Walnut and Apple Muffins
Muffins de Nuez y ManzanaI stopped in a small Mexico City bakery in the Polanco district one day, and was intrigued by a large tray of nut muffins that were made by dropping the dough on to a baking sheet instead of baking it in muffin tins. They looked like round soft bumpy cookies, even though the sign on the display said "muffin de nuez". Whatever you'd like to call them, these soft, cookie-like muffins are very good. I liked the idea, and worked out this version at home. I used walnuts, as the bakery did (although the general word nuez for nut is used), but you can substitute pecans, if you wish.
Ingrediënten
Makes 12 small unmolded muffins
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Mexican canela or Ceylon variety preferred
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup ½ stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup applesauce or apple butter
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ⁄3 cup chopped walnuts
Instructies
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Grease 2 baking sheets.
- In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
- Set aside.
- Put the sugar and butter in a food processor.
- Process until fluffy, about 10 seconds.
- Add the egg.
- Process about 15 seconds.
- Add the applesauce and vanilla.
- Process 5 seconds.
- Add the dry ingredients and pulse 10 to 12 times to mix well.
- Scrape the dough into a bowl.
- (The dough should be stiff enough to hold its shape, but not dry.
- ) If too dry, add applesauce 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time.
- If too moist, add 1 tablespoon flour at a time and pulse again.
- Stir the nuts into the batter.
- Drop by generous tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake until brown on the bottom and lightly browned on top, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool in the pan on a rack.
- Store in a sealed plastic bag.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
The muffins can be frozen and reheated, straight from the freezer, in a microwave.
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