Chocolate Chunk Muffins (small batch)

 

Chocolate Chunk Muffins. I have been making, baking and enjoying this recipe for about 18 years now. It is a recipe I found on the RecipeZaar site way back when there was a RecipeZaar.  I wish I could remember the name of the girl I got it from.

She was from India and her name just escapes me. (Senior's brain funk)  She was a very nice girl, and called everyone Auntie.  I hate it when my brain does that! Forgets things it should remember.

 

The original recipe used chocolate chips, instead of chocolate chunks, but made a dozen beautiful, most and delicious muffins.

I halved the recipe to only make six and have been baking it ever since.  I also switched out the chocolate chips for chocolate chunks.

 

These muffins are a bit cakier than muffins that I usually bake, but they are also not quite like cupcakes, so I think they still qualify as a muffin.

They have a moist and tender crumb from the use of sour cream (or yogurt) in the batter. Sour cream has a magical quality that always makes things tender and moist.

 

I added the bicarbonate of soda myself.  There is not a lot, but I was always taught that you need a bit of bicarbonate of soda when you are using something acidic in baking such as buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt.

It helps the baked good to rise better, and as you can see works perfectly here.  And it is such a small amount that you don't taste it.

 

If there is one major complaint that I have about ready made baked goods, baking mixes, etc. it is that far more often than not, they taste enormously of baking soda and baking powder.

I hate that and I hate that astringent almost burning feeling it gives to your mouth. If I want astringent I will suck on a lemon thank you very much!  

And I can guarantee it will be a lot more pleasant!

 

Don't you love my hot pad?  My friend Ginny from New Hampshire makes them.   She created this with the color of lilacs because she knows I love them.  It is such a well made hot pad.

Nice and thick, and it is beautiful.  Even more so because it was the gift from a friend.

 

Although the original recipe used chocolate chips, I like to use chocolate chunks. And I like to cut them myself.

Any good bar of chocolate will do, one that contains a high percentage of cacao.  They give you more of a chocolate whammy than traditional chocolate chips.

I like to use Green & Blacks organic milk chocolate bars for my muffins. They are really delicious and are not as sweet and milky as traditional milk chocolate.

They taste almost like a dark chocolate, but a bit creamier and work beautifully in these.  I also use them for my Butterscotch Blondies.  Oh boy are they some good.

 

I used to make them often for the Mr when I worked at the Manor.  He loved them. He had a bit of a sweet tooth. He used to get me to bake my chocolate chip cookies for him every week as well.  The blondies were a bit of an extra treat now and then. 

He also love, Loved my Banana Bread.  He would request a loaf of that every second week or so. He liked it toasted in the toaster oven and spread with butter.

 

Mind you they had their own private gym, swimming pool and tennis courts. I reckon you can indulge more in things like that if you are going to burn off the calories.

I've been burning off calories by walking.  I try to get in as many steps as I can each day.  I don't have a pedometer. I just count them by hand and mark them down, keep a record.

 

Back to the muffins. Sorry I got distracted.  They mix together a bit differently than most muffins do. You begin by creaming together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Like a cake.

Then you beat in the eggs and vanilla.  The flour, baking powder, soda and salt get sifted together and then added alternately with the sour cream.  Folding it in just until everything is combined. Do not overmix as with any muffin.  

The batter does not need to be smooth, just evenly moistened.  You fold in the chocolate chunks at the end.  (I just cut the bar into sections and then chunks. Sorry I should have explained that earlier.)

These are a really nice muffin. Tender and moist, with just enough chocolate.  They also keep very well for a couple of days. You can freeze them if you want to keep them longer if you wish.

No need to thaw, simply reheat for about 30 seconds in the microwave.

They go beautifully with a hot cuppa . . .  tea . . .  java . . .  herbal teas, or even a glass of cold milk.  They just go beautifully.  They're delicious and well worth having the oven on for 15 minutes!

Chocolate Chunk Muffins (small batch)

Yield: makes 6 muffins

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 18 MinTotal time: 28 Min

This is a really great chocolate chip muffin. Moist and delicious and loaded with plenty of chocolate chunks!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (140g) all purpose plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1/3 cup (85g) butter
• 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar (In the UK use castor sugar)
• 1 large free range egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (60g) sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup (90g) good chocolate, cut into chunks

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6.  Butter a six hole muffin pan really well.  Set aside.  (Alternately you can line with paper liners.)
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt.  Add this mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream, mixing together just to combine.  Begin and end with dry ingredients.
4. Fold in the chocolate.
5. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, filling them 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown and well risen.  A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean. 
7. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
8. Delicious served fresh and slightly warm.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

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