Mandarin Orange Muffins

Interesting--muffins with orange chunks in them.  I thought I'd make them for breakfast for the Joslin crew and Brooke and myself. 

Mandarin Orange Muffins

Muffins
11 ounces fresh mandarin segments
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t allspice
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c shortening
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 c milk

Topping
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 c sugar mixed with 1/2 t cinnamon

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Drain oranges well and pat dry while mixing batter.  Mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and allspice (I added sugar here.  It never said where to add it).  Cut in shortening.  Add drained orange segments and mix lightly.  Combine egg and milk. Add all at once to flour mixture, and mix until flour is moistened.  Spoon into greased muffin pan about 3/4 depth.  Bake 20-25 minutes.  Remove from pan.  While hot, dip in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.  Yield: 12 large muffins.


These were basically Baked Apple Donuts with orange instead of apple.  Joanna said they were a little drier than she liked, probably because I didn't mix the orange chunks in well enough to spread throughout.  I liked them, especially when there were a lot of orange in a bite.  If I want Baked Apple Donuts, but have oranges instead of apples, I would make these.  Otherwise I would still make the Baked Apple Donuts.