Apple Ricotta Almond Muffins

I'm still on my ricotta kick and when I came across an Apple Ricotta Almond Muffin at this cafe called the Little Nest which I frequent when I'm in the area, I just had to try it! Still warm from the oven I got it to go but it didn't last very long! You know when you keep it in the paper bag and think ohhh I'll just have a little taste and save the rest for later..then u keep eating pieces of it until you realize you have eaten the whole thing and are extremely disappointed that there is nothing left in the bag!? Really though, is there anything better than fresh out of the oven baking! Even better was that this muffin had the BEST muffin top! This weekend I was on my way to the farmers market and was close by the cafe, so I called to ask if they had any Apple Ricotta Muffins, the girl said why yes we have one left...! I asked her if she could put that muffin on hold for me and she laughed and said uhh okay...! Serious addiction here people...! I did realize if I keep eating these I too, will have a muffin top!! So I decided to make my own rendition of them at home. Incorporating apples fresh from the farmers market (it's apple season and the variety of apples at the farmers market is ridiculous!), whole wheat flour, unrefined sugar and buttermilk made these muffins moist, sweet and taste just like the ones from the cafe! My only regret is not filling them enough...so if you make these, forget the rule to fill the batter 3/4 full, and go ahead and mound the batter into the muffin tin, this makes the best muffins in the world because it creates that crispy muffin top which we all know is the best part!

A dollop of ricotta in the middle of the batter makes these muffins soo good

I learned my lesson from the first batch, so on my second batch I filled the batter to the top to get a crispy muffin top

Apple Ricotta Almond Muffins (Makes approx 12 muffins)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/3 cup white flour

1/2 cup unrefined sugar (rapadura sugar)

1/2 cup white sugar (or 1 cup white sugar if u don't have unrefined sugar)

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

2 egg whites

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup milk

1 1/3 cup ricotta cheese

3 tbsp canola oil

2 tsp vanilla

2 apples, small dice (I used Ambrosia and Gala)

Topping

1/8 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup almonds (sliced)

Icing sugar

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl or mixer combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In another bowl mix together eggs, egg whites, buttermilk, milk, 1/3 cup ricotta cheese, oil and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients just till incorporated. Stir in apples.

2. Fill muffin pan with liners and grease the top of the pan. Fill each cup 1/2 way with batter, add a dollop of ricotta cheese and fill to the top with more batter. Combine the topping of cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top. Follow with almonds. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. When cooled down, dust with icing sugar.