Red Currants

Last year, we planted two currant plants.  One red and one white.  The red ones are starting to ripen for the season.  Last year, I made some scones and added some currants to lemonade.  This year, I found a recipe for red currant and fennel muffins.  The recipe says to soak the oats but them doesn't add them in during the instructions, I improvised and added them to the eggs and oil.  I added in strawberries from the garden, cinnamon, a little bit more sugar, and used some of our fennel leaves instead of seeds.  I used mason jars instead of a muffin pan, so they took a little longer in the oven, due to their size.  They'd be even more delicious with chocolate chips.

Red Currant, Strawberry & Fennel Muffins


1 cup milk
1 cup instant oats
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp fennel
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup red currants
1/2 cup strawberries

Line a 12 muffin tin or mason jars or grease it with butter. Soak the oats in the milk for 15 minutes. Beat the eggs with the oil in a large bowl and add in the soaked oats. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside enough of the dry mixture to coat the currants. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until combined then add in the fennel and cinnamon. Mix the currants and berries into the reserved dry mixture first so they are coated and then gently fold this mixture into the batter. Fill the muffin pan or jars with the batter evenly distributed between the 12. Bake for 20 minutes at 425F.