Apple & Brown Sugar Muffins

[kirra]

Apple & Brown Sugar Muffins
Andrew Zimmern

Here is a great recipe for the end of apple season, as many of us get tired of eating them out of hand, and need a way to utilize all the apples in the fridge that have seen some better days. Many of the late-season apples are perfect to use for this delicious muffin; almost any will work. Make an extra batch, these don't last long on the kitchen counter.

Ingredients:

Apples:

1 lb. cored, peeled, and diced apples
1T. butter
1T. sugar
1/4 c. dried currants (any dried fruit works here)

Muffins:

1 c. all-purpose flour
1t. baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter
2/3 c. brown sugar, plus some extra for tops of muffins
2 eggs
2 T. buttermilk
1/2 t. vanilla extract

Preparation:

Apples:
Place apples, butter, and sugar into a large sauté pan over high heat and caramelize apples. Stir in currants and set aside to cool.

Muffins:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour and baking soda and reserve. Mix butter and brown sugar in a tabletop mixer until creamed. Add eggs one at a time, then add buttermilk and vanilla. Add dry ingredient mixture. Fold in apple mixture—but do not over-mix. Spoon batter into a buttered 12-cup standard muffin tin. Top each muffin with some brown sugar and bake for 20–25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm.