Apple Rolled Oats Streusel Cider Muffins - Twin Post

This is a twin post of An @bakerstreet29 out there in my parents birthplace, Mumbai, India, and mine here in the DC area. Before I embark on this post I got a confession to make. I was extremely suspicious of An when she showed up on the twitterverse radar interacting gingerly with all of us to a point of paranoia. Are we subjected to some kind of social media experiment? I was not about to be a guinea pig of sorts. Soonish after I discovered An is a lamb, the sweetest girl with the best intentions, exactly as she showed up on our twitterverse radar. A week or so ago might be longer, she had a bake sale fundraiser for street dogs in India and was baking up a storm. Some of her creations were blueberry cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, double chocolate cookies and raisin cinnamon oatmeal cookies. What's not to like about this girl?!

I don't really know An's age. I don't think she is twenty but potentially could be my child. I could have made a joke here but do not want to shed a playful light on a serious matter like teen pregnancies. I think the last I read it was on the decline. This is not a political agenda and I am not taking any stands so let's get back to muffins and An.

Just months ago before heading off to college, Sagie said, mom, you made me overly sensitive with all the heart to heart talks and mulling over and dissecting on any given day an ordianry event and emotion. What you really wanted was a girl. Which is absolutely untrue! Although I must admit, we did call Sagie, Fifi, while he was in my womb, and when discovered he was a boy during a sonogram, we both, Jonathan and I, looked at each other sheepishly and went oops! Sagie, though when asked rarely (begged more likely) was pretty cooperative in the kitchen, and this blog is a preservation of recipes, heritage and stories for his sake to pass on for generations, he was more interested in kicking a ball. So maybe this encounter with An and the cross continent baking was in some sorts baking in my kitchen with Fifi.

As time went by An and I got to know each other better, my insomnia filled nights afforded me to speak to her and discuss Indian food and traditions, techniques and different names we call the same foods. She will tell you on her post here how we came about doing this twin project of ours. All started with this. Then it snowballed when @exceptionalfood suggested I look @laurasrecipes and Laura was kind enough to tweet me two links hers and @trinigourmet 's. Our deepest thanks to all three for the inspiration. An and I worked diligently to morph both Laura's recipe and Sarina's recipe as Laura put it, into one. It was a cross continent international recipe development effort and I bring to you mine. An's you will find here.

After much back and forth tweaking and deliberation, An's and my recipe slightly differ. She couldn't find cider so she used apple juice. I didn't want to use brown sugar so I used Turbinado Sugar in the Raw. I also used only 1/4-1/3 teaspoon of cinnamon in the streusel instead of 1 teaspoon and sprinkled few drops of lemon on the apple to keep it from oxidizing but An might have done that too, though used a lime. These muffins are really dainty and delicate they will get sweeter the next day. My first batch goes with Jonathan to his office today, Friday.

Apple Rolled Oats Streusel Cider Muffins
12-14 large mufins, I made dozen large and about half dozen mini

Streusel Ingredients:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Turbinado Sugar in the Raw
1/4-1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cups rolled oats

Muffin Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg (at room temperature)
Little less than 3/4 cups apple cider (at room temperature)
1 large tart apple
Few drops of fresh lemon juice (1/8-1/4 lemon)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup yogurt (at room temperature)

Streusel Directions:
Toss all ingredients into a bowl and work it with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Refrigerate until further use.
Tip: If you happen to over work the streusel and it clumps in large clumps, stick it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or more until butter solidifies again and cut/fork it into smaller crumbs.

Muffins Directions:
1. Grease muffin tins and dust with flour. Tap excess flour but flipping muffin tins upside down. Turn oven to 350F.
2. mix all dry ingredients in one bowl
3. Whisk all wet ingredients in another bowl
4. Peel, core and dice apple and toss with few drops of lemon and 1 tablespoon of dry ingredients mix (step one)
5. Add wet ingredients and apples into dry ingredients and fold gently in few strokes with a rubber spatula. Traces of flour are fine in final batter. Please do not overwork batter.
6. Tablespoon batter into greased and dusted muffin tins half way up and top with streusel mix to cover top surface. I filled it up a bit higher than half.
7. In a 350F preheated oven bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Oven temperatures vary.

Next batch I am using regular sugar and maybe apple sauce for the oil, just curious!

26 comments:

  1. Aww... Much Love Shulie!! xxoxox


    - Fifi :)

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  2. What a great recipe & fun story about twitter friendship!

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  3. Sweet post Shulie! Your muffins look amazing!
    Renee

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  4. Have room for one more? Working on an apple muffin post for next week! We can be triplets!

    Love that you got together with An on this. Your muffins look lovely!

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  5. I have found some great friends and foodies on Twitter too and An totally sounds like a great one. Lovely recipe!

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  6. Thanks Fifi, it was fun!
    Thx Kat and Kulsum, Isn't it?! Twitter is amazing, so many good friendship on twitterverse! Thx for you comments!
    Thanks Renee and for the stumble you are the best! The muffins were so good I was afraid to be left alone at home with them so I sent with husband to share at work:).
    Brian, Thx they were quite lovely, dainty and delicious making anew batch. You are ,ore than welcome to join but how would you feel if I called you Fifi?!

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  7. So I need to get in on these apple muffins...they look so good! And I need to visit An's blog too. Thank you for introducing me to both! I hope you have a wonderful weekend...thank you for sharing!

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  8. I got to know both you and An about the same time and in the same way. It is strange to feel such a click, a kinship with people as if you have known them forever. I love baking together through time and space and this is one delicious baking experience. Wonderful muffins, perfect for an autumn treat. Hugs to you, Shulie.

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  9. Awesome recipe Shulie! This is exactly what I need right now for the breakfast.
    Gotta give this one a try.

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  10. Hey Bri, I meant MORE (M was missing) than welcome to be a triplet!
    Money, I've been thinking of baby Ryan, you and your family. Thank you for your lovely note. An is a real sweet girl!
    Jamie, A classy lady as always. It is quite the experience to virtually bake 'through time and space' as you put it. Challenging in fact especially due to the time difference but somehow it worked! Thx for your nice comment!
    Dear Prerna, That is why I love muffins for breakfast and tea sometimes. Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to leave a comment. Shulie

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  11. Boy shouldn't complain--most women like to discuss emotions and very few men know how to do so. So pffft. And lovely apple muffins. I will take a dozen.

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  12. Hahaha S thx for your comment. The boy is super nice, very sensitive and self reflective. Looking for the one special one. Not an easy way to be as a guy, as we as younger girls go for the jerks and then marry the good guys. It was a discussion in a greater context and I do overly mull over things just in general:) Dozen muffins coming your way hon!! :)

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  13. Monet, Sorry (sp), I should not respond to comments late at night but here I go again. Shulie

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  14. I love your Apple Muffin recipe Shulie. These twin posts are so cute;)(I adore An!)

    Keep on bringing me more apple recipes! xoxo

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  15. What a lovely story! I have not met you but feel a connection with you & I'm glad we are Twitter friends! :)

    Love the Apple Muffins recipe! xoxox

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  16. Shulie-
    What a wonderful post! And I love how so many of your recipes are the perfect lazy Sunday morning treats...

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  17. Dear Lora, Sara and Angela, Thx for your sweet comments. All three are you so different but such ladies! I made shortly after an apple cake to die for. Anything with apples to go with my tea! Shulie

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  18. Since I enjoy reading your posts, I find myself more and more in touch with my writing. I think I write more here commenting, than writing my own blog. Now, you blogging about forging intercontinental friendship with An through Twitter is most awesome!

    Your Fifi turned out Sagie, and my Isabella turned out Juanchito (J3)! They both love to kick the ball. Win-win situation!

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  19. Hi Annapet, Your friendship is very dear to me. Thanks for taking the time, as the other friends, to comment on my posts. When you share your story of 'Isabella' it encourages me to continue doing what I do. Had I not shared Fifi I wouldn't know about Isabella. Here is to our boys and kicking the ball. Shulie

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  20. What a fun post, and a wonderful ode to your friendship.
    I want to be able to go apple picking and come back with 20lbs of apples. It is fun to live vicariously! Thank.

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  21. Thank you so much for your comment Lael. Very kind of you! It was a wonderful day taking us back to the basics:) The golden delicious' and granny smiths were superb!

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  22. I've been waiting for your new post, but no pressure! I read your tweets and I can only imagine how busy you've been. And then the power outage. Yay!

    Thanks for your friendship, Shulie.

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  23. just discovered you via OneTribeGourmet on Twitter. Your photos are amazing. I was just wondering what kind of camera you have?

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  24. Hi Annapet! I know I miss writing and posting. Will be doing so soon!

    Hi Mirelle, Love Sara from OneTribeGourmet, speaking of photography, hers is amazing! Sorry to disappoint you but I use an old point and shoot camera. Canon.

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  25. An sounds like a sweet girl. Can I have these muffins everyday? They look so yummy. Streusel on muffins is definitely a must for me. Lovely post Shulie!

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  26. I do love this modern world we live in where friendships can grow and we can share recipes (almost a lost art in itself), loved this story and I'm thrilled to connect with 'you all'. Love the photos too, they're great.

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