22.07.2008 Matcha Almond Muffins

Let me redirect you to the following post where I first confess to being the owner of a muffin magic machine.

I give you exactly one minute to make fun of me before I start kicking you in the shins.

Now that it’s out of your/my system…

I have no idea why us puny humans feel the need to accessorize our kitchens with more gadgets than anyone with a sane mind should, but I take comfort in knowing I’m not the only one afflicted with the greed-isease.
I try and make it a habit to put such items to use at least once a year so that I don’t feel like I wasted x amount of money on something that’s bound to eventually jump to a certain death from its place of storage out of total ennui.

By the way, holler at me if you happen to be the sole other idiot person who owns that muffin maker machine thing.
(I’m mean, considering it actually works quite well without heating up the whole kitchen. so, HA! in your face, muffin magic-less people! IN YOUR FACE!)

About the recipe: you can safely throw chocolate or carob chips into the batter, but I’m starting to loathe even the thought of anything related to such items lately as I’ve had too much of them & was in dire need of a change.

(For a peanut butter muffin recipe using the beast, click here.)

2/3 cup (147 g) packed light brown sugar
8 ounces (2 individual containers, 226 g) unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons pure almond extract
2 teaspoons rose water
1/2 cup (120 ml) canola oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened soy or other nondairy milk
1 1/2 cups (240 g) brown rice flour
1/2 cup (60 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (16 g) matcha green tea powder
1 tablespoon (8 g) arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2/3 cup (92 g) dry roasted salted almonds, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Line standard muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk sugar, applesauce, almond extract, rose water, oil, and milk, until smooth
In a large bowl, sift flours, matcha, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold wet ingredients into dry, being careful not to over mix. Fold in almonds.
Divide batter equally into liners. (Or fill holes in muffin maker and bake for 14 minutes. You only get to make 3 muffins at a time with it. I use my ice cream scoop to do so, and it scoops about 1/3 cup at a time.)
Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Place on cooling rack. Let cool completely before storing.

Yield: 8 muffins in muffin maker, 12 standard muffins in the oven