Muffins for My Stud Muffin

A long time ago I found this chocolate lovers cookbook for $5 at Borders. Of course I bought it. After going through it in the car, I decided it definitely wasn't worth any more than what I paid for it. One recipe did catch my eye, combining two of my favorite things, Peanut Butter and Chocolate. I made the muffins, I ate the muffins, and I did not like the muffins. They were too bland, not sweet enough, and they just gunked up my palate. There was a positive though, because Glenn liked them. He actually liked them a lot and he still thinks to this day that I am absolutely crazy because I think these muffins are awful.

Now you definitely want to try them don't you? These will certainly appeal to some people. I have a serious sweet tooth, and the sweeter it is, the better it is for breakfast. These are hearty and dense muffins, so be prepared.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Muffin Cakes

2 C self rising flour
1/3 C raw sugar
1 1/2 C dark chocolate bits
1 egg
1 C crunchy peanut butter
2 T strawberry jam
1/4 C (1/2 stick) butter, melted
3/4 C milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.

Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir raw sugar and chocolate bits into the flour until combined.

In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, melted butter, milk, jam, and peanut butter. Mix thoroughly.

Make a well in the center of the bowl with the flour and pour in the liquid mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir everything together until combined. Be careful not to overmix or muffins will be very tough.

Scoop equal portions of dough into the muffin cups. The recipe makes enough for 12 muffins. The cups can be filled completely to the top as this is a very sturdy muffin and will not spill over.

For a nice crunch, I like to sprinkle raw sugar over the tops of the muffins and lightly press down.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

It's Never Too Early For Chocolate

I feel like I have been slacking with the baking. It is quite taxing to look at my coworkers everyday when they walk by my office, look around, and then give me the puppy dog face. Why the puppy dog face? Well, I don't always bring in goodies. I know, I am absolutely awful. Today was especially bad though because it was a rough day at work for EVERYONE. First thing this morning, all the computers weren't working. Then, around lunch time, we had a lovely drug scandal to deal with. I swear, kids are so stupid. I decided that Friday would be a good day to have a pick me up for everyone.

After sending Glenn three links for muffins containing chocolate, he chose the one from Nigella Lawson. I've never actually tried any of her recipes before, so this was my first time. Apparently she is British and the recipe on foodnetwork's website is converted from metric measurements. (seriously, why do we have to be the odd ones out in the states and use stupid things like cups and inches? why can't we be normal like everyone else in the world and do meters and grams?) I looked through the comments on the recipe to confirm that these were good and I should try them, and instead I get a bunch of complainers who say that the recipe is wrong and should actually be 1 3/4 C sugar, and that the conversion is wrong. Ummm, say what now? There is plenty of sugar in these muffins... they are muffins after all, not cupcakes. Whatever, I made the recipe as written and these are nice and fluffy muffins with plenty of melty chocolate bites. I was a bit deceived though, because I thought these were double chocolate, but really, the batter is a light chocolate flavor meant to enhance the chocolate chips. These are perfectly not too sweet and chocolatey, perfect for breakfast.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons best quality cocoa powder
3/4 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 cup milk
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Special equipment: Muffin tin with paper muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips into a large bowl. Pour all the liquid ingredients into a measuring jug. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together, remembering that a lumpy batter makes the best muffins. Spoon into the prepared muffin cases. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top and then bake for 20 (I suggest a minute or two shorter in time) minutes or until the muffins are dark, risen and springy.

Soda Bread = Better Than Soda Muffins

A while back I made soda bread and Glenn and I really liked it. Glenn always brings me home the Bon Appetit Magazine from work and as he was going through it, he spotted a recipe that intrigued him. This was Giant Soda Muffins. Soda Bread is super easy to make and I figured I could just whip those together while the ice cream was being mixed and the brownies from hell were baking because I only need a bowl and a wooden spoon.

Giant Soda Muffins

nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter at room temperature
1 cup raisins
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a jumbo muffin tin (1 cup capacity) with nonstick spray.

Whisk next six ingredients in a large bowl.

Add butter. Using fingertips, blend butter into mixture until it is incorporated and it starts to forms crumbs.

Whisk buttermilk and egg together. Add to dry ingredients and stir to blend.

Spoon batter into muffin cups.

Bake muffins until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 23 minutes.

Remove muffins from pan and cool slightly on rack before serving.