Apple Walnut Muffins

*Use Granny Smiths if you like firm, tart apples, or Golden Delicious if you like sweeter apples.  Both are very good in this recipe.   

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease standard muffin pans (cups about 4 oz. or 1/2 cup capacity) with butter or vegetable shortening, or coat them generously with nonstick cooking spray. 
2. Chop the apples coarsely, or dice them, so they are in about 1/4” – 1/3” pieces.  You should have about 4 cups, and slightly more or less is okay.   
3. In a very large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.  With a wire whisk, stir the dry ingredients together for a minute or two, until evenly mixed.   
4. Add the apples and the nuts, then stir and toss to distribute them evenly and coat them with flour.  Add the oil, then mix vigorously using a large wooden spoon–or plunge right in with your clean hands to mix–until the ingredients are completely blended.  
5. The batter will be very stiff and chunky, almost like a dough, and different from most batters you have probably worked with. 
6. Scoop up 1/3-cup blobs of the batter, and in your hands, pat them quickly into irregular balls, and place in the prepared muffin pans. 
7. Bake 35 – 40 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown, the tops look dry, and they spring back when pressed gently.  Cool in the pans 5 – 10 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely.  The cooled muffins may be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to two days.  Freeze for longer storage. 

Courtesy of Chef Karen Holmes of Karen’s Bakery & Café in Folsom, Calif.