Double Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins

Why is that whenever a recipe has the word "cinnamon" in the title, only 1/2 a teaspoon or 1 teaspoon of it is listed in the ingredients? In my opinion, for a dish to have the word "cinnamon" in the title- it needs around a tablespoon- at least!

And so when I read the recipe for 'chocolate "cinnamon" muffins' in my Marks and Spencer cookbook, I scoffed.  Half a teaspoon? Really? Ohh no, I'd add three more teaspoons, yes I would.

And that's what I did. Cinnamon works really well with cocoa powder.. And makes your kitchen smell like heaven. I just wish our oven was in the inside kitchen so that the whole house could smell like muffins. Or whatever it is that I'm baking. But an outside kitchen does have its benefits- especially when you have guests over and don't want the house smelling like onion and garlic.

But back to muffins, I love making them, perhaps because I don't make them that much. And also, the super-risen texture of it makes them look wholesome. There are so many ways that you can vary muffins, and make them savoury, unlike cupcakes, so that muffins make a great snack any time of day.

Anyways, without further ado, I present to you my modified version of chocolate cinnamon muffins.

Ingredients
butter, for greasing
225g plain flour
55g cocoa powder
1tbsp baking powder
4tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
115g soft light brown sugar
160g chocolate chips
2 eggs
250ml milk
85g butter, melted and cooled

Procedure
Preheat oven to 200C. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in sugar and chocolate chips.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl then beat in the milk and butter. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.

Spoon into prepared muffin tin and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until well-risen and firm to the touch. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar if desired. (which I did but didn't take pictures of because the muffins were already in my tummy).

*

I got an idea for "gourmet" muffins.. I wanted to serve these with a scoop of vanilla icecream and some caramel or butterscotch (or even chocolate) sauce drizzled along the middle of the muffin and ice cream scoop....something like my version of a peach melba.

Corn Muffins

Light and Airy Corn Muffins

These corn muffins were a breeze to prepare. 10 minutes tops. And 20 minutes in the oven. Perfect for a snack if you're hungry and great for breakfasts! AND picnics (which was where I took these muffins to). 

Recipe

Ingredients:

Oil, for greasing

175g plain white flour

1tbsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

115g medium polenta

2 medium eggs

250ml milk

6tbsp sunflower oil

175 frozen sweetcorn kernels

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 200C. Grease 12-cup muffin tin. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper into large bowl. Stir in polenta. 

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl then beat in the milk and oil. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients, pour in beaten liquid ingredients and add sweetcorn. Stir gently until just combined. 

Spoon mixture into prepared muffin tin. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until risen and golden brown. 

Serve warm or cool. 

Raspberry Crumble Muffins

I love how these photographs have turned out!

My friend Raisa (twitter: @raisa_z) edited them. We are now going to collaborate on the photographs where I take them and she edits them!

These were some raspberry crumble muffins I made for a picnic in the park. The occasion was a staff gathering for all of us who work at the Writing Center at AUS. The weather was fabulous and the company was great. I hadn't had a picnic in the park in so long and this was definitely fun.

Enjoy the pictures! :)

More Pictures Glazed Breakfast Buns

Glazed Breakfast Buns

These look like cupcakes because I had no other mould or tray to put them in...I would have preferred a shape like round doughballs but these tasted amazing! Moist and light.. they just scream out BREAKFAST! Perfect for a Friday morning.