The Lane's End: Whole Wheat Brown Butter Apple Muffins

Despite all of the apple picking we've done at local orchards this fall, I still can't seem to get over the taste, crispness and flavor of a fresh, local apple. So when a local farmer brought in a tractor-trailer load of apples from an orchard about an hour north of us, I couldn't resist a few more bushels! Seriously, have you ever tried a Northern Spy apple?! They're the epitome of an apple: slightly sweet, slightly tart, and the crispness is perfect! We've been eating at least an apple a day, and the farmer's wife (I need to work on my personal farmer's wife duties) assured me they will last in my fruit bin for months- she says her last 6 months! Sold. And for $11 a bushel. My husband thought I'd lost it.

So now we're a houseful of apples, and couldn't be more happy (or more healthy). :)

We've made apple pie, applesauce, apple crisp, apple cake, baked apples and apple pancakes- but these muffins are our favorite thus far!

I adapted two different recipes, both from my old cookbooks, to create a delicious yet healthy muffin that's sweet enough to use as a dessert and hearty enough for a grab-and-go breakfast. Plus, this recipe allowed me to brown the butter, and well, brown butter is always a winner.

Whole Wheat Brown Butter Apple Muffins

2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1 cup diced apple (1 large/2 small)

1 cup skim ricotta

1/2 cup milk

4 tblsp butter

1/2 c packed dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

topping:

1/2 c pecans

2 tblsp dark brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease 12 muffin tin or line with parchment/muffin cups. Add butter to sautee pan over medium heat, and melt until butter begins to crackle. Stir frequently until butter turns a light shade of brown, this total process is quick (3-5 minutes), then add apples, brown sugar and cinnamon, and cook for about 5 minutes, until apples are tender. Allow to cool in pan.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta, milk, egg, vanilla until well mixed.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until just mixed. Add ricotta mixture to flour mixture until just combined, then fold in cooled apple mixture.

Fill each muffin cup to 2/3 full.

Combine filling ingredients, and top each muffin with 1/2 tsp.

Bake for 15-17 minutes, until firm to the touch.