Gooseberries - quintessential summertime fruits - and although I love the slightly eye-watering ‘pop’ as the tartness of a fresh fruit is released in your mouth, I also love to have a few cooked gooseberry recipes up my sleeve to use up the abundance as they ripen!
Pineapple weed flowers at the same time as gooseberries ripen here in the UK, and I think they make a great pairing. Neither feature on the ‘most loved’ ingredient lists, but compliment each other well. The recipe below is gluten and processed sugar free, and is easily adaptable if you wish to change up the type of flours used, or in add say some extra chopped dried fruit or nuts.
I cooked these muffins for breakfast with Dean Harvey and Catherine Collin in Episode 15 of my podcast, Breakfast & Beyond, as we discussed the theme of mental health within Cornwall. Do take a listen .. and I very much hope you enjoy cooking and eating these muffins!
Recipe: Gooseberry & Pineapple Weed Muffins
Makes approx 12 muffins
Ingredients:
150g gooseberries, tops and tails nipped off and cut in half
20g pineapple weed (wild chamomile) flowers and leaves, roughly chopped (see foraging guidelines below for identifying and sustainably harvesting)
200g ground almonds
125g self-raising flour (I used gluten free)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (I used gluten free)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp maple syrup (or melted honey)
150g yoghurt (cow’s milk or coconut)
1 tbsp sunflower oil (or alternative oil) plus extra for greasing muffin tin
1 tsp vanilla extract
Splash of milk (cow’s or dairy free)
Method:
Heat oven to 180°C. Grease a 12 hole muffin tin using oil.
In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients: ground almonds, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, mix well.
Add the wet ingredients except the splash of milk: beaten egg, maple syrup, yoghurt, oil and vanilla extract.
Fold in the halved blueberries and chopped pineapple weed, mix until combined but don’t over-mix.
Check the consistency of the batter, add a splash of milk if needed.
Distribute the mixture amongst the 12 muffin tins and place in oven.
Cook for approx 35 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown. Remove onto a wire rack and eat either warm or when cooled.
Foraging for pineapple weed (otherwise known as wild chamomile):
For information on identification and culinary uses of pineapple weed, see this article: https://britishlocalfood.com/pineapple-weed/ Note that pineapple weed is good for digestion, and the leaves and flowers can also be used in other ways such as making teas and syrups.
The Woodland Trust has useful foraging guidelines to keep you safe and ensure that edible foods are harvested sustainably.
