Make Batter

1. Preheat oven to 400º
2. Grease muffin tins with melted butter or nonstick cooking spray and set aside
3. Put the eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat briskly with a fork to break up the yolks
4. Add the sour cream and 1 cup maple syrup. With a hand mixer, beat on low until well blended
5. Combine flour, baking soda and bran flakes. Add to the egg mixture in two stages, beating on low until blended each time. Allow batter to sit 5 minutes to soften the bran flakes

Add Hazelnuts, Portion & Bake

1. Fold in the hazelnuts and spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each cup three-quarters full
2. Bake about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean

Make Maple Butter Sauce

1. While muffins bake, heat a skillet on high
2. Add 6 tbsp of butter and ⅔ cup maple syrup, stirring until the butter is melted and the mixture is blended
3. Once blended, divide the mixture, half into a bowl, and half into a measuring cup

Glaze Muffins

1. Remove the muffins from the oven. While still warm, loosen each from its cup, and lift out
2. Place 1 generous tsp of the sauce in the bottom of each muffin cup.  Dip the top of each muffin in the bowl of sauce, then return the muffins to the pan
3. Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving

Note: To hold for later use, slip a plastic bag over the muffin pan, then wrap in foil or freezer paper and freeze.  Reheat for several minutes in a preheated 350º oven before serving