Preheat and prepare. Set your oven to 190°C (375°F) and lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with melted butter or a neutral oil. The smell of the warm butter will start filling the kitchen as the oven heats.

Slice the hot dogs. Cut each beef hot dog into four even pieces — you should have 24 pieces total. You're looking for neat, bite-sized cylinders, about 2 cm long. Place them on a plate and dust lightly with the plain flour, shaking off any excess. This little step helps the batter cling to the sausage so it doesn't slide off during baking.

Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Jiffy mix, caster sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper (if using). The mix will smell sweet and slightly corny, with a hint of spice from the cayenne.

Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg lightly, then whisk in the milk and melted butter until fully combined. The mixture should look smooth and glossy, with a pale yellow hue.

Make the batter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix — a few small lumps are fine. The batter will be thick, almost like a soft cake batter, with a rich, buttery smell.

Fill the muffin cups. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each greased mini muffin cup, filling them about two-thirds full. The batter should look golden and slightly glossy in the cup.

Insert the sausage pieces. Push one floured hot dog piece into the centre of each cup, pressing down gently so the batter rises slightly up the sides. The top of the sausage should be just visible above the batter.

Bake to golden perfection. Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for 10–12 minutes. At the 10-minute mark, check them: they should be puffed up, golden brown on top, and a skewer inserted into the muffin (not the sausage) should come out clean. The edges will be slightly darker than the centre, and the kitchen will smell like toasted cornbread and savoury sausage.

Glaze and rest. If using honey, brush the tops lightly with it as soon as the muffins come out of the oven. Let them rest in the tin for 2 minutes — this allows the structure to set. Then transfer them to a wire cooling rack. They should feel firm and springy to the touch, with a soft, golden crust.

Serve warm. These are best eaten within 15 minutes of baking, when the exterior is still slightly crisp and the interior is tender and steamy. My husband, who's usually picky, asked for seconds!