CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

The ultimate in boozy dessert is her- chocolate muffins topped with a decadent chocolate frosting and sliced nuts. I had been planning to bake cupcakes from last few days but was tied up with some personal urgencies.  But today I prepared them specially as Christmas is there in 2-3 days. They are probably my favourite cupcakes of all the time. The cupcakes have cocoa powder and coffee powder in it and topped with chocolate chips. The coffee powder enhance the flavour and gives and extra colour. To top them off, used chocolate frosting which is made  with melted chocolate which actually made them more chocolaty and what’s better than having real melted chocolate frosting??? With a cremy frosting, a light but moist chocolate cupcakes is the key to make this perfect combination.  You can make them with any other frosting of your choice but at my place every one is chocolate fan so I made it this way. Everyone loves them and said it was super tasty!! It was so good , I just wanted more…..

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ Cup All Purpose Flour

1/3 Cup Oil [you can use any oil]

1 Cup Sugar

½ Cup Milk

½ teaspoon Baking Powder

½ teaspoon Baking Soda

 1 teaspoon Coffee Powder

3 tablespoon Cocoa Powder

1 tablespoon Vinegar

Choco Chips for garnishing

For Chocolate Frosting: [ganache]

250 gms Fresh Cream

500 gms Dark Chocolate

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree C for 10 minutes.

STEP 2 – Keep ready the muffin tray with muffin liners.

STEP 3 – In a bowl add oil, milk and vanilla essence

and whisk it with hand whisker.

STEP 4 – Then add powder sugar in it and mix well till sugar get melted in it.

STEP 5 – Now in another mixing bowl, take all the dry ingredients

and sieve them.

STEP 6 – Mix this dry mix into the sugar- milk mixture

and mix well.

STEP 7 – Don’t over mix the batter.

You have to mix it by cut and fold method with very light hands.[see notes]

STEP 8 – Finally, add vinegar in the batter, mix once

and keep it aside for 5 minutes without disturbing it.[see notes]

STEP 9 – After 5 minutes again give a nice mix to the batter

and then scoop out the batter in the moulds up to ¾ th.

STEP 10 – Add chocochips on the top.

STEP 11 – Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes on 180 degree C.

After 23 minutes check with the tooth pick, if it comes out clean, they are ready, otherwise bake them for more 2-3 minutes.

STEP 12 – Keep them in oven for 5 minutes.

STEP 13 – Remove from oven and keep them on the wire rack to cool down completely.

For making Chocolate froasting: [ganache]

STEP 1 – Take cream in a sauce pan and heat it up on low flame.

STEP 2 – When it comes to boil, pour it on the chopped dark chocolate pieces.

STEP 3 – Rest it for 2 minutes. Then mix it well till the chocolate get completely melted and mixed with the cream.

STEP 4 – Let it cool and then fill it in a piping bag.

STEP 5 – Now pipe out the ganache over the cooled muffins and garnish with chopped nuts or colourful sprinkles and serve.

NOTES: If the batter is too thick add 1-2 tablespoon milk in it and mix it.

Here vinegar helps to start the reaction of baking soda and baking powder and make the muffins light and fluffy.