Last month I told you that my apple tree was heavy with fruit but not quite ready for picking. Well, a couple of weeks of the lovely Indian summer sunshine we recently experienced has brought the fruit on a treat and now I have a glut of apples! I therefore make no apologies to you that, for the next couple of months, Nana’s Kitchen recipes will be apple based. This recipe is very simple and makes delicious muffins with a lovely soft, spongy centre – eat them at breakfast, pack in a lunchbox or simply enjoy with a cup of tea. They keep for a couple of days (that’s if they last that long!) but also freeze well.
Ingredients:
- Yield approximately 6-8 muffins depending on size of muffin cases
- 200g plain flour
- 100g caster sugar
- 50g soft brown sugar
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 90 ml skimmed or semi-skimmed milk
- 80 ml vegetable oil
- 1 large beaten egg
- 2 tbsp finely chopped walnuts
- 2 large or 4 small eating apples – peeled, cored and finely diced (prepare apples and put in a bowl of water with juice of ½ lemon to prevent discolouring)
- Finely grated rind of ½ lemon
- Icing sugar for sprinkling
Method:
- Pre-heat oven to 200C, Fan 180C, Gas 6
- Prepare bun tin with muffin cases
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour, sugars, baking powder, salt and combine together.
- Make a well in the centre of the bowl and add the milk, oil and beaten egg. Stir the mixture until well combined (don’t worry if the mixture is a bit lumpy).
- Fold in the drained apples, walnuts and lemon rind.
- Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and sprinkle icing sugar on the top of each.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until gold brown on top.
Recipe by Pauline Mardell
