Apple Crunch Muffins

A few years ago, I started working my way through the Cream of the West Cook Book. Or at least in my head it was a few years ago. As I look back now, I realize it was a decade ago. Time flies, I guess. Back then, I thought I might have a recurring blog and I tried everything from English muffins to carrot quiche, but eventually life took over and the idea fell off my radar. 

Fast forward to this weekend. I wanted to make muffins and started flipping through recipe books. I turned to Cream of the West thinking I might make bran muffins until a recipe for apple crunch muffins caught my attention. After making the batter and portioning it in muffin cups, you topped them with applesauce and then a crumble topping. Perfect. I ran downstairs to retrieve a jar of the applesauce I made in November.

Until this fall, I had never made applesauce before. But following a Sunday excursion to Mabou Market one weekend, we returned with a grocery bag full of foraged apples. They were delicious and, following a Bernardin-approved recipe, cooked down to a beautifully thick applesauce. I canned six half-pint jars and ate the rest for breakfast the next day. After 24 hours, I picked up the jars to inspect them and the applesauce appeared as if it had set like jelly or jam. As I stored them in my makeshift cellar, I told myself it didn't matter if it hadn't turned out perfectly, I could just heat it to make it more liquid before using it. Problem solved.

Only, that wasn't necessary. When I popped the seal to make muffins and dipped in a spoon, the texture was perfect. I layered the batter, applesauce, and crumble, and popped them in the oven. The result? Delicious. The muffin itself isn't overly sweet and has the texture of a quick bread rather than a cake-style muffin. The topping is sweet and crunchy. It gives the feel of a bakery-style muffin, but without the guilt. 

My only complaint is related to the appearance. The applesauce sinks down into the batter as it bakes and leaves a bit of a crater on top of the muffin. In the future, I might try sandwiching the applesauce between layers of batter before adding the crunch topping. 

In any event, another solid recipe from the Cream of the West Cook Book.