Chocolate chip, the quintessential baker's classic. Simplicity in its finest form.
In all honesty, I prefer my sweet treats rich and decadent to the point of near sickening. I've heard my husband complain of desserts being too rich and this is something I truly can't fathom. Granted, he also doesn't like cake so I'm pretty sure he's certifiably mad.
Even though I will usually opt for 'chocolate mud' I still hold a warm place in my heart for 'chocolate chip'. Choc chip cookies sing of comfort and lazy childhood afternoons, they're unparalleled as a nostalgic treat. Whether it's choc chip cookies, ice cream, cake, or muffins, it's guaranteed to be a crowd favourite.
I wanted the joy of chocolate chip cookies in a more substantial form, but it had to be compact enough for me to lug down to the park for an impromptu picnic with my son. Muffins fit the bill perfectly! I still have a glut of Easter chocolate left over so I chopped some of it up and made these 'choc chunk' muffins. I then grated a bit more of the excess chocolate and mixed it through brown sugar frosting for a choc chip overload. The result? A perfect picnic indulgence!
I'd love to know, what's your most nostalgic treat and are you a 'choc chip' or 'choc mud' kind of person?
Choc Chunk Muffins with Brown Sugar & Choc Chip Frosting
Recipe by A Rhubarb Rhapsody
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients for the Muffins:
- 3 cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup oil or melted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain yoghurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks or chips (I used a mix of dark and milk choc)
To make the Muffins:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F)
- In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add salt and sugar. Set aside.
- In another large bowl whisk together oil, vanilla extract, egg, milk and yoghurt. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Add chocolate chunks to the batter and gently stir until just incorporated.
- Pour batter into well-greased muffin pan.
- (Optional) Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of raw/turbinado sugar over the top of each muffin (this will make the top nice and crunchy).
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked throughout, let them sit in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once completely cooled pipe choc chip frosting (recipe below) on top of each muffin and serve immediately.
Ingredients for the Brown Sugar & Choc Chip Frosting:
- 250g cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 7 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)
- 40g dark chocolate (grated finely)
To make the Brown Sugar & Choc Chip Frosting:
- In a the bowl of your mixer or food processor add the cream cheese, brown sugar and butter. Mix/process until completely smooth.
- Add the grated chocolate and gently stir through until it's evenly distributed.
