Currant & Orange Muffins

These muffins skip wheat flour entirely, leaning on rice flour and ground rolled oats for structure with a tender, slightly nubby crumb. Ground almonds steeped in fresh orange juice get strained, and that fragrant almond milk is what carries the citrus through every bite.

Honey and maple syrup do the sweetening, so there’s no white sugar weighing things down. The real trick is folding stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter at the very end. That step keeps these gluten-free muffins from feeling dense or gummy, which is the usual stumbling block when baking without wheat.

Bake until the tops spring back when pressed lightly in the center. Don’t overdo it, dry rice flour muffins are sad muffins.

Kitchen Tips

• Strain the almond-orange purée well, you want the perfumed liquid, not the grit, in the batter
• Beat egg whites to stiff peaks but stop before they turn dry and clumpy, dry whites won’t fold smoothly
• Fill cups three-quarters full, the lift comes from the whites and baking powder together
• These taste best the day they’re baked, but freeze well wrapped tightly for up to two months

Variations

• Swap currants for chopped dried apricots or cranberries for a different fruity bite
• Use lemon zest and juice in place of orange for a sharper citrus version
• Stir in a teaspoon of cardamom or cinnamon for warmth alongside the orange