Cardamom and Orange Muffins

Serves 12 

Ingredients
4 green cardamom pods
300g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
150g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
225ml milk
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
75g butter, melted
2 tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 190c. Line 12 muffin cups.
2. Split open the cardamom pods and using a pestle and mortar, crush the seeds from the cardamom pods to a powder. Using a fine sieve, sift them with the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, discarding any large bits of spice left in the sieve. Stir in the caster sugar. 
3. In a separate bowl or jug, mix together the egg, milk, orange zest and juice and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and mix briefly until just combined. 
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly then scatter the tops with granulated sugar. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool in the tin, for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack. 

Taken from Muffins Galore