This is a no-healthy-muffin-and-certainly-not-a-5-a-day post. I better declare that early because the only thing remotely healthy about this muffin is the fact that I used unbleached organic plain flour but nothing else. NOTHING else.
Right now, I feel terribly clever. Terribly clever indeed for making such gorgeous muffins - like that which you could get at a bakery with coffee - come true in my own kitchen. Yay yay yay says my tummy!
An indulgent, lemony-vanilla, moist, fine-crumbed muffin chock-a-block with the tiny semisweet chocolate chips I love; finished with a demerara, walnut, chocolate chip topping. Now why wouldn't that be the perfect way to start the day?
I suppose now that I've made a muffin so lovely in all its state of unhealthy grace, I should attempt some which are 'healthy'? Is sneaking in a bit of wholemeal flour and some rolled oats into the batter considered doing the healthy thing or an illusion of the healthy thing?
Also, why is it that instead of actually making some healthy muffins, all my thoughts are now completely consumed with glorious visions of lemony Blueberry Muffins and boozy Rum & Raisin ones? Is there no help for me at all?
CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
115g Salted Butter, softened
160g Raw Sugar
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
200g Greek-style Yoghurt
240g unbleached organic Plain Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Scant 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
Mini semisweet Chocolate Chips
Zest of 1 Lemon, grated
Pinch of Salt
Topping - Some Demerara Sugar, chopped Walnuts and mini semisweet Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 140 Celsius. Line a 12-case large cupcake tray with paper cases. Set aside.
Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. Mix the Flour, Baking Powder and Baking Soda in a bowl with a whisk. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the Butter and Sugar for a couple of minutes, just until combined. Beat in one Egg with an electric mixer, just until well combined. Repeat with the second Egg. Add in Vanilla, Lemon zest and pinch of Salt. Next, beat in the Yoghurt. Now, with a spatula fold in the Flour, Baking Powder and Baking Soda into the wet mixture to create a slightly stiff batter. Add in the Chocolate Chips.
Measure out all the batter into the 12 paper cases which have already been prepared. Sprinkle on the topping mixture. Place the tray in the oven and increase the temperature to 160 Celsius. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes until the tops are golden and a skewer poked through the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
