Apple-Walnut Muffins

What to make for breakfast? I've been doing some experimenting with Shirley O. Corriher's recipe's, from her book Bakewise. Shirley is a food scientist (and food lover). Her pumpkin pie was definately a standout at thanksgiving (and I don't really care for pumpkin pie to be honest, I only make it because my mom really likes it). This morning I came back to a favorite: Dena's Great Apple-Walnut muffins from Bakewise. I haven't found the recipe online anywhere, so I'll post it here.
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cups a.p. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 cup Heath Bar bits (optional)
2 large eggs
1/2 c. canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla
zest of one orange
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 cups peeled, cored, and coarsley chopped apple.

1) while preheating your oven to 425 toast the walnuts in the oven for around 10 min.
take them out toss them with the butter and 1/4 tsp. salt, let them cool then roughly chop them.
2) Mix the dry ingredients and then the toffee bits.
3) mix the wet igedients, including the zest, but NOT THE HEAVY CREAM.
4) Beat the cream until it makes soft peaks.
5) Stir in a little to lighten the batter, then fold in the rest.
6) fold in the apples and walnuts
7) spray 12 muffin pans (this always makes 15 for me. . . ) Fill almost full, sprinkle the tops with demerera sugar if you like. . .
8) Put them in the oven and turn the heat down to 400. . . bake 15-20 minutes.

Shirley swears by whipped cream to make a tender cake or muffin, and you can abuse this batter in ways that would make an ordinary muffin rubbery as long as you do it before you put in the cream. In fact, you might want to abuse them a little because otherwise they can crumble as you take them out of the pan they're so tender. . . My kids love the sugary tops and the big sweet bits of apple in these.