Bakery style double chocolate muffins

Let's return to chocolate, shall we?  I think that's always a good idea!

While it's pretty quiet here in this little blog space, my kitchen is keeping busy and continues to turn out a fairly steady stream of baked goods.  As always, the majority of what I bake involves chocolate since it's my very favorite thing (and my family is rather partial to it as well).  Recently, I discovered this great bakery style chocolate muffin recipe that I can now add to my muffin repertoire.  And as far as I'm concerned, one can never have too many muffin recipes since they play versatile roles as breakfast, snack, or dessert!

My muffins are baked in standard size tins but if you make jumbo versions of these, they really could slot right onto a bakery or coffee shop counter.  These double chocolate muffins are moist yet sturdy and firm.  All importantly, they have that crusty, firm top that I associate with bakery muffins.  

We love trying new muffins, especially when they're chocolate ones!  These chocolate muffins not only look the part but have plenty of serious chocolate flavor, which is so important.  Dark cocoa, a combination of chocolate chunks and chips, as well as a little espresso powder, really drives the chocolate flavor home.

Jordan Marsh's blueberry muffins

I've got blueberries on my mind lately.  Certainly because it's that time of year - summer, when fresh berries and berry desserts take center stage, particularly around the 4th of July.  But beyond that, I've got blueberries on the mind since getting back from a short road trip to Maine.  There, it was a constant lookout for wild Maine blueberries in every form - from donuts, to ice cream and lemon tarts!

Though there are no wild Maine blueberries to bake with at home, I made do with the usual garden variety.  And the easiest way I can think of to bake with blueberries is certainly in muffins.  It's lucky that I happened to have spotted "Jordan Marsh's famous blueberry muffin" recipe from i am a food blog not long ago and vowed to give them a try.  

I'd never heard of Jordan Marsh until spotting the recipe but I now know it was a popular department store based in Boston until the mid-90's.  These muffins were served on the top floor of the department store and deemed "the best" by many.  I've been disappointed more than a few time when it comes to my hunt for bakery-style muffin recipes but it truly pays not to give up because I finally found a winner (and I'm doing the happy dance)!  

So I wanted to post this gem of a muffin recipe. It turns out some lovely bakery-style muffins, which I think of as soft and tender yet hearty muffins that sport a signature slightly-domed, golden brown top.  Now these are the muffin tops I've always wanted!  A sprinkle of coarse sanding sugar before baking accentuates the crust.  I just adore these golden craggy tops with its crisp crust.  

And the crispy top and edges (which taste remarkably like Danish butter cookies) give way to soft, moist, cake-like muffin studded with juicy blueberries in the center.  All that and these muffins can be mixed together by hand very quickly.  I'm glad I didn't give up my search for bakery-style blueberry muffins.  i am a food blog tweaked the recipe to make a banana chocolate chip version, which I'm more than willing to try.  In fact, I might have to do some experimenting of my own because this base recipe, and the results it produces, is too good not to daydream about.  

Temps were much cooler when we were up in Maine but we've been having a serious heat wave back home in NJ.  Even with the heat, I still can't resist turning on the oven and baking.  It was definitely worth it in this case!

Sweet potato-chocolate chunk muffins

I had to try these muffins because they combine two of my favorite things: sweet potatoes and chocolate!  On top of that, they are super easy to make.  If you roast and eat as many sweet potatoes as I do, set some aside to give these muffins a try. I'm happy I did!

These muffins are made with mashed roasted sweet potatoes (which basically replaces the liquid - typically milk or buttermilk - in the recipe), olive oil, and whole wheat flour (I used my standard white whole wheat flour), which gives the muffins a nice nutty flavor and texture.  Possibly the best part?  Bittersweet chocolate chunks stirred into the batter essentially guarantees that the muffins will be a hit.  I can now officially say that sweet potatoes and chocolate go very well together!  

The sweet potato part of the muffins might not jump out at you but much like baking with pumpkin puree, it adds moisture, subtle sweetness, and combines nicely with a touch of cinnamon.  It also adds a nice golden color and visuals are important when it comes to eating, right?  My family and I really enjoyed them and I'm happy to include them in my muffin-making rotation.  

Because we had just polished off a batch of double chocolate muffins (I think of those as our "house muffins"), I made a small batch of six of these to try them out.  I wouldn't hesitate to make an even dozen next time because these go down easy and as we all know, homemade muffins are much loved and appreciated.  I'm always happy when the cookie jar is filled and the cake dome has some muffins tucked inside.

Chocolate chip muffins

Here I go with another muffin recipe!  I make no apologies for my muffin-making addiction.  They are so gratifying to make and who can resist the occasional indulgence of eating a little cake first thing in the morning!  So let's have a simple, classic chocolate chip muffin this time.

I always keep an eye out for "back pocket" type recipes and they often fall in the category of muffins.  These are recipes that I know everyone will generally like, that aren't complicated - built off a base of simple ingredients that I usually already have around so I can whip it up quickly.  This simple recipe for chocolate chip muffins that I found in the Damn Delicious cookbook totally fit the bill.

While I've baked and enjoyed more complicated muffins, sometimes you just want to grab a couple of bowls and a few ingredients from the fridge or pantry to make something simple.  That's what we're talking about here.  

These muffins were actually titled "bakery style chocolate chip muffins" and that got me thinking about what makes muffins "bakery-style".  To me, I tend to think of large muffins that are very crusty and brown on top.  These aren't exactly what I picture but when it comes to bakery muffins, I think you also expect a moist and tender one that's also sturdy at the same time.  I think these chocolate chip muffins fall into that description and in general, they're tasty and simple, something you can make on a whim when you have a need or craving for muffins.  I feel that need/craving quite often.

Banana chocolate swirl muffins

I am big on routine.  I get set in my ways and need to remind myself to loosen up and mix things up sometimes.  Lately, we've been adjusting to a new morning routine. With my son starting middle school this year, it means an earlier start to the day. We're out the door closer to around 7:30am rather than the 8am or so timeframe we were accustomed to.  So far, I think I actually prefer the new schedule but I happen to be a morning person.

So when you think morning, you must think breakfast!  With the earlier start to the day, I need a lineup of quick and easy things for us to eat during the weekday mornings. Since my son eats lunch quite early with his fellow 6th graders at school, breakfast doesn't have to be big.  It isn't always a muffin but muffins definitely make the cut for weekday breakfast.  It's one of those things my son eats quickly and it's just so convenient for everyone.

So I've got breakfast and, specifically, muffins on my mind these days. When I saw these chocolate banana swirl muffins in a recent issue of Bake from Scratch magazine, I was happy to try it.  The original recipe was for banana chocolate espresso muffins but I kept it a bit more kid-friendly with just chocolate.

Think marble cake...for these muffins, you mix up a banana muffin batter, then set some of it aside and stir in melted chocolate to make a chocolate version to go with it. I baked the muffins in regular muffin tins rather than jumbo-sized ones as the recipe intended.  I found the thick batter difficult to swirl so I basically ended up with dual components - plain banana muffin on the bottom and banana chocolate on top. Visually, it would be fun to have more of a swirl throughout but I think dolloping the two muffin batters alternatively into the muffin cups - instead of dropping the plain batter in first, followed by the chocolate one, and then swirling - would likely do the trick for a more even incorporation of the two.

All that said, these banana muffins disappeared quickly.  They're moist, fragrant, and flavorful.  It's classic banana muffins, with a punch of chocolate thrown in, making for an interesting bite that you want another one of as soon as you take the first.  It's a pretty good way to start the morning, if you ask me!

Pistachio, orange and chocolate muffins

Call me crazy but I'm still turning on the oven and baking away in the midst of this sizzling hot summer.  Thank goodness for air conditioning!  

When it comes to routine or relaxing through baking, I think of cookies and muffins. They're easy, low-maintenance bakes that are always appreciated around the house. It is undeniable how convenient it is to grab and plate a muffin or two for breakfast on a busy weekday morning, whatever the season!

This time, I made muffins and I zoomed in on one of my favorite flavor combos: pistachio and orange, with a little chocolate thrown in to make it even better. I'm quite fond of this combination in cake and cookie form and I've been itching to make a muffin version, so here we are.

This is a tender muffin, not too sweet, nor too rich.  I didn't feel like I was eating a cupcake in disguise and that could be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective.  You could easily make and top these muffins with a spoonful of glaze (confectioners' sugar mixed with a bit of orange juice or milk) to add extra sweetness on top.  I didn't since I figured the chocolate provided enough richness.

While the recipe I started with called for yogurt, I substituted with buttermilk, which was what I had on hand.  A little fresh orange juice and zest adds bright fruitiness and I tossed in a little vanilla extract to complement it.  Chopped pistachios are stirred into the mix (I reserved some to sprinkle on top).  Finally, I added some finely chopped dark chocolate.  I really liked the chocolate (no surprise there, I suppose) and, in retrospect, I actually wish I had added more because, inevitably, you keep looking for that chocolate bite!

Olive oil muffins

There's a restaurant, Maialino, in New York City that I've heard great things about.  I haven't had the chance to eat there but honestly, there are so many amazing restaurants in NYC that it's impossible to keep up.  

Specifically, I heard a lot about Maialino's olive oil cake and the recipe is available at Food52.  I remember seeing the recipe and being interested but ultimately passing on it because...well, it's hard to explain but in that moment, it seemed like almost too much cake.  It called for a lot of olive oil and I just thought it might be a treat best saved for eating out where you can savor a slice with your mate. 

I still haven't made it to Maialino but now I have a good idea what their signature cake tastes like, thanks to David Lebovitz!  Instead of cake, it's in muffin form (individual cakes we can justify eating in the morning - even better!), which is also how it's available at the restaurant.  It's just what I'd been looking for without realizing it - a small scale recipe!  Apparently, David had brunch there recently and the olive oil muffin made an impression on him so he took the cake recipe available at Food52 and reworked it into muffin form.  All I can say is...thank you, David!  

Now I totally get what all the raves are about.  These muffins are really good.  You might look at it and think it's just another muffin but truly, it exceeded my expectations.  They're moist and flavorful - with fruity extra-virgin olive oil and a flavor of orange, as the batter is infused with fresh orange zest, and a combination of orange juice and Grand Marnier liqueur.  You end up with a full-bodied cake/muffin that has a great mouthfeel in every bite.  My husband and I were both surprised by just how good it was. 

Baking the muffins in these paper muffin molds mimics how they arrive at the restaurant.  I love these baking cups and I'm seriously thinking I need to find a good bulk source because not only are they great to use in a practical sense, they make your muffins and cakes look pastry-shop ready!  The paper molds I used are slightly larger than the ones David uses so for a half recipe, I ended up with 3 muffins (instead of 4).  One made a perfect size for breakfast though you don't want to stop eating at all.  I can tell you they stayed lovely and moist the next day so next time I make these, I will bulk up my output.  

Small batch coffee cake muffins (and other things)

I have been having a great time baking and cooking from Christina Lane's books and website, Dessert for Two.  You might know that I favor small-batch baking; it meshes well for our family of 3 and lets me bake and cook (i.e., have fun) more often.  It took me a while to discover Christina but it's certainly better late than never!  I love her signature small-batch recipes and I've had a lot of delicious success with them.

I know I can't (or shouldn't) post every one of the recipes I've tried but I had to post this one for a small-batch of 4 coffee cake muffins.  They were just glorious!  Plus, I always feel the need to give muffins some love and attention every once in a while because they are just so darn lovable.

These coffee cake muffins have crumb topping not only on top of them but also a bit tucked in the center...because if you're going to eat coffee cake or crumb cake, you want plenty of those sweet crunchy crumbs! 

I whipped the batter up one morning by hand (many of Christina's recipes use a handheld mixer and since I don't have one, I've found they can easily be done by hand with a whisk or a wooden spoon given a little patience) and had these 4 muffins fresh for breakfast.  I was impressed by how nicely risen they turned out, with a sturdy firm cake lightly infused with cinnamon and nutmeg, anchoring all the delicious sweet crumbly goodness.

Some mornings call for a muffin, or two.  Next time you feel like indulging in a sweet treat for breakfast, this is a great way to do that with a little restraint.  After all, it's only 4 muffins...but I think they're 4 fabulous ones!

Chocolate chunk muffins (and a blueberry version, too)

I know that none of us who like to bake need a reason to try a muffin recipe.  Muffins and cookies are just fun to make, and too easy to eat!  So this is the latest muffin recipe I tried: chocolate chunk muffins from the Huckleberry cookbook.

I've never been to Huckleberry Bakery in Santa Monica but I sure would love to.  I was captivated by the beauty of their cookbook, and the food described in the pages. As expected, I gravitate towards simple recipes and chocolate chunk muffins...well, I can make and eat that any day, any time.  

Here's the thing: my chocolate chunk muffins looked nothing like the ones in the cookbook.  They didn't puff, dome, or crack open like I expected from looking at the photo in the book.  I know there are many possibilities for this - from differences in oven types to technique - but while I was disappointed at first, the taste more than made up for it.

These muffins/cupcakes have a wonderfully moist and tender texture - the kind that stays that way for days.  I'll give credit to yogurt and a bit of ground almonds for that. Baked goods made with yogurt don't ever seem to disappoint; it makes for a hefty muffin in the best way.  Because they are so moist and tender, you need to be a little careful to gently lift them out of the muffin tins after baking, especially since, in my case, the muffins spread and turn out with wide, flat tops (which make for very nice crusty, browned edges).

A hefty dose of chocolate chunks certainly doesn't hurt either.  But if chocolate muffins aren't your thing (I suppose that's a possibility), this muffin recipe is a good basis for other types of mix-in's - fruit instead of chocolate [see blueberry version near the end of the post].  But of course, chocolate is totally my thing so I happily went with it during my first go-round, mixing in a combination of 60 to 70% dark chocolate for a little bit of nuance. I added a touch of almond extract to my batch of muffins because of the ground almonds in the batter and because I was thinking about chocolate yogurt snack cakes, which I typically make for my little guy whenever I have extra whole milk yogurt around.

Eating a chocolate chunk muffin with a side of strawberries makes for a balanced breakfast, right?

Once you start, it's hard to stop eating these.  I found myself trying to get at every bite of chocolate encased within the bouncy moist cake.  Looks like I found another way to put my whole milk yogurt to good use!

Super-streusel muffins

The combination of a snow day and the presence of extra sour cream in the refrigerator can be a dangerous thing.  It can lead to the making of decadent treats. For me, it led to the making of these "super-streusel" muffins a couple of weeks ago.

I think our winter started off pretty calmly...after last year's relentlessly long winter and countless snow storms, I initially thought that maybe we would be lucky this year.  Looking at it now, it seems we just had a late start!  We've had our share of snow, a couple of snow days/school closings, and in general, it has been extremely cold and icy out.  All that said, I'm really grateful we haven't had issues with power outages like we did a couple of years ago.  It's hard to complain when you're warm and toasty in your own home.

The cold leads me - and keeps me - in the kitchen, and it seems to be making us hungry all the time!  During a snow day, we seem to be doing the following on repeat: cook-eat-shovel.  I can barely keep up with my fellas' appetites!  But with all the calories we're burning from snow-shoveling, I think we can handle some hearty meals and a few sweet treats.  

And these muffins were one of the sweet treats I baked during the last snow day.  I had leftover sour cream after making the mini chocolate bundt cakes.  Since sour cream always makes me think of coffee cakes, it's no surprise I ended up here with what I'm calling "super-streusel" muffins.  I call them that because these muffins are loaded with streusel/crumb topping - the ratio of muffin to streusel topping is almost 1 to 1.  No one's going to complain about insufficient streusel here!

This recipe I used was intended for large, or jumbo, muffins.  Since I don't have a jumbo muffin tin, I improvised.  I used my regular-size muffin tin and set tall paper baking cups within the openings.  This gave me the height I needed to imbed all that streusel-goodness within.  I bought these paper cups eons ago (they must have been on sale) and I'm happy I finally had a reason to use them.  Alternatively, you could buy and use similar tall parchment cups or make your own!

Instead of following the recipe and doing a layering of streusel in the middle of the muffins and then placing more on top (which would work better if you had the jumbo tin), I kept all the streusel on top of the muffin batter.  To get it all on there, I lightly pressed some of the streusel on top of the batter first and then topped them off with more.

The cake itself is super moist and fluffy, the topping is simply sweet and crunchy. Frankly, these muffins have many of the elements that provide you with an express route to goodness in baked goods: butter, sugar, sour cream...It's full-on muffin indulgence for a snow day!

Chocolate chip-almond muffins

Some people can never have too many pairs of shoes...for me, I can never have too many muffin recipes!  And when I saw a chocolate chip-almond recipe recently, I knew I had to try it asap.

I've been on the lookout for a good almond muffin recipe - preferably one involving chocolate - for a long time.  I'm thrilled I found a terrific one recently.  This recipe comes from Williams-Sonoma Home Baked Comforts and what I really like about it is the addition of almond meal in the batter.  That, along with buttermilk, creates a wonderfully moist, tender, and flavorful muffin!  Throw some mini chocolate chips into the mix and we're really in business. 

Since I was a little concerned that the muffin batter itself might not be flavorful enough, I debated whether I should add a little almond extract or orange zest into the mix.  I settled on orange zest and I'm really happy I did!  The fresh zest contributes such a burst of flavor.  It brings a freshness and brightness to the muffins.  And the combination of orange with chocolate is always a great marriage because one brings out the best in the other.  The orange seems to heighten the chocolate flavor even more.

The recipe was meant for mini muffins but to be honest, I think regular-size muffins are mini enough as it is so I made them standard size!  

When I eat a good muffin like this, I often wish I could reach for another one immediately.  While I certainly wanted another one after I polished off my first, one of these moist, fluffy muffins was almost surprisingly satisfying.  I think it has a lot to do with the almond meal...it adds a subtle richness.

So if you're like me - that is, if you like making and eating muffins, and enjoy the combination of chocolate and almonds (with orange, at that), do give these a try!

Whole wheat banana wheat germ muffins with chocolate chips

A month or two ago, I bought a fresh bag of wheat germ to make these blueberry-banana muffins for my husband.  He really enjoys a good breakfast muffin every so often!  I won't say I was left holding the bag but I did wonder what else I could do with all the leftover wheat germ since I hate to waste and always have this burning desire to make use of everything (at least, before their expiration date). I got lucky and spotted this whole wheat banana wheat germ muffin recipe that really caught my eye.

These muffins are made with whole wheat flour and wheat germ, sweetened with honey.  Chocolate chips (somewhat) optional.

It helped that the muffins I spotted were beautiful (with puffy domed tops that I was not able to achieve likely due to my over-zealousness when it comes to adding bananas) and had a Nutella swirl on top to boot (as you can see, I opted for miniature chocolate chips).  The other major selling point was how wholesome these muffins are...dare I say these actually qualify as healthy muffins?

When I say "healthy", I mean they are made with whole wheat flour (I like to use white whole wheat) and wheat germ.  That's it - no other flours.  Aside from the bananas, they are simply sweetened with honey.  There's a bit of canola oil involved, and I opted to include some chocolate chips just to make sure I wasn't being too virtuous.

I can be a little too generous with my banana measurement...my muffins were super moist

I was a little skeptical about the whole wheat flour-wheat germ combo going in but I couldn't resist such a potentially great use of my bag of wheat germ.  And you know what?  These are some good muffins!  They turned out flavorful and very moist - all the more so since I was a little heavy-handed with the mashed bananas.  Though that meant I ended up with rather sunken muffin tops, you won't find us complaining about too much moisture in a muffin!

My husband enjoyed these and even the picky 8-year old was a fan, and he can be rather picky about his banana muffins!  I'm glad he liked these because they are far less sweet and much healthier than his favorite banana muffins.  I would be happy to make these often and feel good about having them for a quick breakfast.  I hope you give it a try if you're a fan of muffins or if, like me, you find yourself with some wheat germ on hand that you need a good use for!

Blueberry oat muffins

Last Sunday, on a rainy afternoon, I thought I'd make a batch of muffins. It's always a good time to make muffins.  Lately, I've been inspired by Cooking Light's Healthy Habits Cookbook, which I picked up on sale after the holidays.  It isn't a diet book by any means, or necessarily a cookbook though there are a good amount of recipes in it.  It essentially consolidates the 12 healthy habits the magazine had been discussing throughout the past year into one place.  I'm glad I bought it because it's like a good reference book; there are a lot of useful information, healthy recipes, and tips that I see myself going back to for inspiration.  

Ground oats and plenty of blueberries in these muffins

These blueberry oat muffins are one of the recipes in the book.  I feel like you can never have too many muffin recipes in your arsenal so I'm always interested in trying a new one out.  Muffins are just easy to whip up and they make for a great snack, treat, or a sweet breakfast if you're so inclined.  My husband's sweet tooth is activated from the moment he wakes up til bedtime so he's always game for muffins.  With a tight schedule in the morning, they make a quick breakfast option on some days for him, too.  The goal, of course, is to find recipes that are more muffin than cupcake.

They turned out more moist than I expected...the brown sugar helps

My husband had recently requested blueberry banana muffins, which I (eventually) made and he polished off.  I thought these blueberry oat ones would be a similar alternative that he'd also like. And happily, I was right.  We both like the sweetness from brown sugar and the background note of cinnamon here.  We also like the flavor and texture from ground oats and whole wheat flour. Buttermilk, along with a little canola oil, provides moisture.  Of course, there are plenty of blueberries, which adds even more moisture, along with some lemon zest that just goes so naturally with it.

I made a half recipe, or 9 muffins.  Using frozen blueberries, it's easy to put a batch together.  The muffins stayed moist for a couple of days at room temperature and I stowed a few away in the freezer for a quick breakfast to come.  The freezer has become a very good friend of mine these days.  

I sprinkled turbinado sugar over the top of the muffins for a little texture

Leftover oatmeal muffins

Am I a little weird for being very excited about a recipe for "leftover oatmeal muffins"?  This might be a bore to non-oatmeal lovers but if you're a fan like me, you might enjoy this as much as I do.  I've been casually looking for a good oat muffin recipe for a long time since I adore oatmeal and oatmeal cookies.  I haven't had much luck but then Molly came along recently with something very interesting...

This one's for my fellow oatmeal lovers: Leftover steel-cut oatmeal muffins, with walnuts and mini chocolate chips

Why had I never thought of oatmeal muffins?  As in cooked oatmeal in the muffins as opposed to using rolled oats.  And I get to use my favorite steel-cut oatmeal at that.  I loved the idea and I had to try it.  

To explain why I really wanted to make these, you have to understand that I really, seriously, love oatmeal - crunchy, chewy steel-cut oats, to be exact.  I buy tins of McCann's Steel-Cut Irish Oatmeal almost as regularly as I buy eggs and milk.  I eat it almost everyday, not because I'm purposely trying to be healthy but because I honestly crave that texture and it fills me up properly. My son once asked me why I always eat oatmeal at dinner because I often have it as the carb portion of my meal.  I had to explain that I just really love it; he's used to it now and accepts it as one of my quirks.

The bulk of these muffins: leftover steel-cut oatmeal and a blend of walnuts and miniature chocolate chips

So maybe it'll come as no surprise that I really, really dig these oatmeal muffins!  They are hearty, not heavy.  With very little butter and just a bit of milk in them, the flavor is mild but texturally, they're a little magical because the steel-cut oats snap under your teeth in a very satisfying (at least, for me) and somewhat unusual way.  If you use old-fashioned rolled oatmeal instead, I imagine you'd get the more standard chewy texture, which is surely not a bad thing at all either.    

These muffins leave some room for add-ins and I went with walnuts and miniature chocolate chips. You could use other nuts or some fruit.  I feel like you could never go wrong with the subtle crunch of walnuts in baked goods and I'll grab any chance to add a little chocolate into anything so those were my natural choices, and I'm sticking with it.   

I think it's safe to say that no one will mistake these muffins for cupcakes and that's perfectly suitable here.  I feel good eating it.  The bits of chocolate chips add just enough allure and a little extra sweetness to make the muffins satisfying.  Because there's just a small amount of butter in these muffins, they are one of those baked items that are inevitably best fresh.  In fact, they taste best fresh from the oven, eaten while they're still warm. 

I made a small, half batch, of these in my first endeavor because of that very reason but I'm happy to report that a day-old leftover oatmeal muffin was still very tasty after it'd been refreshed for a few minutes in a warm oven.

One last thing...in my attempt to jazz things up and since it was on hand, I had the idea of crumbling some homemade granola over the top of the muffins so I tried it on a couple of them.  In the end, I discovered that granola makes a great add-in for cookies but they have no place here. It just did not work well on these oatmeal muffins.  All of us (surprisingly, even including the little one who I thought the crunchy top would appeal to) much preferred the muffins without the granola.  It was just too distracting and took away from the gentle warmth and snap of the oatmeal muffins.  There's no knowing without trying, I suppose, but I won't be doing it again...and I do plan to make these again.

I can finally say I found myself a good oatmeal muffin recipe.

Orange-hazelnut muffins

This Monday morning is the official start to our summer vacation!  Second grade has officially wrapped up for the little one and he is eager and more-than-ready to enjoy the leisurely summer days ahead.  We have a few short camps and activities on his schedule but plenty of time left to just chill and be.  (Wish me luck!)

I've got breakfast on my mind because now that summer is here and we don't need to make it to school before 8:15am, there will be time to experiment with breakfast and to have pancakes on weekdays!  We all enjoy muffins and I'm always on the lookout for a new recipe.  I'll even have time to make them fresh in the morning (though I personally prefer muffins as a midday snack or even as dessert).

Muffins are great because, in the majority of cases including this one, they are just so easy to put together.  Since I'm not a big fan of most icings or buttercream, muffins are also perfect for me since I can just focus on the cake.

These are orange-hazelnut muffins, a recipe I slightly adapted from the latest July issue of Cooking Light.  I love hazelnuts and anything with orange zest so these flavors called out to me.  Plus, they are a breeze to make and healthy with hazelnut meal (I'm all for healthy fats like the kind from nuts), just a touch of sweetness from honey, and a bit of milk and canola oil in the batter.  

The original recipe calls for agave nectar but I used honey instead.  I wish I was a fan of agave but I'm not.  I admit I've only used agave once so maybe I need to give it more of a chance but I just find the flavor too strong.  I think maple syrup would also be a good, easy substitute here too.  

This recipe makes 12 mini muffins but I opted to go for a small batch of 4 regular size ones instead for our breakfast.  Call them muffins or snack cakes, they are fragrant with the nuttiness from hazelnut meal and the fresh flavor and aroma of orange zest and a bit of fresh juice.  They are moist though without butter in them, I wouldn't call them rich, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  The texture is a bit like a corn muffin actually.  Again, not a bad thing.  I think these make a great breakfast muffin or a light snack.