Maple Walnut Muffin for Dad

 
Happy Father's Day to all you dad's out there!  I know some people think that days like this are just a huge money grab for retailers, but I don't care.  I love to celebrate my dad each year in a special way.  Oh, I know  . . .  I love and honor him every day, but what does it hurt to have an extra special day set aside just for dads.  Not a thing!  
 I am about 3 in this photo
Because I am the oldest child I got to enjoy my father for three full years before anyone else came along. I love my father so much.  It is from him that I got my love of reading, my brown eyes, my dark hair, my easy going nature and my bum chin!  Another thing I got from him is everything Maple Walnut!  It is one of his favorite flavor combinations and it is one of mine as well!
 
Having lost my  mom this past January only made my father more precious to us.  He is 84 years old now, and thankfully enjoys fairly good health.  He's got  pacemaker and he has diabetes, but for the most part he does pretty well.  He still drives and goes out every day for breakfast at the local cafe and in the afternoon for coffee.  I wish I was close enough to spoil him and give him one of these tasty muffins!
 
Instead my husband Todd is the lucky recipient! We were not blessed to have any children of our own, but we do have a very pampered Cocker Spaniel and Todd is a wonderful father to her.
 
This fabulously tasty muffin is perfectly sized for one.  Just what you want a special treat for someone to be spoiled with, something that is all their own! 
 
I don't really mind because in all honesty I don't need to many of things like this hanging around my kitchen.  They get in my mouth and that's not a very good thing at all, as my hips will attest to!
 
This is a muffin which is lightly sweetened with Maple Syrup. You could add a few drops of maple flavouring if you wanted to. Its not something we have over here in the UK.  You could use maple sugar also instead of the brown sugar for full on maple flavour! (That I do have!)
 
I always like to toast my nuts before baking with them. It really helps to enhance their flavours and is a really easy do.  Just pop them onto a baking tray and roast them in a moderate oven until you can smell them.  Take them out and let them cool before using.
 
There are toasted walnuts in the muffin batter itself  . . . .  and also in the buttery brown sugar and cinnamon streusel topping!
 
A nice crunch and sweetness to gild the top of what is really a beautiful muffin!  
 
It has a beautiful texture  . . . 
 
Wonderful flavours  . . .  and that crunch on top is in short . . .  perfect.  Todd declared it most delicious!  Of course he enjoyed it hot from the oven with cold butter.  Oh how I wish  . . .
  

Maple Walnut Muffin

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Yield: Makes one giant muffin
Author: Marie RaynerA very generous sized muffin built for one. Sweetened with maple, filled with toasted walnuts and topped with a cinnamon walnut streusel. Bake some loving for your honey bunny today!

ingredients:

• 70g plain flour (1/2 cup)
• 2 TBS packed soft light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• pinch ground cinnamon
• 3 TBS whole milk
• 3 TBS amber grade pure Maple Syrup
• 2 TBS butter, melted
• 1 TBS full fat sour cream (now is not the time to bicker over calories)
• 1 large free range egg yolk
• few drops of vanilla
• 2 TBS chopped toasted walnuts

For the Streusel Topping:

• 2 tsp plain flour
• 2 tsp soft light brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 TBS chopped toasted walnuts
• 1/2 TBS cold butter

instructions:

How to cook Maple Walnut Muffin

1. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Butter a ramekin or baking dish large enough to hold one cup of batter, and dust with flour, shaking out any excess. (I used a  medium round ramekin dish and tied a baking paper hat around it.)
2. Make the streusel.  Combine the flour, sugar, nuts and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until crumbly.  Set aside.
3. Whisk all of the dry ingredients for the muffin together in a bowl. Whisk together the wet.  Add all at once to the dry ingredients and stir just to combine.  Fold in the toasted walnuts.  Pour into the ramekin. Sprinkle the streusel over top.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Fabulously tasty!

Created using The Recipes Generator
 
I will call my father early this afternoon.  Hopefully I will catch him in, in between his forays to the local cafe.   I expect my sister is having him over for supper tonight. Oh how I wish I could be there to help spoil him as well.