Orange Muffins with Fresh Cranberries

I love fruit in my muffins. A certain young man has been known to say:

"Don't put fruit in my muffins!"

He prefers the likes of Almond Poppyseed Muffins instead.

This weekend, the first days of 2010, the sun is shining. The mountains are blanketed with snow. The gutters are dripping rhythmically, and there's plenty of slush on the sidewalks. It's these bright afternoon that show the new promise of a new year, for me at least. I love the sunshine in the winter, so it's a good thing I live in such a sunny place. And it's a great thing that the inversion has blown over, at least for a few days!

A new year calls for some fresh baked breakfast goods. Something sweet, but tangy. Something sparkling with hope.

I loved these muffins this morning :).

Gluten Free Orange Muffins with Fresh Cranberries
Adapted from this recipe

1 cup fresh cranberries, whole if you like them tangy; chopped to tone down the cranberry taste
1/4 cup sugar

1 orange
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/3 cup orange juice
1 egg
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Toss cranberries and 1/4 cup sugar; let stand 15 minutes. Zest the orange, then peel off the white pith. Separate the orange segments, and then chop them. Blend with chopped orange segments, softened butter, orange juice and egg.

Sift together flours, , 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, soda, xanthan gum and salt; add to orange mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in cranberry mixture. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins, filling them 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

This makes 12 large muffins, or 16 smaller muffins.

[how to re-warm gluten free muffins]