Chapter Twenty-Four: Orange and Poppy Seed, Part I (~jinghan)

Note from the Author: My other cakes can be found in the first year blog: Sugar and Spice, Victorian Sandwich, Chocolate, Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake, Sour Cream Carrot Cake

The alley between the park and the library is boggy this morning. I wish I had worn my sturdy mud-licking hiking boots instead of my pretty suede boots. I tread carefully and try and stick to the firm ground.

I shed the cold winter weather as I walk through the double doors and  tug off my scarf as I make my way into the library. It’s by habit that I head towards my favourite spot to study at the desk with the over-spill books before the glass wall. It’s by habit that I scan the book racks that I have to walk past in order to get there.

muffins

It’s a pink square book with flowers and sugar dusted little cakes on the cover. I can’t resist. I sit down at the desk and flick through the book: Choc-chip banana, spicey apple, frosted pumpkin..

By the time I get to Orange and Poppy Seed, I’ve had to start tearing up little piece of my maths exercise book to keep tab of the cakes I want to make.

I can help feeling a little warm bubble of cheer upon finding a recipe for orange and poppy seed muffins. Orange and poppy muffins from Chill Out have kept me alive this semester. Tuesdays, you finish class at 3:15pm after a long day at uni only to realise you have another two hour class at 4:15pm before you can go home at 6:15pm. Somehow some day my friend and I split the cost for a muffin in this tiring hour gap between the end of energy and the end of the day. And every since then it became a tradition.

“Hey are you doing anything in particular?” We’d ask someone.

“Not really.”

“Come share a muffin with us!”

Dreaded Tuesdays became Tuesdays that I would look forward to.

It’s not until several days later that I find time to buy ingredients. I beam at the check out assistant as he scans the packet of poppy seed and the brown sugar and the raisins. He’s probably bored by people buying poppy seed and brown sugar and raisins, but to me it’s the most exciting thing in the world.

I have to go back to get oranges a few days later because we didn’t have any oranges at home.

I’m listening to the Beatles as I bake. Oh honey pie, I’m in love but I’m lazy, so will you please come home to me…

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recipe from muffins – sweet and savoury comfort food, by Cyndi Duncan and George Patrick

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 eggs
2 cups plain flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
5 table spoons poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 C conventional, 185 C fan-forced). Spray muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. In large bowl, cream sugar, butter and orange peel. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Fold in raisins, nuts and poppy seeds. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 15-20mins, or until lightly browned. Makes 12 muffins.

(Well actually I managed to make 16 with my standard sized muffin-tray, so that’s 12 big muffins)

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The come out of the oven warm and smelling beautiful. There’s just the right amount of poppy-seed crunch and light sweetness and the faint aroma of orange zest…. Oh, and the best part of baking is packing them in a box the next morning and taking them to uni to share. Even the worst semester can be redeemed by a good batch muffins.

[continued next chapter…]