Buttermilk Walnut Muffins

I woke up Sunday morning early, feeling full of energy. I peeked in the fridge and was confronted with odds and ends and leftovers and condiments stuffed into it. The pantry was no better so I declared that there would be no more grocery shopping until we ate everything already in the house.

The day before we had hosted a leisurely afternoon lunch with friends and I had made Heidi's very delicious Buttermilk Farro Salad. The salad itself was fantastic - plump grains and crisp shaved vegetables soaked up the tangy dressing nicely. Since I had half container of buttermilk left over, I set to work on these muffins.

Buttermilk in baked goods is like a magical ingredient, infusing the dough with moisture and a nice cakey texture. I stirred in finely chopped walnuts and leftover candied mixed peel I'd used around Christmas in these Pistachio Cookies. The muffins were sweetened with just a touch of honey but the cardamom sugar topping added a second layer of sweetness. To really let these muffins shine, serve them warm, straight from the oven with some additional honey and softened butter.

For 12 muffins:

• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup finely chopped candied mixed peel or 1 tablespoon finely grated citrus zest
• 1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup honey

Heat the oven to 400f (200c). In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cardamom, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir the walnuts and citrus peel into the flour mixture. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, butter, and honey. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just moistened. The batter will be thick and lumpy.

Grease a muffin pan. Spoon the batter evenly into each cup. Sprinkle with the cardamom sugar and bake in the center of the oven until puffed and golden, about 15-18 minutes. Let cool slightly on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm with butter and honey.