Apple and pecan muffins

1. Pre-heat an oven to 180 degrees Celsius, fan, or equivalent. Fill a six-hole muffin tray with tulip size muffin cases (or a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases).

2. In a small saucepan over a medium heat melt the butter and add the 150g sugar, stirring until fully combined. Remove from the heat and transfer into a mixing bowl. Allow to cool slightly.

3. Stir in the yogurt followed by the lightly whisked egg. Add the vanilla extract.

4. Sieve together the flour, bread soda and cinnamon and combine into the wet mixture. Allow the batter to sit for five minutes while you prepare the apples.

5. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Cut the apple into small pieces (a little smaller than dice size). Fold the apple pieces evenly through the batter.

6. Spoon the batter into large tulip cases (fill to at least two-thirds full).

7. For the crunchy tops, chop the pecans and toss together with the 10g brown sugar in a bowl and sprinkle over the top surface of the muffins.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes for larger muffins. As a cooking guide, they should quickly rise in the first 15 minutes, and then need another  8-10 minutes cooking time after (depending on size) to become golden on the surface and fully cooked on the inside (you can test whether a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean).

VARIATION: For lower fat muffins, replace a quarter of the butter with the grated the flesh of two extra apples (to retain the moisture). Eat same day.