Pre heat oven 190c / gas mark 5

In medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Pour the butter into a mixing bowl and thoroughly wisk in the egg, whisk in the milk.

Whisk about 1/3 of the flour mixture into the liquid until the liquid is absorbed. Whisk in another third, again until the liquid is absorbed. Use a spatula to fold in the last of the flour mixture.

Gently fold in any solid enhancements to the batter and distribute the bater into the muffin pan.

Bake the muffins until they are we'll risen and golden and the point of a paring knife inserted in the centre of one muffin emerges dry, about 20mins.

Cool the muffin in the tin on a rack and lift them out only after they have cooled completely.

To Freeze- Wrap the mufins individually in clingfilm and freeze after the day they're baked. Bring to room temperature before serving

VARIATIONS

BLUEBERRY - Add 1tsp grated lemon zest into the liquids. After mixing the batter, fold in 200g rinsed, dried and picked over blueberries. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with 2tbsp sugar mixed with 1/4tsp ground cinnamon right before baking.

LEMON POPY SEED - Add 2tbsp poppy seeds to the flour mixture, and ad 1tbsp of finely grated lemon zest to the liquids.

APLE RAISIN - Par 225g golden delicious apples and grate them on the largest holes of a box grater. Turn the shreds into a sieve and place the sieve over a bowl to drain. Press clingfilm against the surface of the apple so that it doesn't darken too much. Add 1/2tsp ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. After mixing the batter fold in the grated aple along with 120g raisins. Sprinkle te tops of the muffins before baking with cinnamon sugar as in the blueberry above.

CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS -Add 2tsp vanilla extract to the liquids. After mixing the batter, fold in one 170g milk or dark chocolate chips. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins before baking with 2tbsp unflavoured sugar.

OLD -FASHIONED JAM MUFFINS - Add 2tsp vanilla extract and 2tsp finely grated lemon zest to the liquids. Half fill the holes in the muffin tins and drop 1tsp of you favourite jam in the centre of the batter. Add the rest of the batter, being careful to cover the jam completely.