Raspberry Chocolate Chips Muffins

Last week, I received my first ever cake order from OCT's colleague who wanted to surprise his wife with a birthday cake. I was excited and feeling really stressed at the same time. He didn't specify on the kind of cake he wanted, except for something fruity and in season. And preferably not something covered in chocolate. (unfortunately, that is the kind of cake I like). So off to the market I went, stocking on all the fruits that looked good to me, without the slightest idea of what cake I would be making.

After pacing up and down the various fruit aisles for no less than 6 times, I bought some strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwis and rhubarbs (yay, they are still there!). I would have bought some mango too, if I didn't already have about half a dozen in the fridge. At one point, I was contemplating of making a mixed berries pavlova in place of the birthday cake. Seriously, I wouldn't mind having pavlova for my birthday, but this cake is not about me, isn't it?

I digress. This post is not about the birthday cake either! I will tell you more about it when OCT reports back on the recipient's feedback. I am going to tell you about these simple but awesome muffins I made on Friday night for our weekend breakfast. The inspiration comes from Cook and Eat and the many raspberries that I bought but didn't use in the birthday cake.

I adapted Lara's recipe, and threw in some chocolate chips and meyer lemon zest into the batter. You could use all berries in the recipe, but I craved for chocolate. I couldn't believe that I haven't made any chocolatey dessert ever since we moved to Atlanta! I miss my chocoholic friends S and A in St Louis. And the RK lab that enjoy chocolatey baked goods as much as I do...

Making these Raspberry Chocolate Chip muffins is a breeze. No mixer is required. All you need, is a big mixing bowl and a spatula/wooden spoon to do the mixing. Fresh berries can be replaced by frozen ones. No thawing required. Which I think is an advantage over the fresh ones, and they don't sink as much. (not to mention, the frozen raspberries are cheaper and available year round too!)

The simple and straight forward instructions that gives you the most moist and flavorful muffins which you will make over and over again, until you run out of berries. I was going to savor one of the raspberry muffins for breakfast this morning, but found that none was left! Learn from my mistake: if you ever make this raspberry chocolate chips muffins, hide some in a safe place before presenting them to friends/families. They don't last long.

Raspberry Chocolate Chips Muffins
adapted from Cook and Eat

1 (6 oz container) fat free yogurt
1.5 tablespoons soy milk (or 2% milk or skim milk)
3.5 fl oz (100 ml) canola oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (280g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
zest from 1 meyer lemon (optional)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (or a mixture of different berries)
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners, or grease it and set aside.

Whisk the yogurt, milk, oil and eggs until smooth, then mix in the vanilla.

In a separate, large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the lemon zest, if using; brown sugar and granulated sugar. Then, get your berries. First, pick out 12 of the larger berries to stick on the top of each muffin, and set those aside. Now, stir the berries and chocolate chips into the flour sugar mixture until they are well coated.

Fold in the yogurt mixture, and stir until there are no significant bits of dry flour. The batter will be quite dry, more like scone mixture.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, dividing evenly between each hole. You can fill these all the way to the top… they will rise some, but not excessively. Top each with one of the berries you picked out, and press a few more chocolate chips to the side, if you like.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the tops are nicely golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

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Halloween Treats

Yesterday I whipped up a batch of mocha chocolate muffins with cream cheese frosting for OCT's colleagues. They are meant to be halloween treats.Basically, I just need an excuse to bake something. Since I was only going to bake 12 muffins, in which all would be bring to the lab, I figured I would be out of the temptation of chowing a couple down myself.

This is the second time I used this muffin recipe. I really like the depth of chocolate flavor intensified by the instant espresso powder. I remember reading from a book that instant espresso powder helps to bring out the chocolate flavor in the baked goods. I couldn't agree more. Maybe I will sneak in a tablespoon of espresso powder in my next biscotti project.

The generous batter gave me 14 muffins. Which means I had 2 extra. After I frosted them generously with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles, they went staight to the fridge. Other than the ocassional licking of cream cheese frosting, I hadn't been tempted by my sinful creations. Not yet. But you know, my determination is gone by the time I woke up this morning! In case you wonder, yes, I have eaten one this morning. Right after I woke up, and before I even brushed my teeth.

And as I am typing this, the one left in the fridge is calling me out! I must focus on something healthier. Speaking of which, I have worked out twice this week at my apartment's newly installed gym. They even installed cable, which naturally comes with Foodnetwork, my favorite channel! So now, I can sweat and pant on the treadmill while watching Ina Garten make a smoke salmon fritatta. Not a bad way to spend 40 minutes.

Mocha Muffins with Chocolate Chips and Pecan
Adapted from Bon Appétit April 1995

1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (I used half milk chocolate and half semi-sweet chocolate)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (about 4 ounces), toasted (omitted)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line twelve 1/2-cup muffin cups with paper liners.

Stir 1/4 cup hot water and espresso powder in medium bowl until espresso powder dissolves. Add buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla and whisk until well blended.

Mix flour, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add buttermilk mixture and stir just until combined. Mix in chocolate chips and pecans.
Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups.

Bake until tester inserted into center of muffins comes out clean, about 25 minutes.(mine took about 20 minutes)

Transfer muffins to rack and cool.

The recipe of the frosting, can be found here
Makes 14 muffins.

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