18–20 minutes, then allow to cool briefly. Serve warm or cold, on its own or with soup or salad.
