I’ve jumped hard on the bandwagon of The Great British Baking Show, and it’s because of this that I give you these apple walnut babka muffins (with maple!).

After a steady two-season binge (and counting), I felt the overwhelming urge to knead, proof, roll, fill and shape something in a less anxiety-fraught environment, and here we have it.

Plus it’s fall, and I’m wearing my coziest sweater and my thicker socks, the windows are open to let some chill in the air and now my house smells like warm apple deliciousness. All in all, a solid choice for these fall times.

The double chocolate babka from last year was probably one of the most time-intensive things I have made yet. It was well worth it, and delicious for sure, but I only had occasion to endure that process once. In an effort to use up all the apples that I have from apple picking a few weekends ago, and some maple butter from my trips up north, I thought I’d make the flavorings more fall and here we have it: apple walnut babka muffins.

Truth me told, I only used up like, 2 apples, but that is beside the point.

This dough requires and overnight to bring it all together. It’ll be a bit of a sticky mess at first, but don’t worry, you’re doing it right. As for the twisting and folding, it’ll be a bit of a mess, but do your best to keep the apples and walnuts in there; I promise that it all works out.

Like the original babka, this one is a process, but the end result, I think, is well worth it. My batch yielded about 18, so plenty to share with friends and still have a nice stock for yourself.

I’m heading to San Diego for a quick stint the rest of the week. Apparently there are wildfires to contend with. Does anyone know if I need to do anything about that? Hurricanes, I got it but fires and earthquakes are why I’d never live in California.

Apple walnut babka muffins

October 17, 2018

Servings: 18 muffins

Prep: 24 hr

Cook: 20 min

Total: 24 hr 40 min

Difficulty: Medium

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Apple walnut babka muffins are filled with apples wrapped around a buttery brioche-style dough.

By: Chrissy

Ingredients

For the dough:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 cup whole milk, warmed
1 packet dry active yeast
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature
For the filling:
2 apples, cored and small-diced (use your favorite apples!)
splash of apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
4 TB unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup maple butter (warmed) OR 1/2 tsp maple extract
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
For the crumb topping:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3 TB unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions

Step 1 Make the dough:
Step 2 In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the milk with the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk and sprinkle the dry ingredients on top. Mix at low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix at medium speed until all of the dry ingredients well combined and the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, bit by bit and mix at low speed until it is fully incorporated and a tacky dough forms, about 3 minutes
Step 3 scrape down the side of the bowl as needed during mixing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Step 4 Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat the paper with butter. Scrape the dough out onto the parchment paper and cut the dough in half. Pat each piece into a neat square. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Step 5 Make the apple filling and crumb topping:
Step 6 Combine the apples, cinnamon, cloves, vinegar. Give it a stir and set aside.
Step 7 Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the melted butter until the mixture resembles small crumbs.
Step 8 Assemble the muffins:
Step 9 Prepare 2 muffin pans with butter. Roll out the first packet of dough to a 16″ square and paint with melted butter. Spread the apple mixture along one side of the square. Starting with the apple edge nearest you, tightly roll up the dough square jelly roll–style into a tight log.
Step 10 Roll the second packet of a dough as you did the first and paint with melted butter. Working quickly, spread the warmed maple butter over the entire square, followed by the chopped walnuts. As you did the first roll, roll into a tight log.
Step 11 Using a sharp knife, cut the logs in half lengthwise. With one 1/2 log of apple long and 1/2 log of nut log, twist the dough (as if you were braiding it) to form spirals, working to keep all the apples and walnuts into the dough as you can. Repeat with the remaining 2 logs. Slice each twisted log into 9 spirals. Layer two pieces of babka dough into each muffin cup, pinching the dough to expose the filling and layering the pieces atop one another. Repeat until 18 muffin cups are filled.
Step 12 Divide the crumb topping evenly over each of the 18 muffins.
Step 13 Cover the muffin tins with a towel each and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
Step 14 Preheat the oven to 375°. Bake the muffins in the center of the oven for about 18-20 minutes, until puffed and well browned.
Step 15 Let cool in the muffin tins at least 15 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.