GINGER-APRICOT MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups or line them with paper liners. Butter the top of the muffin pan. In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, milk, eggs, and apricot nectar. Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture and stir together just until combined. Fold in the crystallized ginger. Spoon half of the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of the apricot preserves into each cup, taking care the preserves do not touch the sides of the cup. Top with the remaining batter, covering the preserves. Sprinkle the tops with the coarse sugar, dividing it evenly. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and spring back when pressed lightly with your fingertips, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto the rack and let cool slightly before serving. Variation: To make glazed muffins, omit the coarse sugar. While the muffins are baking, in a small saucepan, stir together 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and 1 tablespoon water or apricot liqueur. Bring to a boil over medium-low, stirring frequently with a heatproof spatula. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Using the spatula, spread the preserves over the top of each baked muffin. Let cool 5 minutes more before serving.