For those of you who love the taste of a hot muffin on a bracingly cold morning, here's a recipe you'll want to try. The tart apples of early fall are the perfect counterpoint to the smooth sweetness of honey in these muffins, which sport a streusel topping for good measure.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 12-well muffin pan; or line with papers, and grease the papers.
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
To make the batter: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, beat together the egg, honey, milk, brandy, and vegetable oil.
Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then fold in the apples and walnuts.
To make the topping: In a small bowl, mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter together until crumbly. Set aside.
To assemble and bake the muffins: Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle each muffin with a heaping tablespoon of topping.
Bake the muffins until they're golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the muffins from the oven, carefully remove them from the pan, and let them cool on a rack.
Store the muffins, well wrapped, at room temperature for 3 days; freeze for up to a month.
