11 Aug Apple Crumble Muffins

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Apple crumble is one of my absolute favourite desserts. Especially in winter, when I love to eat it warm from the oven, with a generous side of custard! Even I can’t quite justify eating this on a daily basis though, so I had to find a way to get my apple crumble fix in another form.
These Apple Crumble Muffins are packed with chunky fresh apple pieces and a subtle cinnamon flavour! They have a lovely soft texture, but the best part is that they’re topped with a sweet, buttery crumble made with Bakers^® Good Morning Bran Rusks. That’s right, not only are these delicious rusks perfect as they are or dunked into your morning cuppa, they are also a great ingredient to use in your baking! Used in a crumble or streusel topping, they add a toasty, nutty flavour and lots of crispy crunch.  
In fact, I have found that this crumble topping is a serious muffin gamechanger. It literally transforms any muffin into an irresistible treat! Go ahead and try it on banana muffins, bran muffins, blueberry muffins, even chocolate muffins! (For a chocolate crumble simply omit the cinnamon and replace 1 tbsp of flour with cocoa).
NOTE: If for some strange reason you have any muffins leftover, they can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The crumble topping may start to go a little soft after the first day. To crisp them up, simply bake for 2-3 minutes in a preheated 180°C oven. The muffins also freeze very well – freeze them individually and grab one in the morning for a yummy lunchbox treat!

Ingredients:

(Makes 12)

For the bran rusk crumble:
3 Bakers^® Good Morning Bran Rusks
35g flour (¼ cup)
60g salted butter, melted (¼ cup)
70g sugar (⅓ cup)
1,25ml cinnamon (¼ tsp)

For the muffins:
210g flour (1½ cups)
10ml baking powder (2 tsp)
150g brown sugar (¾ cup)
5ml cinnamon (1 tsp)
2 medium apples
2 large eggs
180ml buttermilk (¾ cup)*
5ml vanilla (1 tsp)
115g salted butter, melted (½ cup)

Directions:

• To make the crumble topping, blitz the Bakers® Good Morning Bran Rusks in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs. Add the remaining crumble ingredients and process briefly, until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Place the flour, baking powder, brown sugar and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir to combine.
• Peel, core and chop the apples into small pieces, about 1cm cubes. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and melted butter. Make a well in the centre of the apple/flour mixture and add the wet ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined – do not overmix. A few streaks of flour in the batter is OK!
• Divide the mixture between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle each with about 2 tbsp of the crumble mixture and press down gently to help it stick.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
• Serve warm or cold with butter and a drizzle of honey if desired.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The topping will lose its crispness after a day but you can place the muffins in a 180°C oven for a few minutes to crisp them up. Once cooled completely you can also freeze the muffins for up to 2 months.

*Instead of buttermilk, you can use 180ml milk mixed with 2 tsp lemon juice, or a mixture of half milk and half yoghurt.