Cranberry and Pecan nut Oatmeal Muffins

I have been on a bit of a muffin mission lately. These babies have never really been my forte. I have since discovered, after hours of research at local cafes, on the net and a few failed experiments, that muffin making is an art. I am very fussy about muffins, they have to be firm and springy, but soft and light. The ingredients need to be well distributed and they should have a lovely high dome shape. I love the crusty top that then gives way to a beautiful soft middle. And they must never ever had a cake consistency. They are, after all, not cakes!

So top tips for making muffins:

1. Do not over mix- the mixture should be lumpy and just combined
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together first, then add the wet ingredients
3. When using chunky ingredients it helps to dust them in flour before adding them as this will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the mixture
4. Do not over bake the muffins
5. Fill the pans 3/4 full, over filling results in flat-topped muffins.
6. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10minutes, especially if they contain soft fruits.
7. Enjoy them freshly baked, day old muffins are not great
8. Ideally all your ingredients should be at room temperature
9. Grease the whole muffin pan as over-flowed, baked on muffin mix can be tough to clean off

I found an oatmeal recipe that can have a number of flavour combinations added to the basic mixture. I decide to go with cranberry and pecans as I had them in my pantry. They were a great success. I was so happy with them! They ticked all the boxes for me and have made me think that maybe muffin making is something I can do well after a little more practise! Hooray!