Three things prompted my blog post this month. Labor Day weekend 2017 marked the 19th anniversary of my Dad passing away. Like me, my Dad was diabetic, but he never let that stop him from eating his beloved Dunkin Donut apple fritter. Every time I see one, I instantly think of my Dad.
I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s where having a bread box in your kitchen was a staple. I remember opening up the bread box when I was about 9 or 10 to make some toast, when that heavenly aroma of apples and cinnamon wafted out of the bread box when I opened it. I pulled out the crumpled Dunkin Donuts bag to find just a small piece of something that smelled amazing. That was when my Dad popped up from his artist studio in our basement and revealed his love of the apple fritter. First bite, I was hooked! And to this day, I may or may not deem it insulin worthy!
Second, as luck would have it, I have a friend who has an apple tree in her back yard. Last week I received a text “Biz, stop by my house anytime and grab as many apples as you want.” Done!
Third, it’s almost Apple Fest time at The Chopping Block, which is my favorite event of the year!
While I would have loved to create a similar version of the Dunkin Donuts apple fritter, I am on Weight Watchers and trying to get to goal, so decided to try my hand at coming up with an apple fritter muffin that wouldn’t break the calorie bank. The result? Deliciousness. These muffins almost taste like apple fritter coffee cake. My friend doesn’t know what kind of apples she has, but a golden apple, or Fuji apple would be perfect for this recipe.
Apple Fritter Muffins
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup no calorie Splenda
4 tablespoons softened butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups diced and peeled apples
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
Mix the 1/2 cup brown sugar and cinnamon together and set aside. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix the vinegar and almond milk together and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
In a small bowl, add the Splenda, butter, 2 eggs and vanilla and mix until creamed in a stand mixer or hand mixer.
In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, add the diced apples, lemon juice, sugar and salt. Now we are ready to combine the muffins.
Spray a 12 muffin tin pan with non-stick spray. I used a melon baller to measure out the batter. Place one scoop of batter in the muffin tin.
Sprinkle half the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture over that batter.
Divide the apple mixture between the muffin tin, pressing down to the apples submerge in that batter.
Top with the remainder of the batter, and spraying the back of a spoon with non-stick spray, press the batter down, then finish off with the last of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Bake at 425 for the first 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 and cook an additional 15-20 minutes. Mine took a total of 22 minutes. While the muffins bake, mix the powdered sugar and milk together for the glaze. Once the muffins have cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top.
These would be perfect for brunch. Speaking of brunch, our Lincoln Square location is hosting a Bloody Mary Brunch on September 24 and October 21 for you to get more fall brunch ideas.
Lincoln Square is also having a class called Blue Ribbon Baking on September 23 where you will learn the following skills: understanding baking ingredients, making curd, whipping egg whites, making fruit filing and preparing streusel, among other skills.
Also mark Apple Fest on your calendar at our Lincoln Square location September 30 and October 1. We’ll be serving these apple-centric beverages:
- Dry and Off-Dry Hard Cider from Right Bee Cider
- OCG from Journeyman Distillery
O.C.G. stands for Old Country Goodness. And that’s exactly what this secret family recipe embodies. A unique combination of Michigan Organic Apple Juice, Michigan Organic Cider, secret spices (shhhhh) and our W.R. White Whiskey makes for a drinking experience like no other. Known to our distillers as “fall in a glass”, this liqueur has obvious hints of apple pie, sweetness, and spice.
- Terradora di Paola, Falanghina 2015, Campania, Italy
Vibrant notes of apple, quince and pear with streamlined acidity. This Italian classic serves as a delicious aperitivo and as a complement to lighter dishes.
- La Posta, Cocina Tinto 2014, Mendoza Valley
Lush & chewy with a mouthful of juicy berry-flavors, delicately spiced with oak. This Malbec-based red makes a rich cocktail and complements the richest dishes.
- M. Lawrence, “Green”. NV, Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan
A mouthful of green apple refreshment and creamy texture for cocktails and bright complement to all lighter dishes. From “the Napa of the US” – Michigan!
Of course, we'll also be serving:
- Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Cowtown BBQ Sauce and Apple Cole Slaw
- Our Famous Apple Pie with Fresh Made Whip Cream
Um, turns out I have about 100 more apples to use up – what’s your favorite way to use them? I’d love to hear it in the comments!
