Low-fat Spiced Apple Raisin Muffins

M and I went away this weekend to Bath to celebrate our anniversary. It was an over-indulgent weekend, as holidays go, and we are both feeling incredibly full of food, even today. I didn't think I'd feel up to baking, as the thought of food has my stomach crying for mercy, but I also wanted to bake something to bring into the office tomorrow. A nice middle ground was to take a spiced apple muffin recipe and make it as healthy as I can. Each muffin has only 1 gram of fat and a lot of nutrients, thanks to whole wheat flour and wheat germ. 

The recipe below is how I made mine but watch for notes on substitutions you can make. 

1 2/3 cup/180g whole wheat flour*

1/3 cup/40g wheat germ

1/2 cup/100g sugar

1/4 cup/40 brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup/100g spiced apple butter (I had left over jars from last autumn's supply)**

1 cup buttermilk or soured milk#

1 egg

1 egg white

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup/45g raisins

Preheat 350F/gas 4

Mix together flours, sugars, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Stir into dry until just mixed. Stir in apple butter followed by raisins. 

Divide into 12 muffin tins. Bake 15-20 minutes. I sprinkled mine with a bit of wheat germ, demerara sugar and cinnamon before they went into the office. A nice crumble-esque topping or oats would be good as well. 

*The original recipe calls for 2 cups plain flour but basically any 2-cup flour mix can be substituted. I used whole wheat flour and wheat germ but oats, spelt, or a mix of any could be used.

**Apple butter (especially spiced) is not easy to find in England, which is why I made my own last autumn. Apple butter is very smooth and will make a moister muffin without the chunks of apple. If you use apple butter but want to chunks, throw in a feel pieces of diced apple as well. If you don't want to make your own apple butter, use 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and 1 large diced apple. Add the spices in with the flour at the beginning and the apple in with the raisins at the end. 

#Buttermilk is something else I haven't been able to find in England yet. If a recipe calls for buttermilk, simply add 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk. 

On a side note, entirely unrelated to muffins, I was granted Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK last Friday. Means lots more expat baking!