Recipe Wednesday: Cider-Glazed Mini Apple Muffins

This past weekend I had an impromptu relaxing Sunday and spent absolutely zero (yes, zero!) hours in the lab working on my design project. So what if it was because I left my keys in my office? Oops! Anyway, it was wonderful to just lounge around at home. And how did I start this great day? By making these cute little muffins. 

I must admit that I read the recipe way too quickly and thought it said apple cider vinegar (which I have in my cupboard) instead of apple cider (which I don't have). Again, oops. So instead I shredded the other half of the apple and it worked like a charm.  Instead of walnuts I used almonds because that's what I had. Although I didn't do the glaze since I was missing the all-important apple cider, I think they were still very, very tasty!

Cider-Glazed Mini Apple Muffins

For muffins

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/2 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apple
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unpasteurized apple cider
• 1 large egg

For cider glaze

• 2 cups unpasteurized apple cider
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Make muffins:
Preheat oven to 400°F. and grease twelve 1/8-cup mini-muffin cups (about 1 3/4 inches across top and 3/4 inch deep).

Lightly toast walnuts and chop fine. Core and peel apple and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a saucepan melt butter and stir in brown sugar. Remove pan from heat. Whisk cider and egg into butter mixture until smooth and add to flour mixture, stirring until combined well. Stir in walnuts and apple. Divide batter among muffin cups and bake 15 minutes, or until golden.

 

Make glaze while muffins are baking:
In a 2-quart saucepan boil cider 15 minutes, or until reduced to about 1/2 cup, and pour through a sieve lined with 4 layers of cheesecloth to remove sediment. Return cider to cleaned pan and add sugar. Simmer mixture, stirring, until syrupy, about 5 minutes. While muffins are still warm, with a wooden pick make several holes in top of each muffin. Brush warm glaze over muffins several times until absorbed.