Courtesy of Rishi Tea

12–18 muffins

Cinnamon Plum Apple Jam (makes about 8 oz.):

• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. Rishi Organic and Fair Trade Cinnamon Plum Loose leaf Tea
• 16 oz of boiling water (fresh spring water or filtered water)
• 2 Tbs. sugar

Hazelnut Muffin (from Williams-Sonoma):

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts*

Cinnamon Plum Apple Jam:

1. Add 2 tablespoons of Rishi Cinnamon Plum loose leaf tea to a heat resistant pitcher and pour 16 oz of boiling water over the tea.
2. Steep it for 5 minutes, then strain out the tea and pour remaining liquid into a saucepan. Add apple to the Cinnamon Plum infusion and bring to a boil.
3. Cook until the apple softens, stirring occasionally. Add sugar in boiling apple mix and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let cool. Then pour into a jar, seal it and store in a refrigerator overnight.

Hazelnut Muffin (from Williams-Sonoma):

1. Preheat an oven to 400°F. Lightly butter the wells of a standard muffin pan.
2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, stir together the butter, sour cream, egg and vanilla. Add the butter mixture and hazelnuts to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.
3. Fill each well halfway with batter. Using the back of a teaspoon, make a small indentation on top of the batter and add 1 tsp. of the Cinnamon Plum apple Jam to each.
4. Bake until the muffins are golden and pull away from the sides of the pan, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Let the muffins cool, then remove them from the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter.

*Tip on peeling hazelnut skin: Spread the shelled hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking pan. Toast in a 350°F oven until the skin begins to flake and the nuts appear golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Rub the hazelnuts together in the towel, rubbing off as much skin as possible.