Notes
From Experience: Wins, Fails, and What Stuck
Weigh Your Flour. Always use kitchen scales. WEATZERO® is crafted for 1:1 gram-for-gram swaps; cups aren't accurate enough for gluten-free blends. Don't overmix after adding the flour; gentle mixing keeps it light and soft. Hold the mixture as instructed; this aids the gluten-free millet flour to hydrate and improves texture significantly. Peel the apples. Peeled Granny Smith apples work best. They hold their shape and add the right amount of tartness without too much moisture. Crumb topping magic: Make the crumb topping first and pop it in the fridge while you prep the batter. Cold crumb = better texture. Don't skip the stand time. That 10 minutes in the tin before baking makes all the difference for moisture and rise. High-to-low baking (starting at high temp, then reducing) gives you a beautiful dome and prevents flat tops.
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- ⅓ Cup (70g) Brown Sugar, Light or Dark - packed
- 1 tbsp (20g) Caster Sugar
- 1 tspn (3g) Cinnamon Ground
- ¼ Cup (56g) Unsalted Butter - melted
- 85 g WEATZERO® Millet Based All-Purpose Flour - weigh using scale
Dry Mix
- 220 g WEATZERO® Millet Based All-Purpose Flour - weigh using a scale
- 1 tsp (6g) Baking Soda
- 1 tsp (4g) Baking Powder
- 1 tsp (3g) Cinnamon Ground
- ½ tsp (3g) Salt
Wet Mix
- ½ cup (113g) Unsalted Butter - softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) Brown Sugar, Light or Dark - packed
- ¼ cup (50g) Caster Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs - room temperature
- ½ cup (120g) Plain Natural Yogurt (Greek) - room temperature
- 2 tsp (10 ml) Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup (60ml) Milk - any kind, room temperature
- 1½ cups (180-200g) Granny Smith Apples - peeled, cored, and diced about 5-7mm.
Vanilla Icing (Optional)
- 1 cup (120g) Icing Sugar - sifted
- 2-3 tbsp (30-45ml) Milk - any kind
- 1 tsp (5ml) Vanilla Extract
Apple Crumble Equipment
Method
Prepration
- Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) conventional or 200°C (390°F) fan-forced.
- Line a 6-cup Jumbo muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with non-stick spray. (Instructions to make 12 muffins below)
Make Crumb Topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, caster sugar, and cinnamon. Pour in melted butter and stir until combined.
- Stir in WEATZERO® flour until the mixture comes together in large, irregular crumbs, like rough, buttery pebbles. Once you see crumbs forming, stop stirring. Overmixing turns it into a thick paste instead of a proper crumb topping. Set aside. (you can refrigerate this while making the batter for better texture).
Make Muffin Batter
- In a large bowl, sift together WEATZERO® flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and caster sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in yogurt, milk and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled, this is normal.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined using a rubber spatula, do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the diced apples using a rubber spatula until evenly distributed.
Pour and Hold
- Divide batter evenly among the 6 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Generously sprinkle the crumb topping over each muffin, pressing it gently into the batter so it sticks.
- Let the filled muffin tin stand for 10 minutes before baking. This allows the WEATZERO® flour to hydrate properly.
Bake
- Bake for 5 minutes at 220°C (425°F) conventional or 200°C (390°F) fan-forced.
- Keeping muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature to 190°C (375°F) conventional, or 175°C (350°F) fan-forced. Continue baking for another 25 - 26 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown and spring back lightly when touched.
Cool
- Remove muffins from oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.
- Carefully transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Icing (Optional)
- In a small bowl, whisk together sifted icing sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add an extra tablespoon of milk if needed to reach a drizzling consistency.
- Drizzle icing over cooled muffins just before serving. Add icing fresh just before serving. Icing can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
12 Regular-Size Muffins
- Use a 12-cup standard muffin tin. Follow the steps as per above
- Bake for 5 minutes at 220°C (425°F) in a conventional oven or 200°C (390°F) in a fan-forced oven.
- Keeping muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature to 190°C (375°F) conventional, or 175°C (350°F) fan-forced. Continue baking for another 18 - 20 minutes. Cool as per the above instructions
Storage Reccomendations
- Room Temperature: Store muffins (without icing) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep crumb side up to prevent sogginess.
- Refrigerated: If iced, store muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature or warm slightly before serving for best texture.
- Freezing: Wrap individual muffins (without icing) tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Warm in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 5-8 minutes if desired.
Variation Ideas
- Add 50g chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter, or swap half the apples for fresh blueberries.