LIME COCONUT MUFFINS

I got this recipe from our newspaper , "The Straits Times" . Every Sunday a good recipe is published and it ranges from soups and starters right up to desserts. I'm quite happy to say that most of the recipes I have tried out , have come out really well !

This recipe was so unusual in that instead of sugar , the chef has used Gula Melaka. This is the South east Asian version of Palm sugar. The jaggery is shaped in the form of cylinders and is quite hard.

Ingredients:
200 g gula melaka
150 g butter
100 g unsweetened dessicated coconut
3-5 large limes
250 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs

Method :
Preheat the oven to 180 degree celcius. Line a 12 hole muffin tray. Slice the gula melaka thinly. Place in a suacepan with the butter over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and butter melt. Take pan off the heat and set aside. Weigh out 15 gm of dessicated coconut and set aside. Pour the remaining coconut into a pan and dry roast till golden brown. Zest the limes and then cut them into halves.Set a strainer over a measuring jug and squeeze the limes and collect 125 ml of juice. Mix the dry ingredients together, namely the flour , baking powder , lime zests and the dessicated coconut. Give the gula melaka and butter mixture a good stir. Add the eggs and lime juice and whisk till well mixed. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the liquid ingredients. Mix lightly and divide the mixture into the muffin tray. Bake for 20 minutes . Remove from the oven and let it cool well. Makes about 12 muffins depending upon the size of the muffin tray.