Saffron Rooibos Tea Muffins

I know...I`ve just incorporated the most expensive spice in the mainstream muffins. But hey, it`s my muffin and I shall do what I want. 

I don`t know if you`ve ever drank Rooibos tea before. It is nothing fancy or stuff like that, I think most coffee shops serve it. Well, this is my favorite, go-to tea. I never drink anything else.

If you combine it with the Saffron...oh,well! I don`t know how but it tastes like Marzipan. There`s nothing better than Marzipan, in my opinion.

So yeah, I was craving sugar after breakfast and was seeking for something warm, comforting that should make my kitchen smell delightful. What else could it be? Muffins, of course.

They were good. Like...so good that even my dad had 4 pieces chomped down his throat. He said they tasted special & there was a certain aroma. That`s the tea.

I did not use a great amount of oil to get them moist, but I think the Rooibos did a bit of magic and they came out perfect. I loooooved it! And because I felt extra fancy that morning, I bathed my muffins in Red Roseberry jam which my mommy made  this year. Almost too good to be true.

I`m just so tired right now. My mare has given birth to the prettiest foal ever and I kind of get it when adults lose their patience. Kids are so full of energy that they"eat" yours. Besides, in a few hours I have to get my things packed in a damn luggage. I`m leaving with the dancing group to, you know, dance. :D But I`d rather stay at home this time. There are tests waiting for me. And then there`s the gym. And the horses. And baking. And photography. And finishing"David Copperfield" by C. Dickens. Oh, my life and lungs!

I`ll go ahead and say that this recipe is not necessarily healthy, nor is it that nasty...it is somewhere in the middle. But they are so moist and good and comforting that it makes me want to give a damn about this fact. Screw Musli for breakfast!

Ingredients:

125 ml warm milk

0.75 gr Saffron strips (or whatever they`re called)

80 ml Rooibos  tea(this is just 80 ml hot water infused with a sachet of Rooibos tea)

1 egg

235 gr. flour

1 and 1.2 teaspoons baking powder

1.2 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1.4 cups sugar

1.2 cup oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 d F/180 d C and line a muffin pan with muffin liners. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the Rooibos tea. Now, in a mug, combine the warm milk and the Saffron and let them sit for 5 minutes.

4. Take the wet ingredients (egg, oil,sugar and tea mixture) and pour them over the dry ingredients (flour,baking powder,baking soda). Using a spatula, gently fold them together until they are combined. You don`t want to mix more or you`ll have a tough muffin. Lastly, pour the Saffron infused milk and give it a final stir to blend this is as well.

5. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups and bake 5 minutes at 400 d F/200 d C, then turn the heat to 375 d F/180 d C and bake them 15 more minutes or when they are slightly springy to the touch.

Take the tray out, leave the muffins to cool 5 minutes in it, then serve.