Apple and rye brunch muffins
A good muffin is like your favourite pair of jeans: dependable, not too loud but essential nonetheless. These are vegan, but don’t let that interfere with your judgement. There’s no mistaking what they’re about: they’re a homage to apples. Inside and out.
Makes 9 large muffins Preparation time about 30 minutes plus resting and cooling time Cooking time up to 44 minutes
YOU NEED
FOR THE MAPLE APPLE CUBES
• 2 apples, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
• ¼ cup (60 ml) water
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup
FOR THE MUFFINS
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) flaxseed meal
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
• cup (80 ml) apple sauce
• cup (80 ml) coconut oil, melted
• cup (80 ml) almond milk
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 90 g demerara or coconut sugar
• 90 g cake wheat flour
• 80 g stone-ground rye flour
• 1½ teaspoons (7,5 ml) ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon (2,5 ml) mixed spice
• ¼ teaspoon (1,25 ml) fine salt
• 1½ teaspoons (7,5 ml) baking powder
• 2 apples, skin on, cored and sliced into slithers
• cup (80 ml) almond flakes
• icing sugar, for dusting
THIS IS HOW
Start with the maple apple cubes. Place the apple cubes and water in a pan and simmer over medium heat for 5–6 minutes. Add the lemon juice and maple syrup, and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. The water should be reduced and the apples caramelised. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a standard muffin tin with 9 paper cases.
Combine the flaxseed meal and water in a mixing bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. To the flax gel, add the apple sauce, coconut oil, almond milk, vanilla extract and sugar. Whisk with a balloon whisk to ensure the mixture is well combined.
Sift together the cake wheat flour and rye flour, spices, salt and baking powder. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold through until just combined. Add the cooled maple apple cubes and mix in gently.
Divide the mixture evenly between the paper cases. Press the apple slithers into the batter and scatter the almond flakes over. Bake for 30–35 minutes. Dust with icing sugar once cooled.