Apple Muffins with Pecan Crumb Topping - Exquisitely Delicious

Deliciousness.  Some foodies use this word to describe food that has everything going for it, layered flavors, a combination of crunch and gooeyness and perfect ingredients.  What could be more perfect than bits of apple cooked into pockets of applesauce, a cinnamon infused batter and a pecan crumb topping?  For apple muffins, I have found nothing that tops this recipe!  It started with a base for a peach muffin recipe but adapts so well to apples or blueberries.  Watch the size of your apple pieces - if they are too large they will be firm and chewy.  Also make sure you mix the butter thoroughly into the crumb mix so that the butter can hold little pieces together as they bake.

The beautiful little papers that wrap these muffins have their own story.  I did some work at my mom's restaurant, The Old Courthouse, last summer.  I noticed an almost empty sleeve of beautiful brown parchment muffin cups in the pantry and asked if I could have some to make some blueberry muffins later in the week.  The sleeve was almost empty and they needed the remaining cups for Sunday Brunch.  Mom offered me the outer wrapper so I could buy them online.  I wasn't able to find them, lost the wrapper and forgot all about them.  When Christmas rolled around imagine my delight when I discovered my very own sleeve of these wrappers in my stocking!  Thanks Mom.  These  Natural Tulip Cups are available at the Web Restaurant Store.  They open up to create a little crumb collector, perfect for these messy but delicious apple muffins.   Enjoy!

Apple Muffins with Pecan and Cinnamon Crumb

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare muffin tin with paper muffin cups or spraying with nonstick spray.

For the crumb topping, mix in a small bowl:
In a separate microwave safe bowl:
In a large mixing bowl sift and set aside:
Into the remaining 1/2 cup butter add:
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar (break up any clumps by hand before adding butter)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Melt 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of butter

Pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into the topping mixture, mix until combined and set aside.
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup milk ( I use 2%)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Peel and dice into pieces between 1/4" and 1/3" 1 large apple.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients until just mixed and then add the chopped apple.

Fill muffin cups (this recipe makes 10 muffins).  Top with crumb mix (at least 1 tablespoon + on each muffin).

Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown and if top is depressed it bounces back.  Enjoy!