Average is Better: Applesauce Muffins

Sometimes a girl needs an average sort of muffin. Someone wholesome and reliable, the sort of muffin you can bring home to your parents and count on to get along with your best cup of tea, mug of coffee, even your favourite stew.

This average applesauce muffin forgoes fluffiness for a moist, honest-to-goodness crumb. He skips over-the-top sweetness and goes straight to a hint of brown sugar and honey. He can’t be bothered with fussy frosting (vanity is sooooo unattractive in a muffin) for an aww-shucks slice of apple. And best of all, you can always count on him to rise to the occasion when it really counts.

Your mothers were right, ladies. When it comes to applesauce muffins (and men), “average” is actually better.

{RECIPE} APPLESAUCE MUFFINS

{MAKES} 12 muffins

{INGREDIENTS}

1 C unsweetened applesauce

1/3 C vegetable oil

1/4 C honey

1 egg slightly beaten

2 C all purpose flour

1/4 C brown sugar (for a sweet muffin, double the brown sugar to 1/2 C)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 large apple, diced (approx. 1 C)

additional 1/2 apple, thinly sliced for garnish

{DIRECTIONS}

one. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

two. Prepare muffin tins by lining with paper muffin cups, or by greasing each muffin tin with vegetable oil or non-stick spray.

three. Peel (if you want to peel) and dice 1 large apple and set aside for the muffin batter. Then, thinly slice the remaining 1/2 apple and set aside for a simple garnish.

four. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together applesauce, vegetable oil, honey and egg with a rubber spatula.

five. In a large mixing bow, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.

six. Fold in 1C chopped apple.

seven. Make a well in the centre of flour mixture and pour in applesauce mixture, all at once. Using a rubber spatula, fold ingredients together until juuuuust moistened.

eight.With a large spoon, divide the batter into muffin cups.

nine. Garnish each muffin with a slice of apple. (I stuck my apple slices vertically into each muffin at a jaunty angle.)

ten. Bake for 350 degrees until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted in the centre of each comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, then remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.

Rustic Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Step out of your high-heeled shoes, my friends. Throw on a worn sweater and those flannel PJs you save for nights like these. It’s just us tonight, there’s no need to put up your hair. Steep yourself a cup of your favourite tea, and bake these pumpkin cornbread muffins.

Earthy with cinnamon and cumin, these down-to-earth, no-airs muffins are moist with pumpkin and honey with a rustic cornmeal  crunch. They taste best in comfy threads, at a casual fall brunch, a country Thanksgiving, with a steaming bowl of your favourite stew or chili, or simply with a dollop of butter  and tea.

{RECIPE} RUSTIC PUMPKIN CORNBREAD MUFFINS

{MAKES} 9 large muffins

{INGREDIENTS}

½ C flour

½ cup barley or whole-wheat flour

1 TB baking powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cumin

1 C cornmeal

2 large eggs

1 C pumpkin puree

1/3 C brown sugar

1/4 C honey

¼ cup canola oil

{DIRECTIONS}

one. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin tin with 9 large muffin cups.

two. In a large bowl, sift together all flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl. Stir in cornmeal.

three. In a separate, smaller bowl, use a rubber spatula to thoroughly mix eggs, pumpkin, brown sugar, oil and honey.

four. Make a well in the centre of your dry mixture. Using a spatula, fold in the pumpkin mixture until the batter is just blended.

five. With a large spoon, divide batter into prepared muffin cups.

six. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of each muffin comes out clean, and the tops are a golden brown.

seven. Cool in muffin tins for 10 minutes, then remove muffins to wire rack to cool. These muffins are at their best the same day. They won’t last.

{INSPIRED BY}