I adore our food consultant Emma Marsden - recipes pour out of her like there's no tomorrow. I called her yesterday and said I fancied making rhubarb muffins - did she know a recipe for them that didn't involving stewing the rhubarb? Today she sent me the recipe below. I'm making them tonight and will let you know how I get on. Meanwhile I figured it was selfish not to share the recipe immediately, seeing as rhubarb is in season...

PREP TIME: 15min; COOKING TIME: 25-30min; MAKES 6 LARGE MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS
175g thin stems of rhubarb, finely sliced
50g light muscovado sugar
50g golden caster sugar
225g self-raising flour
50g butter, melted and cooled
175g natural yogurt
1 medium egg

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6. Put the chopped rhubarb and sugar in a bowl and toss to coat. Stir in the flour.
2 In a separate bowl, beat together the cooled butter, yogurt and egg. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the yogurt mixture. Roughly mix together – there should still be some floury patches, but don’t worry it’s meant to be like that.
3 Line a six-hole muffin tin with muffin cases or grease well - a silicone mould works well here as there’s no need to line it. Spoon mixture in. Bake for 25-30min or until a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean.
4 Cool in the tin or mould for 5 minutes, then carefully lift out and cool on a wire rack until just warm.

TRY ONE OF THESE RHUBARB MUFFIN RECIPE VARIATIONS TOO:
Spicy rhubarb – grind a pinch of black pepper in a pestle and mortar with 1½ tsp mixed spice. Sift into the flour before using.
Rhubarb and almond – roughly chop 25g flaked almonds and toast in a pan until just golden. Stir into the dry mixture, then complete recipe.
Rhubarb and white chocolate – break 50g white chocolate into pieces then roughly chop. Stir into the dry mixture, then complete recipe.
Rhubarb and ginger – grate 2 balls stem ginger in syrup and stir into the rhubarb and sugar mixture, then complete recipe.

And here are more rhubarb recipes, including another favourite of mine: griddled rhubarb pies and an intriguing savoury treat, lamb and rhubarb casserole. Oooh and I do fancy the rhubarb and vanilla jam recipe too!