Apple-cardamom mini-muffins

3PersonalPoints™ per serving

This riff on jelly donuts makes a perfect little sweet bite. There are three separate components to put together, but you’ll love the end result. The sweet, delicious, homemade applesauce all comes together in one pan and features cinnamon, fresh lemon juice, and ground cardamom. The adorable muffins also couldn’t be easier to make. And the topping is a unique combination of granulated sugar and black pepper. Pipe some of the applesauce onto the baked muffins for a beautiful and fun presentation. You and your guests won’t be able to have just one. They’re the wonderful treat to look forward to every fall fresh off a trip from the apple orchard.Read more

Ingredients

Fresh apple(s)

1 medium, Fuji variety, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped

Cinnamon stick(s)

1 item(s)

Fresh lemon juice

¾ tsp

Sugar

½ tsp

Ground cardamom

¼ tsp

Vanilla extract

⅛ tsp

Black pepper

⅛ tsp, freshly ground

Water

1 Tbsp

Cooking spray

24 spray(s)

All-purpose flour

1 cup(s)

Table salt

¾ tsp

Baking soda

1 tsp

Baking powder

½ tsp

Vanilla lowfat yogurt

1 cup(s)

Sugar

½ cup(s)

Egg(s)

1 large egg(s)

Vanilla extract

1 tsp

Lemon zest

1 tsp

Unsalted butter

1 Tbsp, melted

Sugar

1 Tbsp

Black pepper

⅛ tsp, freshly ground (or to taste)

Instructions

1. To make applesauce, combine apple, cinnamon stick, lemon juice, sugar, cardamom, vanilla extract, black pepper, and water in a small saucepan; cook, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding extra water by the teaspoon if pan gets dry, until apple is very tender and falling apart, 30-35 minutes.
2. Transfer mixture to a blender or mini-food processor (or use an immersion blender); pulse until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; set aside to cool.
3. To make muffins, preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 24-hole mini-muffin pan with cooking spray.
4. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and melted butter. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
5. Spoon 1 heaping Tbsp batter into each prepared muffin cup. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 12 minutes; let cool completely in pan.
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine remaining sugar and black pepper.
7. Remove cooled muffins from pan; roll top of muffins in sugar-mixture to coat. Next, using a pastry bag with a small tip, pipe a little applesauce onto the top of each muffin (or use a plastic bag with the corner snipped off).
8. Serving size: 1 muffin