Tuesday, November 15, 2011

APPLE SPICE MUFFINS

The Apple Spice Muffin was supposed to be my first post, but I haven't made them in a few months! This is an Autumn AND Winter flavor (heck, it's an all year-round flavor!), and it doesn't take as long as other recipes that I've posted.

So, grab your baking tools and print this one, because you're going to want to add this to your collection!


Here's how your topping should look once you've blended it. I use a blending tool, but a fork works fine, too.


I tend to pour my wet ingredients first in order to help them reach room temperature.


Wet into dry....


When your mixture is like this, add your grated apples. I used thinly sliced and chopped apples today, because I have several bags of frozen, already-prepared apples, but I highly suggest the grated apple in this recipe.




Just a sneak peak of both of us baking today...for the Fam on the west coast!


Use a tablespoon measuring tool to sprinkle the topping, mess-free. Today, I didn't use as much as I usually do, which I advise against. You'll see why in the last photo.


Clearly, I've forgotten what "fill cups 3/4 full", because I seem to have a habit, lately of filling them 100% full! That's fine, except this recipe doesn't rise in a high dome form. It spreads and flattens!


Here's today's finished product, with too little topping. It's more appealing, in my opinion, when more evenly covered with topping.


After I finished muffins for the day, I decided to experiment with my bulk raw grains. Today, I went with cous cous. A generic type of taboule, I guess... Raw spinach, raw yellow bell pepper, carrot slices, and tomato.
Cous cous is surprisingly easy to prepare! I'll have to eat it more often. Boil butter and water with salt, remove from heat, add cous cous, stir well. Add whatever vegetables I desire, along with a splash of lemon juice and a whole lot of olive oil!


YUMMO!

APPLE SPICE MUFFIN RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 C sugar
1/2 C oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp apple pie spice (allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon)
2 C grated apples (~2 medium apples)
TOPPING:
3 T sugar
1/2 C flour
4 T butter, cold (4 T or half a stick)

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350F. For topping, use a pastry blender to combine butter, flour and sugar  in a medium bowl. Cream oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl. Mix flour, baking soda, and spice. Add creamed mixture to dry mixture until ALMOST moistened. Fold in apples. Do not overmix. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full (for smaller muffins, or 3/4 full for overflowing muffins). Spoon evenly (and generously) over batter. Bake 20-30 minutes.

 

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