Déise Dishes : Apple Crumble Muffins

Today I made Apple Crumble Muffins

One of my favourite ever Autumn desserts has to be the majestic Crumble. There's something so comforting about the combination of the warm, sweet and tangy Apples and the crunchy Crumble topping. I always tend to bake more with Apples during the Autumn months. There's nothing like a nice warm Apple or Rhubarb Crumble for dessert or afternoon tea on a cold wet day. I'm also certain there's nothing comparable to a homemade muffin to start the day, it's a bonus if they're healthy. It's impossible to find a healthy muffin out there so I normally just make my own. Not to mention the fact they make my house smell like bakery. I just wish I could bottle that smell and spray it round the house when people come over.

These Homemade Low Fat muffins are super soft and fluffy with a crumbly, nutty, sweet top and are packed full of healthy ingredients like rolled oats, fresh apples and crunchy nuts. Instead of Butter or Oil I use Apple Sauce to give the muffins their moisture. I also use as little sugar as possible to keep the fat and sugar levels as low as possible. The key to getting the muffins so high is a nice thick batter, filling the mixture right up to the top, not over- working the mixture and the cooking temperature - You want to start with a nice high temperature for the first five minute to get the lift then a slightly lower temperature for the rest of the bake.

Ingredients:

For The Muffins

384g Plain Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
240mls Skim Milk - Can use whole milk or Almond Milk
120g Golden Sugar
150g Apple Sauce
50g Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs
3 1/2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
Pinch of Baking Soda
2 Large Apples - Cored, Peeled and Diced

For the Crumble Topping:

60g Golden Sugar
2 Heaped Tablespoons Plain Flour
4 Teaspoons Rolled Oats
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
3 Tablespoons Butter
40g Chopped Nuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Oil your muffin tin and put aside.

2. To Prepare the Crumble Topping: Place the Sugar, Flour, Chopped Nuts, Rolled Oats, Cinnamon and Butter into and bowl and mix together until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Set Aside.

3. To Prepare the muffins: In a large bowl mix the Flour, Nutmeg and Cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk the Milk, Apple Sauce, Sugars, Eggs, Baking Soda and Baking Powder until fully combined. Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry. Stirring until just combined, making sure not to over mix. Gently fold in the apple.

4. Using an Ice cream scoop, fill up the muffin tins right up to the very top. Generously sprinkle the Crumble all over the top of each muffin.

5. Bake for 5 minutes at 200°C , then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C and bake for another 15 minutes. To check if they are done use a cake tester or toothpick and insert it in to the center of a muffin and if it comes out clean they're baked.