Muffin episode #2 - Brie Apple Hazelnut

Experiment number 2!

After the leek gorgonzola muffins turned out so beautiful, I wanted to try another recipe, a savory one again.

Because honestly my fridge is now stacked with all kinds of ingredients to bake all kinds of muffins and I have to use some of them up before they go bad.

I can obsess like this :) When I get into something, it turns into a new big hobby for me and I go crazy.

Until that need is satisfied. Which it isn't quite yet :D

That's why I don't want to be housepoor. I wouldn't be able to afford any hobbies!

The actual recipe actually calls for Camembert... but I had a huge chunk of Brie from Costco in my fridge, so I didn't want to buy yet another ingredient.

Again it was very easy to make, prep time is really minimal as you throw things together and only stir briefly.

Here is the end product:

Beautiful texture, beautiful crust, buttery, moist and soft. But I have to admit I liked the leek gorgonzola much better. But here is a mistake I made - instead of using a tart apple like a granny smith, I used a sweet red delicious (and hubby picked a pretty ripe one instead of a crunchy new one). I didn't really taste the apple at all, I think the tartness of the granny smith would have made this muffin much more exciting. So I think I will have to make this one again of these days. Maybe the camembert will add more flavor as well, even though the Brie was wonderful in here.

A few weeks ago Julian has been observing moods very keenly... so he always knows and points out when someone cries or is sad... or if someone smiles and is happy.

So earlier, before naptime, we lay in bed, he was cuddled up to me when he suddenly smiled his beautiful little sneaky smile, climbed on my chest and took my face into both his hands to ask me "Mom, happy??"

Of course I just smiled back and told him yes, that I was very  happy.

He smiles even wider, goes "awwww", then leans back, pats himself on his chest and said "Me too happy" and continued to watch TV.

These are the moments we live for as moms and parents... he just melted my heart!

Recipe for Brie Apple Hazelnut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins
Preheat oven to 375 F

What you need:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp liquid honey
1 small tart-sweet apple, peeled and shredded
(I used a Fuji apple, not tart enough, it was hard to taste in the end product)
4 oz Brie cheese, diced
(original recipe called for Camenbert cheese, but I had Brie in the fridge)
1/2 chopped hazelnuts, toasted
(unfortunately the Tampa area doesn't have any hazelnuts in the regular grocery store, I had to go to a wholefoods market to get hazelnuts, also called filberts in the US)

How to make them:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, butter and honey until well blended. stir in
3. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently fold in cheese and hazelnuts.
4. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 22 - 26 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes then transfer to the rack.
Serve warm or let cool completely.

I think they tasted great warm :)