I really enjoy Bakealong....particularly because of these discussions....I learn a lot in the details, different experiences, and blog-host responses. I'm more a bread person than a baker, since my husband and I don't eat desserts except on special occasions. But I went through a "muffin phase" in the 90s so this was an interesting challenge. I made these today and took them to an evening meeting where they were scarfed up. I cut the cream cheese filling by a third but now I've eaten them would go back to the full recipe...nice contrast and sweetness to the not so sweet batter. I used the SAF whole wheat white flour but I apologize, I made my own boiled cider. The local farm stand got their first local cider delivery and I just had to boil it down myself. It was sweet but with a breath of tartness....really good. I didn't have the fiori but added a few drops of orange essence to add that touch. Great! The muffins were delicious, particularly 1/2 hour after baking. My only question was a taste that one of my serious bakers in the recipient group noted and that I did too (this was maybe 5 hours after baking), there was a taste of corn meal. Is that from the whole wheat? or what? Things can combine often in unexpected way when it comes to taste buds. It was good none the less, just not expected. PS...a few comments have been about an air hole above the filling. My muffins didn't collapse at all but a couple had the air hole. What I noticed was both filling and the batter tended to hold their form after dropping into the cups. Those I really smoothed out and pressed down on after the streusel was sprinkled on, didn't have the holes. The ones I let nature take its course didn't fill in. Just a thought.....

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