Triple Chocolate Muffins

 

I confess.  I love chocolate and it doesn't matter what kind of chocolate it is.  Dark, milk . . .   in cakes and cookies . . .  good candy bars, good chocolates . . . pies and puddings.   The only kind I am not fond of is chocolate milk or chocolate ice cream.  I'm not even really fussy on hot chocolate drinks.  I don't know why that is. It is a mystery to me too.



The Toddster of course, he doesn't like chocolate in any form other than chocolate candies or hot chocolate.   I know!  It just ain't human, but I'm not complaining as that always means more brownies for me!!

 

Chocolate Baked goods are notoriously difficult to get a good photograph of.  I don't know why that is.   I apologize for a lack of tasty photos of these fabulously delicious muffins.   No matter how I tried, they just did not want to come out right.  Nevermind . . .



You will just have to take my word for it that they are tasty.  Moist.   Chocolaty.   Stogged full of three kinds of chocolate.  Hard to resist . . . and . . . mine, all . . . mine.   I ain't complaining!

*Triple Chocolate Muffins*

Makes 8 extra large muffins, or 12 regular 

Printable Recipe  

I have just one word for these . . . mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . Warm they are divine.  Cold they are bliss.  Maybe a bit too much like dessert to be a muffin, but why quibble.  A rose by any other name and all that.  

6 TBS unsalted butter

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (115g)

2 cups plain flour (280g)

2/3 cup granulated sugar (126.5g)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (37g)

1 TBS baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk (296ml)

1 large free range egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chunks (90g)

1/2 cup milk chocolate chunks (90g)  

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 4.   Butter a muffin tin really well, or line with paper liners.  Set aside. (Don't forget to butter the top of the tin too!)  

Place the butter and one half of the  bittersweet chocolate into a saucepan.   Melt over very low heat, whisking to blend. (Alternately do in a bowl set over simmering water, taking care that the bottom of the bowl not touch the water.)  Remove from the heat and set aside. 

Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, soda and salt in a large bowl.   Whisk together the buttermilk, egg and vanilla.  Pour this along with the melted chocolate/butter mixture over top of the dry ingredients.  Stir just to combine.  Fold in all of the chocolates.  Divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups.  They should be at least 2/3 full.    

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of one comes out clean.  Don't over-bake.  You want them a bit squidgy not dry.  Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Vanilla Fudge Muffins

Every once in a while I like to revisit something scfrummy which I enjoy eating.  I don't always cook new things every day and today I felt like baking some muffins to enjoy for our breakfast.

 

I don't always feel like having cereal for breakfast and I don't always fancy having an egg instead either.  Sometimes I like to indulge myself with a delicious fresh baked muffin.

 

These ones are particular favourites of mine . . . quick and easy to make and they always turn out fabulous!!  I love them and so does everyone I have ever made them for.



They're are moist and delicious . . . stogged full of lovely bits of fudge and white chocolate chips, and in all honesty you can also add some toasted chopped nuts if you wish.  It doesn't matter what kind of fudge you use.  You can use the fudge chunks that come ready chopped in bags like chocolate chips, or you can use homemade or storebought fudge, any flavour you want, just so long as you cut it up into small bits.

 

I used brown sugar fudge, which turns almost to caramel when it is baked . . . very, definitely moreish. But you can use any kind of fudge you want to . . . chocolate, butter pecan, rum and raisin, vanilla . . . pick your own favourite kind.  Warm, cold or in between, these are winners no matter how you partake of them.

 

Perfect for the lunch box or for a quick breakfast in hand as you are running out the door, or as a January weekday indulgence when the skies are dark and grey and you want something to make your heart smile and make you feel just a little bit special. 

 

They also freeze very well.  I pack them up individually and pop them into the freezer, ready to take out whenever the whim strikes.  You can take the time to thaw them out if you wish . . . or you can pop them into the microwave frozen for 35 to 40 seconds and they will taste like you just took them out of the oven.


 
 I do hope that you try them and if you do, that  you enjoy them even half as much as we do!    These are simply quite scrumdiddlyumptiously tasty!  Perfect to cure those January/after Christmas blues!

 

*Vanilla Fudge Muffins*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Eat while warm for moreish squidginess!  Almost dangerous!

300g of self raising flour (2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
115g of golden caster sugar (1/2 cup)
85g of fudge chunks (1/2 cup)
85g of white chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
125ml of whole milk
100ml of half fat creme fraiche (scant 1/2 cup)
1 large free range egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
60g of butter, melted (1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Butter a 12 hole muffin tin, or line with papers.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, white chocolate chips and fudge chunks together in a bowl.  Whisk the milk, creme fraiche, egg, vanilla and butter together in a beaker.  Add all at once to the dry ingredients and fold together just to combine.  Spoon big dollops into your prepared pan.

Bake for about 20 minutes until risen and golden brown.  Leave to cool in the pan for several minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.  Eat warm for the best flavour.

Note:  Any leftovers can be warmed in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.

Cranberry and Corn Toaster Cakes

  

  

When the kids were growing up we often popped across the border into the US to go shopping, especially when the Canadian dollar was almost on par.   We got a lot of bang for our bucks then!  Food in American was always a lot cheaper and we got tons of bargains.   We would come home with our car boot absolutely bursting!    

One thing I always loved to pick up was the Thomas's Toaster Muffins.  They came in several varities but my favourite ones were always the Corn Toaster Muffins  I am a big fan of corn muffins!    

I found this recipe recently on Serious Eats.  It looked delicious and very similar to the Thomas's Toaster Muffins I had so enjoyed.  I just had to print it out and give them a go.  

I was not disappointed.   They were fabulous!  Not too sweet, with a hearty texture . . . and just the perfect size for popping into the toaster.  Perfect eats for those mornings when you are rushed and don't have a lot of time to spend.  The kiddies will love them too.   

The hardest part for me was fitting my muffin top pan into our oven.   Obviously North American ovens are a lot larger!  We had to use the Toddster's pliers to bend one of the ends up so I could slide it in with ease!  They worked a charm, and in my opinion it was an improvement on the original design!  

*Cranberry Toaster Cakes*
Makes 13 

Printable Recipe  

Tasty little muffin tops that you can just pop into the toaster to heat up.   Easy peasy. 

10 TBS unsalted butter, softened

127g of granulated sugar (2/3 cup)

1/2 tsp salt

2 large free range eggs

255g of fine polenta (1 1/2 cups cornmeal)

140g plus 2 TBS plain flour (1 cup plus 2 TBS all purpose flour)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

6 fluid ounces milk (3/4 cup)

125g fresh cranberries (1 1/4 cups)  

  

You will need several muffin top pans for this. In the UK, you can use yorkshire pudding tins, which are slightly larger.   Alternately you can just bake them as muffins, in which case you will need to bake them longer. 

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.   Butter your tins really well and set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar and salt until light and creamy.   Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  

Whisk together the flour, polenta and baking powder.  Stir into the creamed mixture along with the milk, stirring to just combine.   Fold in the cranberries.  Fill your muffin top cups until almost full.  Smooth over the tops with a damp spatula. 

Bake in the preheated oven until set and golden brown around the edges.  This should take about 15 minutes.   Allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Repeat with the remaining batter until all have been cooked.  

  

When done, stack, placing a piece of parchment paper in between each, wrap tightly and freeze.   When you want to have one for breakfast, just take one out and pop it into the toaster to toast.  Serve warm with softened butter for spreading!  Delish!

Chocolate Sauced Banana Brioche Buns

    

If any of you have been reading my blog for very long you will know by now that I am rather lazy when it comes to cooking.  Not that I am not capable of doing complicated and labor intensive recipes.  I am more than capable . . . but if I can find a quick and easy way of doing something and have it come out top delish, then I am all for it!    

I was watching food tv the other day  while I was dusting, as you do (doesn't everyone??) and I just caught the end of this recipe that a guy (don't even know his hame) was making and it looked simple and easy.  I kind of caught the grasp of what he was/had done and I could remember certain elements and so I kind of threw them together and this is what I came up with.  

I love brioche . . . those sweet, soft butter buns . . . so good with a nice hot drink, or warmed and spread with butter and ham . . . or nutella.   (Don't judge me!)  This recipe used those lovely little finger brioche, along with bananas caramelized under a grill.  

You slip the caramelized bananas into that sweet buttery bun, and then slather it with a rich chocolate sauce, top with toasted almonds and dust with  some icing sugar.   Easy peasy.  

Nobody has to know how quick and easy it was.  It can be our little secret.  I reckon the only way this could get better would be if you added a caramel sauce and some chopped marachino cherries.  Sounds like a banana split to me!

*Chocolate Sauced Banana Brioche Buns*
Makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe  

A quick simple dessert that will have your family licking their chops! 

For the Chocolate Sauce:
4 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate
190g granulated sugar (1 cup )
pinch salt
1 TBS butter
230ml single cream (1 cup)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

you will also need:

2 small bananas

3 TBS golden Caster Sugar

4 brioche finger rolls

1 rounded TBS of toasted flaked almonds

Icing sugar to dust

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to serve 

First make the chocolate sauce.  Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, over simmering water. (Or a bowl that will fit over a saucepan without the bottom touching the simmering water underneath)  Melt slowly, stirring occasionally.  Once the chocolate has melted place the top of the double boiler directly on the burner, over low heat, and whisk in the sugar, butter, salt and single cream.  Cook and whisk to combine and melt the butter.  Increase the heat to medium and cook for a further 4 minutes or so (without allowing the mixture to boil) until the sauce thickens.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Keep warm. 

Preheat the grill to high.  Peel the bananas and cut in half lengthwise.  Place them onto a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with the caster sugar.  Pop under the grill and grill them until the sugar melts and begins to caramelize. Keep an eye on them as it won't take very long.  You don't want the bananas cooked, just glazed.  While this is happening, warm the brioche in a hot oven. 

Take four dessert plates.  Top each with a warm brioche which you have sliced down the middle almost all the way through.  Place a glazed banana in the centre of each.  Drizzle with some chocolate sauce and toss some flaked almonds over each.  Dust with icing sugar.  Serve immediately with either a dollop of whipped cream on top or a scoop of ice cream.  You can pour more chocolate sauce over the ice cream if you wish. 

Note - This will make a lot of chocolate sauce, but no worries as it keeps well in the fridge.  Just reheat gently to use.

Winter Warmer . . . Herbed Tomato and White Cheddar Soup, with Cheesy Croutes

 

I was recently sent a lovely hamper filled with goodies and asked to come up with a "Winter Warmer" recipe using some of them.  There were so many things it would have been possible to come up with one recipe which would use them all, but I certainly can come up with more than a few different recipes using a variety of the ingredients.

The term "Winter Warmers" symbolized comfort to me, something we all long for and cling to when the cold weather hits and this challenge could not have come at a better time as this weeks thermometer has dipped down into single and minus digits!  Brrr. . .

There is nothing nicer when the air gets cold than staying snug indoor by the fire.  The cold temperatures inspire us to eat heartier and soups, stews and casseroles are the order of the day.  When I saw the ingredients in the hamper I was immediately inspired to want to create a hand and heart warming soup.

 

There is nothing nicer to warm the soul on a chilly day than a nice hot bowl of soup. The Toddster he likes thick and creamy soups . . . I like chunky soups.  Today his desires won out and I created him a delicious creamy  Herby Tomato and White Cheddar Soup which I topped with some cheesy croutes to serve.  The soup itself is a testimony to good store cupboard ingredients . . using things like tinned tomatoes (there are some really nice ones out there today) and stock pots.  I used both the chicken stock pots and the herby stock pots to give the soup a lovely rich and herbed base.

I also used thinly sliced leeks.  Leeks give soup such a wonderful flavour don't you think?  The Toddster loves leeks in anything, except perhaps dessert!  I added some sour cream and cheddar cheese to give it added depth and a creamy richness.

I topped it with some crunchy and buttery cheesy croutes.  Not quite rarebits, but little buttery toasted topped with a mayonnaise, onion and cheese mixture which is then grilled until golden brown and bubbling.   They added a lovely touch to the top of the soup and a brilliant presentation. (These croutes on their own and cut into smaller shapes before grilling make fabulous appetizer bites as well!)

Simple and easy enough to enjoy as a lovely light supper, but at the same time rich and flavourful enough to be used as a first course party dish.  Enjoy!  

*Herby Tomato and White Cheddar Soup*

  with Cheesy Croutes

Serves 6

Printable Recipe  

A fabulously flavourful soup made with simple ingredients and topped with tasty crunchy little cheesy toasts.  Easy enough for a simple family light supper or lunch, but delicious enough for company.

2 TBS olive oil

4 to 5 medium leeks, trimmed and washed, and cut into half moons

(white and light green parts only)

4 (500g) tins of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice

(14 ounce tins)

900ml of water

2 chicken stock pots

2 herb stock pots

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

salt to taste

120ml of dairy sour cream (1/2 cup)

120g of grated strong white cheddar cheese (1 cup)

For the cheesy croutes:

6 slices of good white bread, 1/2 inch thick, lightly buttered

3 TBS finely grated Parmesan cheese

3 TBS grated strong cheddar cheese

3 TBS good quality mayonnaise (such as Hellmans)

2 TBS finely chopped red onion

pinch of cayenne pepper 

First make the soup.  Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add the leeks and cook, stirring, until they have softened, without colouring.   Tip in the water, tomatoes, stock pots and cayenne pepper.   Bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.  Cook slowly, uncovered, until all of the vegetables are very soft.  This will take about 20 minutes.  At the end of that time, using an immersion blender (Or using a food processor or regular blender with care and in batches) puree the soup until smooth.  Place back on the heat and bring back up just to the boil.  Whisk in the sour cream and cheddar cheese.   Taste and adjust seasoning with some salt if needed.   Keep warm over very low heat, without letting the soup boil, while you make the croutes.

While the soup is cooking, you can prepare the croutes ready for cooking.  Using a star cookie cutter, cut two stars out of each slice of buttered bread.  Place, buttered side up, beneath a heated grill and toast first on the buttered side, and then on the unbuttered side.   Cream together the cheeses and mayonnaise until smooth.  Stir in the onion, mixing it in well.  Divide and spread an even amount over each toasted croute on the unbuttered sides.   When the soup is done, pop the croutes back under the grill and grill until golden and bubbling.

To serve, ladle the hot soup into individual heated soup bowls.  Top each serving with two croutes and serve immediately.

Note, if you are unable to get chicken stock pots, you can just replace the water in the soup with a good chicken stock, and add up to 3 TBS of fresh chopped herbs.  I would use parsley, marjoram, and thyme.  I would also add a broken bay leaf.  Remove the bay leaf before pureeing.

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

 


I am at heart a rather lazy cook.  I know it may not seem like that, and I can put my shoulder to the wheel when I have to, and often do . . . but basically quick, simple, easy and tasty works for me most of the time.  I had been eyeballing a recipe over on Our Best Bites for a Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread for ages and ages.  Every so often I would go and look at it again, but to be honest . . . it seemed like far too much work and time and so I would walk away . . . lazy gal that I am.



Then today I looked at it again and I thought . . . I bet I could do something similar to that using my baking powder biscuit recipe and it would be just as tasty, but made in a fraction of a time.  And so that's is what I did.  I used all butter in my biscuit dough instead of shortening . . . just to up the scrum factor you know.



I tend to believe there can never be too much scrum factor.  Anyone who's with me on that put up your hands!  I thought so!  I also like to use brown muscovado sugar in something like this.  It kind of melts with the butter into caramel-like deliciousness.  I also added a portion of ground cardamom to the cinnamon because . . . well, can do you ever really get tired of the hint of cardamom in baked goods such as this??  I don't, and I can well imagine you wouldn't either!



They smelled absolutely flippin' delicious when they were baking.  My tin was a bit on the large size, so next time I bake this (AND I absolutely WILL) I will use a smaller loaf tin.  But they did turn out gorgeous, even in a too large tin!



The glaze drizzle is lightly flavoured with vanilla paste and a drop of cinnamon extract.  Have you ever used cinnamon extract???  If not you are missing out on something pretty scrummy indeed.  All told this pull apart loaf was probably one of the best things I have baked in recent months, which (if you follow me regularly) says a LOT!



I do hope you will give my version a go!  I am sure you will just adore it as we did.  I do so love it when one of my experiments turns out well.  Don't you?

*Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread*

Makes one loaf

Printable Recipe  

If you like cinnamon rolls, you will love this.  Almost instant gratification.  Quick.  Easy.  Delicious.

280g of plain flour (2 cups)

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/3 cup of unsalted butter (75g)

2/3 cup milk (160ml)
softened butter for spreading

135g of soft brown muscovado sugar (2/3 cup)

1 TBS ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

For the glaze:

130g of icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)

drop of cinnamon extract

1/2 tsp vanilla paste

1 TBS warm water as needed

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Butter a medium sized loaf tin well.  Set it aside.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.  Whisk in the salt.  Drop in the butter and cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.   Using a fork, stir in the milk to make a soft dough.   Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a few times.  Roll out to a large rectangle which is roughly 1/3 inch thick. 

Spread generously with softened butter.   Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom.  Sprinkle this over the butter evenly, pressing it lightly to adhere.    

Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the rectangle in half down the middle lengthwise..  Place one half, flour side down, on top of the other. 

 

Cut into large squares and stack the squares, having the floured side of one on the bottom and the floured side of another on top.  Carefully turn on to it's side and place into the buttered tin.  Not hard to do really.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until well risen and golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin to room temperature.

 

Whisk all of the icing ingredients together into a thick drizzle icing.  Drizzle this over top of the loaf.  Remove from the tin.  Pull apart into slices to eat.  Fabulous!



Can we talk about butter for a minute here?   My butter of choice for baking and just eating has always been Lurpak, the Danish butter.   I had never even heard of it before I moved over here to the UK in 2000, but it was love from the very first taste for me.  It just tastes consistently good.

 


My results are also always consistent when I use it in my baking.  The salted is not TOO salty in taste and the sweet (unsalted) is just right.  I have tried cheaper brands, store brands, etc.  but I always come back to Lurpak because that is what I like the best.   Just saying is all . . . they haven't asked me to tell you this.  I just wanted to share, especially as there is a fair bit of butter in today's recipe.  I thought you may want to use the best.   Pure and creamy and perfect in every way.