Encouraging consumers to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day is a big part of the food industry, writes Wayne Caddy. For consumers, the five-a-day concept makes sense and is easy to understand. Given this, can the baker target incremental sales with products specifically designed for achieving one of your five-a-day?

Super fruity orange and raisin muffin

This muffin recipe is typical of a healthier product without any compromises on indulgence.

Ingredients

Heat-treated cake flour 1,000g

Baking powder 60g

Salt 20g

Rapeseed oil 480g

Egg 480g

Orange pulp with zest 760g

Honey 760g

Raisins 880g

Method

1. Sieve all dry ingredients and weigh into a mixing bowl. Using a beater attachment, mix the dry ingredients until they are evenly combined.

2. Add all the liquids to the bowl and mix for 2 minutes on first speed. Scrape down.

Top tip: ensure the honey is weighed out last. The oil will stop the honey sticking to the sides of the container.

3. Now mix on second speed for 3 minutes. Scrape down and mix in the raisins on first speed for around 30 seconds or until evenly dispersed.

4. Deposit into large muffin case (120g). Alternatively, use a lined loaf cake tin.

5. Add 5g of the orange pulp and zest.

6. Bake at 200?C for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Brush with a little runny honey.

Top tip: I discovered a great tinned orange and zest pulp supplied by Treelinks Ingredients - basically an unsweetened pulp packed with chunky zest. If you use freshly squeezed orange and grated zest, then I would recommend reducing the honey level accordingly to balance out the increased sweetness.

I have based some of my research on the following sites. I found the NHS five-a-day site particularly useful:

[http://www.5aday.nhs.uk]

tinyurl.com/56gkw6

[http://www.treelinks.net]

Also, check out the FSA guidance to compliance version 1 April, 2008, based on European regulation No. 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods.

[http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk]