Maida Heatter's bran muffins yet again

When you don't have walnuts and raisins for your bran muffins, almonds and apples will have to do...  This time I bumped back the sugar and bumped up the molasses and the salt.  

Almond Apple Bran Muffins

Recipe adapted from Maida Heatter

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup dark or light molasses or honey
• 4 egg yolks 
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 1/2 cups bran flakes
• 1 chopped apple
• 1 cup almonds chopped into large pieces
• 1 cup unsifted all purpose white flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 450 and paper a 12-cup muffin tin.  Melt the butter in a pan, remove it from the heat and add the sugar and molasses to it.  Stir to combine.  Separately, combine the egg and the milk.  Then add that to the butter mixture and combine.  Add the bran flakes and stir them in so they absorb the liquid.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and b soda.  Add the wet to the dry and stir til almost combined.  Add the apple and nuts and mix the rest of the way.  Divvy into muffin tins and pop in the oven.  Once the pan is in turn the oven down to 400 and bake for 17 minutes or until the muffins are set.