Moist apple-and-walnut muffins, warmly spiced with cinnamon and enriched with delicate extra virgin olive oil.
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 20–25 mins
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:
3 medium apples, peeled and chopped into 0.5 cm cubes
2 large eggs
200g sugar
125ml Olivetta Delicate extra virgin olive oil
125ml buttermilk
5ml vanilla essence
2 cups (250g) cake flour
10ml baking powder
0.5ml bicarbonate of soda
7.5ml cinnamon
0.25ml ground cloves
Pinch of salt
80g chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 200ºC fan force (210ºC conventional). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cases or grease lightly.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar and Olivetta Delicate extra virgin olive oil until smooth. Add the buttermilk and vanilla essence, whisking gently to combine. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing lightly until just combined. Fold through the chopped apples and walnuts. The batter should be thick and spoonable.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC (190ºC conventional) and bake for a further 15–20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the muffins to rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
