Last week I had the pleasure of trying a new recipe, Apple Cheddar Muffins from an old WIlliams Sonoma cookbook. They were great, but not exactly what I had been hoping for when I thought of bright apples paired with sharp cheddar. I think I was hoping for a sweet and savory combo that really popped, which this particular recipe just wasn't doing for me. So I started tinkering...
... what if I added more cheese, and this time use a really sharp irish cheddar? And what if I added a brighter, crisper apple like a Breaburn, or Granny Smith?
And what would happen if instead of oats I added corn meal?
I was getting there, but I felt like I was still missing something, something flavorful to melt all over the top...
... like salty thyme butter, and cranberry jalapeno butter.
Yep, that's exactly what this muffin needed! There will always be room for improvement, but for now, I'm pretty satisfied with my tinkering.
Ingredients:
- 2 small/medium Breaburn or Granny Smith apples
-1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
-1/4 cup corn meal
- 2 teaspoons sugar
-2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
-3/4 cup milk (may need a bit moor depending on how dry the muffin mixture looks)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups crated extra sharp Irish white cheddar
For Butters:
- 1/4 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 jalapeno
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup (one stick) butter divided
How to:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups or butter.
2. Peel, halve and core the apples. Cut into 1/8 inch dice; set aside.
3. In a bowl stir together the flour, corn meal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Set aside.
4. In another bowl whisk together milk, eggs and butter until smooth. Stir in the apple and cheese. Add to the combined dry ingredients and fold together until just combined. Do not over mix!
5. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes ot clean when inserted.
6. while the muffins are backing mix your flavored butters together. Use 1/4 cup (1/2 a stick) butter per flavor combination.
-Mix 1/4 cup with the thyme and a pinch of salt. Mix the other 1/4 cup butter with the
- Finely chop or put the cranberries and jalepeno in a food processor, combine with 1/4 cup butter.
7. Once the muffins are done and have cooled a few minutes put them out with the butters and enjoy!
I think these yummy muffins will be just perfect for Thanksgiving morning. I can make the batter and the butters the night before, then all I have to do is pop them in the oven when I wake up, pull out the butter, and happily watch as my guests grab one and get out of my kitchen so I can cook!
~Jordan
*Last time in Recipes: Baking Fall
