Country towns are fascinating places to visit. Yes, really. It’s hard to explain the attraction or why you would recommend a place if there are no specific landmarks to visit. But sometimes the charm is just in sitting back, going with the flow and letting the spirit of a place come to you. Last weekend a bunch of us ventured around Warburton, Victoria, 80 km East of Melbourne. It’s a prominent wine region first of all, but there were a few other things going on, like this:
So this is Boinga Bob’s mysterious temple, which I understand to be a mission to “make known the unknown” and to try to understand life’s purpose. It boldly juts out through the surrounding bushland and makes you stop dead in your tracks pondering what on earth you’ve gazed upon. If you’re interested in the man behind it all there’s a .
Sunshine, fresh air, peace and calm. At Bulong Estate.
Inviting Cellar Door, at Wild Cattle Creek.
Op-shopping. I adore old jugs and bottles.
After all that greenery and fresh air I was craving something earthy, fresh and rustic. With a bowl of red and green apples amassing from nutritional neglect, I put them to use in muffin form. You’ll be pleased to know there’s no butter whipping and hardcore mixing involved, just an easy stir-and-bake. There’s a crispy crumble layer on the top for extra crunch factor. These muffins are super-springy, fluffy, light and fragrant.
Brace yourself for the warm apple, toasted coconut, caramelised sugar and cinnamon smell that will fill your kitchen. Lucky for you, they taste fantastic warm from the oven with a dash of butter so you don’t need to wait.
APPLE CRUMBLE MUFFIN RECIPE
| Apple Crumble Muffins |
- DRY INGREDIENTS
- 220g SR FLour, sifted
- 115g Caster Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- WET INGREDIENTS
- 60g Vegetable oil
- 190g Milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 120g peeled & grated Granny Smith apple
- 100g peeled and roughly chopped Granny smith apple
- CRUMBLE MIX
- 70g Plain Flour
- 50g Brown Sugar
- 40g Rolled Oats
- 30g Coconut
- 60g Butter, Melted
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
- Make the crumble mix by stirring the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg together until combined. Stir through the melted butter until all the ingredients are coated. Set aside.
- Preheat oven 180 degrees Celsius (160 fan-forced, 350F). Grease a 12-hole cupcake tin or line with patty cases. Mix sifted flour, sugar and cinnamon together in a large bowl and make a well in middle. In a separate jug mix vegetable oil, milk, egg, vanilla and apples. Pour wet mix into the dry and stir until JUST combined. Don’t over mix or you’ll get rubbery muffins. Fill each muffin hole brimming to the top with mixture (approx 1 generously heaped tablespoon).
- Add at least one heaped tablespoon of crumble mix to the top of each muffin, as the tops will rise and spread as they bake, and not all of the crumble will stick to the muffins.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, before removing upright onto a wire rack. Eat warm with butter, or cold.
- Makes 12 standard cupcake sized Muffins (non Texas-sized).
