A Recipe for British Columbia Applesauce Apple Muffins

British Columbia Applesauce Apple Muffins

If I were to have any New Year resolutions one would be to clear out my draft posts here on More Than Burnt Toast. It is safe to say I have hundreds if not thousands of recipes waiting in the wings for me to either post or create in my own kitchen. The problem there is I am always coming across new recipes to try, new ingredients, and more ideas to add to the evergrowing lists. I am sure you can all relate. More Than Burnt Toast is full of ideas and is bursting at the seams!!!! In a few short weeks it will celebrate it's 3rd year blogiversary and it is highly unlikely that I will have my drafts cleared and "swept" out by Chinese New Year to start afresh and bring me good luck!!!!


Bringing you this one recipe will be a good start. This recipe for muffins has been waiting for it's moment to shine since October when the trees were laden with crisp, ripe apples. British Columbia has some of the best weather in Canada which means we also have a lengthy growing season.

Across British Columbia fresh fruit and berries flourish in the summer months. The Okanagan Valley where I live is best known for peaches, pears and apples where the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley are known for their tasty berries; strawberries, blueberries, tayberries, wild blackberries, cranberries and more.

About 98% of BC apples are produced in the Okanagan-Similkameen valleys. The warm, dry summers and cooler falls here are perfect for nature to create apples with an attractive finish and crisp, juicy, flavourful flesh.  The low rainfall level also reduces the impact of disease. Most orchards are on slopes near lakes which creates a micro-climate which moderates the temperatures and reduces the risk of winter injury and spring frost. BC produces about 30% of the apples grown in Canada. I remember as a child being able to purchase BC apples from the Sears catalogue to send to your family overseas or on the other side of the country, or to purchase for yourself.

With names like Ambrosia, Sunrise, Jonagold, Aurora, Fuji and Golden Gala, British Columbia’s apples sound as sumptuous as they taste. Commercial growers produce an estimated 20 to 25 varieties of this popular tree fruit, but hundreds of other types ripen on hobby farms and backyard branches. Saltspring Islanders in the Gulf Islands claim to grow 350 different kinds of organic apples, including heritage apples, on their southern island off the coast. Heritage apples refer to any apple variety that was growing before 1900. These apple varieties were all chance seedlings and as such grew without any human intervention. They are the gifts of mother nature. I have even seen heirloom apples with red flesh. Wouldn't that make a prize-winning pie!!!!

Aerlie Red Flesh, Apricot Apple, Arkansas Black Starkspur, Arlet, Ashmead's Kernel, Baldwin, Baldwin Red Flesh, Belle de Boskoop, Blenheim Orange, Blushing Golden, Braeburn, Brownlee's Russett, Burgundy, Chenango Strawberry, Cortland, Cox Orange Pippin, Discovery, Duchess of Oldenburg, Emerald Spire, Empire, Esopus Spitzenburg, Freyburg, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Golden Nugget, Granny Smith, Hall's Pink, Hawaii, Jefferis, Johnathon, Jonagold, Jonalicious, Kandil Sinap, Kensei, Kestrel, Kidd's Orange, King, Lady, Liberty, MacFree, Macoun, Mantet, Melrose, Merton Beauty, Mollies Delicious, Mott's Pink, Muscadet de Dieppe, Mutsu, Newton, Northern Spy, Orenco, Pink Pearl, Pink Pearmain, Pitmaston's Pineapple, Prima, Red Belle de Boskoop, Red Gravenstein, Rubinette, Sandow, Spartan, Summerred, Sunrise, Suntan, Thornberry, Tolman Sweet, Tsugaru, Tumanga, Tydeman Red, Vander Pool Red, Wadhurst Pippin, Wealthy, Webster's Pink Meat, William's Pride, Winter Banana, Wolf River, York Imperial

These muffins did not last long here in the MTBT household. They were moist, healthy and delicious. Warm from the oven they were even delicious with a little gelato and caramel sauce. This is an easy bake recipe, ideal for kids interested in helping make school lunches or for you to make-ahead for breakfast and freeze.

**Applesauce Apple Muffins**

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
2 teaspoon (10 mL) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cinnamon, optional
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt
1 large egg
1 cup (250 mL) applesauce, unsweetened preferred
1/3 cup (75 mL) canola oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) diced peeled and cored apple
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnut halves

Cinnamon Crunch Topping:

4 teaspoon (20 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cinnamon

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or grease; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda , cinnamon, if using, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce and oil. Pour over the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the diced apple and walnuts over the wet ingredients and with a wooden spoon, swiftly and neatly stir the ingredients until just blended.

Scoop into the prepared muffin tins.

Cinnamon Crunch Topping: Stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Spoon a generous 1/4 tsp (1 mL) over each scoop of muffin batter.

Bake in the centre of a 375°F (190°C) oven until domed, firm to the touch and fragrant, about 20 minutes.

Let cool in pans on rack for about 5 minutes; remove from pans to cool on a rack. (Make-ahead: Let cool; store in airtight container for up to 3 days. Or wrap in quality plastic wrap, then enclose in a freezer container. Freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

 Makes 12 muffins.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.