Mushroom and Manchego Bruffins

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Butter a standard 6-well muffin tin generously — these are savory quick breads, not dessert muffins, so they need real grease.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk and eggs until just combined — lumps are fine, overworking is not.

Fold in 3 tablespoons of softened butter (cut into small pieces) until the batter holds together in a shaggy dough. Do not overmix.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat until the foam subsides and the butter smells nutty, about 1 minute.

Add sliced mushrooms in a single layer — do not stir yet. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until deeply golden at the edges, then toss and cook 2 minutes more.

Add minced shallot and garlic, cook 1 minute until fragrant. Season with black pepper and remove from heat. Let cool slightly.

Fold the sautéed mushrooms and half the grated Manchego into the batter. The mixture will be thick.

Divide batter evenly among the 6 muffin wells, pressing gently into the corners. They will not rise dramatically — these are breads, not cake.

Scatter remaining Manchego over the tops. Strip thyme leaves and scatter over each bruffin.

Bake 22-25 minutes until the bruffins are deep golden at the edges and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cheese should be bubbling and mottled brown.

Cool in the tin for 5 minutes — they are fragile when hot. Run a thin spatula around each edge and lift out.

Serve warm, directly on a plate, with a poached egg on the side if you insist, but they are perfect as-is: savory, chewy, with the earthy mushrooms and sharp cheese cutting through the butter. No syrup. No queue.

Ensure mushrooms are cooked to proper temperature — they should release their moisture, become deeply golden, and have no visible rawness. Undercooked mushrooms can cause digestive upset even in healthy individuals.