Apple mania

At our house we have had grape mania for the past few weeks. Our one grapevine seemed to really explode with large blueberry sized, delicious, grapes! (edible grapes, homegrown in Belgium, it’s a rarity) Us grape-lovers, ate such a lot of them, we went into overkill… This weekend, we happily received an enormous mountain of homegrown apples, but I am not willing to let us get apple-overkill. Opposed to grapes-recipes, I know lots of apple-recipes, as apples are very common (but lots of love left here, though). When considering which ones to use for this autumns’ apple mountain, Mrs. Ans’ apple raisin muffins stood out big time. Apart from the fact that these muffins are so incredibly soft and delicious, they are also healthy (no butter!), quick and easy to put together, using unpeeled apples. The recipe makes a huge quantity, so loads to go round, whilst left over ones can be frozen. Mrs. An was a warm and loving person, and a great chef. We had many memorable dinners at her house, or An’s café as she liked to call it. The apple raisin muffin recipe comes from her ‘International Cookbook’, put together before she passed away, by her, and her English as a Second Language- students. Needless to say I am extremely happy that I have been given a copy, a real treasure!

APPLE RAISIN MUFFINS –about 30 (OR 2 BREADS)

Ingredients:
3 cups apples (unpeeled, chopped) –approx. 3 medium apples
3 cups flour
2 ½ cups sugar
1 ¼ oil –sunflower
4 eggs (beaten)
1 tbsp + 1tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
½ tsp baking powder
2/3 cup raisins –or cranberries
2/3 cup walnuts –or flaked almonds
Directions:
• Put all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
• Beat all ingredients on low for a minute. Then, beat on medium for another minute.
• Pour into muffin baking mold lined with muffin paper cups or 2 bread pans that have been greased on the bottom only.
• Bake at 325°F (170°C) for about 20 minutes (muffins) or, 1 hour and 10 minutes (breads) or longer, check with toothpick.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before taking out. Finish cooling on rack.
• Enjoy!!


PS I did try to replace the apple in this muffin recipe with our own grapes (whole as they were not very big), it just was not anywhere near as good. But in case you get as desperate as I was, increase the cooking time to about 25 min. until a skewer comes out clean.