19 October 2008

Apple-Walnut Muffins

Pour ceux qui lisent mon blog en français, je vous demande de m’excuser : j’ai une petite grippe et je n’ai pas eu l’énergie de traduire cette entrée pour l’instant. Je le ferai bientôt !

Well this whole weekend has been spent in bed with a bad cold (which I probably came down with while baking almond/pine-nut cookies with the six-year-old I baby-sit for who was sick and kept licking her fingers and sticking them back in the batter…). Anyhow, I’ve been more into chicken soup and ginger, honey, lemon tea than fancy creations and Sunday baking. Still, I promised these Apple-Walnut Muffins and lucky for you, the pictures were already taken so I can post them from under my warm comforter!

We got a big bag of apples in the CSA both last week and the week before, and I made a few batches of these muffins (adapted from the Joy of Cooking). I also made some by combining this recipe with the recipe for Brown Sugar Muffins that I posted about earlier this year, and I believe the results would have been delicious had I not forgotten to add an important ingredient… Can you tell I’ve been a bit stressed lately?


This week, the fruit from the CSA is pears, which I’m sure would be good in these muffins too, but D. is rooting for pie. My body, on the other hand, is rooting for more time spent in bed, so we will see.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
1½ cups coarsely grated or finely chopped, peeled apples

1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
scant ½ tsp salt

5 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
½ cup coarsely-chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 400oF.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Stir in the apples and set aside for 10 minutes. This allows the apples to render their juices with the sugar and eggs and makes for moist muffins.

In the meantime, in a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt). Melt the butter on the stove and chop the walnuts.

Once the apple mixture is done sitting, stir in the melted butter and walnuts. Add the flour mixture and fold in until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Be careful not to overmix. Pour batter into greased (or lined) muffin cups and bake 14-16 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean. Let sit 3-5 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan and letting cool on a cooling rack, or eating immediately!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did you know that the Panier program is CLOSED for the moment and not taking any more subscribers? Boo. Now I just have to be jealous of your beautiful organic produce! Feel better soon!

Sam said...

Good timing, I've just picked a load of apples that I didn't know what to do with, these look great.
Get well soon!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Nice muffins! I hope you'll soon feel better!

Cheers and have a nice week,

Rosa

Anonymous said...

Ils ont l'air délicieux!
Soigne toi bien ;-)

Cicero Sings said...

Pear Pie ... I'm with D on that one! So good.

Sorry to hear that you are under the weather. Have you found any Oregano Oil yet? Very helpful at fending off colds. Try it ... you may not like the taste but the results are good!

Those muffins look pretty yummy. My D is wangling for an apple puff pancake this a.m. ... well it will be brunch when I finally get around to it ... I'm heading off for a nice leisurely soak in the tub!

Get well soon ....

Cicero Sings said...

Hmmm ... the Oregano Oil I have says it is 25% Mediterranean Oregano Oil to 75% Olive Oil. I put two drops of my solution in a tiny bit of water and let it sit under my tongue for 30 seconds or so. It can be a little stingy and the taste is STRONG. Then I swish it around my mouth and swallow and drink a big glass of water to wash the taste away. I do this for 3 times a day ... usually only need to do it for one day.

So, if you put two drops of oregano oil in 6 drops of olive oil and then took 2 drops of that concoction at a time ... it should do the trick. Adding it to honey may help with the taste ... wouldn't hurt.

Especially helpful to take a dose if you feel a cold coming on. Seems to nip it in the bud.

P.S. best to use glass when mixing up Essential Oils. Keep them from oxygenating (in a tightly closed container) and out of the light.

I hope this method works! I've not tried doing a mix myself. Of course the company I buy my mix up from says it is SPECIAL oregano from the mountain regions of the Mediterranean but hey, it can't be all that different ... if anything it would be stronger I think.

My brand is "Joy of the Mountains" ... and you can read about all that is is good for on their web site.

Apples and Butter said...

The muffins look delicious. I am always jealous of your CSA! Stay in bed and feel better soon!

Hopie said...

Camille - I know! I've been reading about it in their weekly updates, but they're working on opening more warehouses so that they can take more subscribers, don't worry! I let you know when I hear anything about it!

Sam - Thanks. Hope you enjoy!

Rosa - Thank you, you too!

Marie - Merci bien !

Cicero - Thanks for all your advice. I wrote back to you on your blog to make sure you'd get it.

Apples and Butter - Thank you! You should know... apples are your element :-)

Anonymous said...

Yummy! I hope you're feeling better. Love from Madrid!

giz said...

I hope you feel better soon. Make some hot tea and eat 3 muffins because they look delicious.

Hopie said...

Hester Prynne - Thank you! Big hugs!

Giz - I like your prescription :-)

PG said...

Giz and I just finished making this and put it in the oven. We'll post about it soon. Smells great so far. Thanks!