Showstopping snacks: Mini artichoke and truffle muffins

Showstopping snacks: Mini artichoke and truffle muffins

Food styling: Emily Kyd. Props styling: Jennifer Kay. Photographer’s assistant: Sophie Bronze. @anniebellcook

Artichoke and truffle pesto makes for a stylish cocktail muffin come Christmas, but any pesto can be used and there are plenty of jazzy takes.

MAKES 20/SERVES 6 (VF)

80g plain flour

15g ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder, sifted

1 medium egg

75ml whole milk

2 rounded tbsp truffle and artichoke pesto, eg Belazu

25g unsalted butter, melted

1 heaped tbsp finely chopped black olives

3 heaped tbsp finely chopped spring onion

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

  • Preheat the oven to 190C/ 170C fan/gas 5, and arrange 20 mini baking cases on a baking sheet.
  • Combine the flour, ground almonds and baking powder in a medium bowl.
  • Whisk the egg, milk and the pesto in another medium bowl, then stir in the butter. Pour this mixture on to the dry ingredients and blend to a lumpy batter, folding in the olives.
  • Half fill each case with a heaped teaspoon of the mixture. Toss the spring onion with the oil and scatter generously over each muffin. Bake for 22-25 minutes until lightly golden and firm.
  • Serve them warm or newly cooled.

GETTING AHEAD The muffins can be made up to 48 hours in advance and rewarmed for 5 minutes at 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. They can also be frozen and rewarmed for 10 minutes.