Double chocolate avocado muffins

This recipe comes form the muffin tin mania blog.  It was interesting to find out that there is another person who is addicted to his muffin tin :). When I saw avocado in one of the recipes I have decided to try it out. When I tasted the muffins I was surprised not to taste any avocado. Personally I think hiding vegetables in a cakes is a brilliant way to introduce veggies to the children. I have to say my girls had no clue that something healthy is hiding inside their pudding. Those muffins were tasty, very chocolaty we really enjoyed them.

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 240 whole wheat flour
• 60g cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 medium -sized ripe avocado
• 210g maple syrup
• 175 ml milk
• 70g coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g chocolate chips
• 70g walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, cloves, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, salt into a big bowl and whisk well.

Peel off the avocado, remove the stone and put into blender. Add the maple syrup, coconut oil* and vanilla and blend until smooth.

* coconut oil turn into butter in room temperature you have to meld it down to turn it back into liquid

Pour the wet ingredients into dry ones. Stir until just moist. Then fold in chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into baking tin. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Remove form the oven and cool down a little bit.

Enjoy !

Express way chocolate dessert

This is chocolate heaven. Perfect, divine ... and extremely easy to make. I think every chocoholic would be delighted. It is crunchy on the top with melted chocolate hiding inside. It can be transferred on the plate but for some reason I couldn't do this with mine. But I think they looked lovely hiding in ramekins.

Ingredients for 6 desserts:

• 300g chocolate
• 100g butter
• 130g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 60g flour
• pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 200. Grease ramekins and set aside.

Put the butter and chocolate chunks into a bowl and melt the together. You can put the bowl into microwave or place the bowl on top on the pot with hot water. Stirring all the time. When chocolate and butter are melted put the bowl aside.

Break the eggs and place the in separate bowl, add the sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Then add the melted chocolate and stir. At last but not at least stir in the flour and salt. 

Pour this thick mixture into the ramekins. Insert into oven for 15 - 20 minutes. 

The batter will rise a lot while baking then will decline  a little bit. 

You can serve them warm with an ice cream or a whipped cream.

Enjoy !

Apricot coconut muffins

Very tasty small buns. Packed with dessicated coconut and small chunks of dried apricots. Not too sweet, not too dry, perfect. Delicious snack. 

Ingredients for 24 muffins:

• 300g self rising flour
• 125g butter
• 165g caster sugar
• 150g dried apricots
• 90g dessicated coconut
• 180ml milk
• 2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. 

Chop the apricots into smaller chunks and set aside.

Sift the flour add the butter and mix them with your finger until resemble sandy texture. Then add the sugar, dessicated coconut and apricot chunks. Combine all dry ingredients together.

Break the eggs into measuring cup, whisk it with fork. Stir in the milk. 

Pour wet ingredients into dry ones. Combine them all until just moist.

Spoon the batter into prepared earlier baking cases. Bake for 20 minutes. 

Enjoy !

Lamington muffins

 

Very popular Australian cake turned into muffins. I would say with good result. Those muffins were very tasty, reach vanilla cake coated in heavenly chocolate frosting and sprinkled with dessicated coconut. The recipe comes for The Australian Women's Weekly. 

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 375g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 165g caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 125g butter or margarine
• 125ml milk
• 60ml double cream

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. 

Melt the butter and set aside to cool down. 

Into a big bowl sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and whisk them well.

In separate jug whisk the egg, stir in the milk and cream. Pour this mixture together with melted butter to the dry ingredients and stir until just moist. 

Spoon the thick batter into the paper cases, fill them 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen and golden on the top. 

When baked transfer to the wire rack to cool down. 

Prepare the frosting.

Frosting:

• 80 ml double cream
• 50g dark chocolate
• 30g butter
• 160g icing sugar
• dessicated coconut 

Combine the cream, chocolate and butter in a small saucepan. Stir over heat, without boiling, until chocolate melts. Remove from the heat, gradually beat in icing sugar. Cover with cling film the bowl with the frosting and place into a fridge for half an hour to cool down until a spreading consistency.  

baked muffins

Put the desiccated coconut into a bowl.

 

 When  ready spread the frosting over each muffin top then dip upside down muffin into a coconut. 

Enjoy !

Hazelnut plum muffins

This is really interesting combinations of flavours. Nutty, a little bit dry cake filled with plum jam. I like them very much and I think those who love nuts will be delighted. As usually they are very easy to make. The recipe comes from 'The Australian Women's Weekly. Muffins"

Ingredients for 12 - 14 muffins:

• 90g butter or margarine
• 370g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 125g hazelnut meal
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 250 ml milk
• 12 - 14 tsp plum jam
• 12 - 14 whole hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Melt the butter and set aside.

Place the flour, baking powder, hazelnut meal, sugar in a big bowl and whisk them together.

Break the egg into a separate jug and whisk with fork. Stir in the milk.

Pour the milk mixture and melted butter into a bowl with dry ingredients. Mix all ingredients together until just combined.The batter is very thick at that stage.

Spoon about one tablespoon of the batter into muffin cases. Then make a well in each muffin and place one teaspoon of plum jam inside. Top with muffin mixture. Place the whole hazelnut on top of each muffin. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. 

 

Cool down a few minutes then enjoy with a mug of tea or coffee:)

 

 

Enjoy !

Sticky toffee date muffins

This is another delicious recipe of Ina Garten. Those muffins are soft, moist coated with sweet and sticky toffee sauce.We enjoy them very much I hope you will too.

Ingredients for 12 - 18 muffins:

• 225g pitted dates
• 450ml water
• 1 tsp soda
• 110g butter
• 90g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 vanilla extract 
• 300g flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp baking powder

To bake those muffins start with cooking dates.

Pour the cold water into a big pot add chopped dates. Bring to boil. Then leave to simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from heat stir in the soda. Be careful the mixture will bubble up. Set aside to cool down a little.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time. Al last add flour and salt. This will create very lumpy mixture. 

Now it is a time to add the date mixture. Pour half of the mixture into the bowl with the lumpy batter. Mix well then add the remaining date mixture. At last stir in the baking powder. This will make the batter to bubble up.

Pour the runny batter into prepared earlier muffin cases. Fill them up to the top as they don't rise much. Bake about 20 minutes.

While the muffin are in the oven prepare toffee.

Ingredients for toffee sauce:

• 110g butter
• 120g brawn sugar
• 80ml double cream
• 1/2 vanilla extract

Combine the butter, sugar, cream and vanilla in a medium size sauce pan. Bring  to boil then reduce to simmer gently for a few minutes until thickened.   

When muffins are baked remove them from the oven and poke with toothpick. Pour over them the runny toffee sauce.

Let them set then spread another toffee sauce layer over each muffin top.

 Enjoy !