Bourbon Apple Muffins with Walnuts

Seems like autumn has finally come! It's pretty gloomy outside, the weather is a little unpleasant and it's beginning to get somewhat colder. Sounds like just the time one could use a little something to lift one's mood and give some comfort... I know just the right thing: muffins with loads of apple, nuts, warm spices and a little whisky - Just perfect!

This recipe yields 16 muffins.


You will need:

• 200 g (7 oz) butter
• 100 g (3.5 oz) muscovado sugar
• 100 g (3.5 oz) white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 220 g (7.7 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp each of ground clove, nutmeg, ginger, tonka bean, lemon zest
• 2 tsp each of ground cinnamon and vanilla sugar
• 2 rather sour apples like Granny Smith
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp bourbon whisky
• 50 g (1.7 oz) walnuts, coarsly chopped plus 16 halves to decorate

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C /320 F. Prepare 16 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
Wash, core, peel and coarsly chop the apples. Place into a small bowl, pour over lemon juice and bourbon and give it a good stir. Let soak for about 15 minutes.

2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and all of the sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a seperate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Sift into the bowl holding the butter and sugar mixture, add all of the spices and beat until all the ingredients are just about combined. Add the apples and all of the liquid, beat. Add the chopped walnuts and fold in.
Equally spread between muffin cups. Decorate each muffin with a walnut half.
Bake at 160°C /320 F for about 20 minutes. Let cool.