Carmelly Apple Muffins

From the book Better Homes and Gardens New Junior Cook Book

Caramelly Apple Muffins
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Cool: 15 minutes
Oven: 400 degrees
Makes: 12 muffins

Utensils: muffin pan with twelve 2 1/2-inch cups; measuring cups; measuring spoons; medium mixing bowl; wooden spoon; 2 small mixing bowls; pastry blender; vegetable peeler; cutting board; sharp knife; fork; hot pads; wooden toothpicks; wire cooling rack

Ingredients:
shortening or 12 paper bake cups
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 recipe Streusel topping
1 small apple
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup apple butter
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping, if you like

How to make:
1. Turn on the oven to 400 degrees. Grease twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin pan cups with shortening or line with paper bake cups. Save until Step 6.
2. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the medium bowl. Stir with the wooden spoon to mix. Save until Step 5. Make the Streusel Topping. Save until Step 6.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, carefully cut the skin off of the apple (throw away the skin). On the cutting board use the sharp knife to cut the apple into 4 pieces. Cut out the core and cut the apple into small pieces (you should have 1/2 cup). Save until Step 5.
4. Crack the egg into a small bowl. Beat with the fork until yolk and white are mixed together. Add milk, oil, and apple butter to egg. Beat with the fork until ingredients are well mixed.
5. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir with the wooden spoon until dry ingredients are wet. Stir in chopped apple. (The batter should be somewhat lumpy, not smooth.)
6. Spoon some of the Sprinkle 1 rounded teaspoon of the Streusel Topping over each muffin top.
7. Put muffin pan in oven. Bake about 20 minutes or until muffins are golden and a wooden toothpick come out clean. (To test for doneness, use hot pads to pull out oven rack. Stick toothpick in the center of one of the muffins; pull out toothpick. If any muffin sticks to it, carefully push the oven rack back into place using hot pads and bake the muffins a few minutes more; test again.) Turn off oven.
8. Use hot pads to remove muffin pan from the oven. Place muffin pan on the cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Tip muffin pan to carefully remove muffins onto the colling rack. Drizzle top of each muffin with caramel ice cream topping, if you like. Cool muffins on cooling rack about 10 minutes.

Streusel Topping: Put 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Stir with wooden spoon to mix. Use a fork or the pastry blender with a chopping motion to mix in 2 tablespoons softened butter until mixture is crumbly.

Nutrition Facts per muffin: 225 cal., 9 g total fat (3 g sat. fat), 24 mg chol., 151 mg sodium, 34 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 3 g pro.

Daily Values: 3% vit. A, 2% vit. C, 7% calcium, 7% iron

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 1/2 Fat