These muffins are a great treat for breakfast with the added bonus of having a good protein source! Sugar free and gluten free, they make a great treat at easter and the kids will love to help out putting on the Lemon Frosting Crosses.
Makes 10-12
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 100g Perfect Sweet™ xylitol
- 1 lemon, finely grated zest
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 250g carrots, peeled and finely grated
- 300g raw almonds, ground
- 50g arrowroot, sifted
- 1¼ tsp gluten free baking powder
Lemon Frosting
- 200g light cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1–2 tbsp Perfect Sweet™ xylitol, or to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Brush a muffin pan with butter or oil to grease. Line base with baking paper.
- Use an electric beater to beat egg yolks, xylitol, lemon zest, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl to ribbon stage (see Recipe Tip).
- Add carrot and ground almonds and mix to combine. Mix the arrowroot with the baking powder, sift into the mixture and stir until combined.
- Thoroughly clean your electric beater, then whisk egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into muffin mixture. Pour into prepared muffin pan and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 150°C/130°C fan-forced and bake for 10 – 20 minutes or until cooked and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn onto wire rack to finish cooling.
Lemon Frosting
Beat all ingredients together then pipe crosses over completely cooled muffins. I actually cut a little groove into the top of each muffin, then it was easier to fill with the frosting.
Tip
The mixture has reached “ribbon stage” when the colour pales and the xylitol is fully dissolved and when you lift the beaters from the bowl the mixture slowly falls back down in “ribbons” which gradually disappear into the mixture. The purpose is to ensure the xylitol is fully dissolved so it won’t granulate when baked.