ScarlettChocolate Mini Muffins with Toasted Hazelnuts
July 9th 2008 14:44
Chocolate Mini Muffins with Toasted Hazelnuts
About muffin
A muffin is somewhat like a small cake, and though it does resemble a cupcake in that they both have cylindrical bases and rounded conical tops, they usually are not as sweet as cupcakes and generally lack frosting; savory varieties (such as cornbread muffins) also exist. They generally fit in the palm of an adult hand, and are intended to be consumed by an individual in a single sitting. A muffin can also mean a different baked good, the smaller, disk-shaped English muffin, although this usage is uncommon outside Britain. As American style muffins are now sold in the UK, the term can refer to either product, the context usually making clear which is meant. There are many varieties and flavors of muffins made with a specific ingredient such as blueberries, chocolate chips, cucumbers, raspberry, cinnamon, pumpkin, date nut, lemon, banana, orange, peach, strawberry, boysenberry, almond, and carrot. These ingredients are then baked into the muffin.
Muffins made from cornmeal are popular in the United States. Similar to cornbread, they can be eaten with butter or as a side dish with stews or chili.
Muffin paper cups are round sheets of paper, foil or metal, with scallop-pressed edges, giving the muffin a round cup shape. Their shape can be compared to that of a disposable coffee filter. Muffin paper cups are used to line the bottoms of muffin pans, used in the baking of muffins to facilitate the easy removal of the finished pastry from the muffin tin.
The advantage to cooks is easier removal and cleanup, and moister muffins; however, using them will prevent a crust.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 24
50 gm / 2 oz dark chocolate with 70-75% cocoa solids, roughly chopped
150 gm / 5oz plain flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 dessertspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
40 gm / 1½ oz golden caster sugar
120 ml / 4 fl oz milk
50 gm / 2 oz butter, melted and cooled slightly
For the topping
50 gm / 2 oz hazelnuts, rouoghly chopped
75 gm / 3 oz dark chocolate with 70-75% cocoa solids, broken into pieces
1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF. Well greased two 12 hole mini-muffin tins or lined with mini-muffin paper cases.
2. Toast the hazelnuts for the topping, place the chopped nuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the pre-heated oven for 5 minutes; it’s important to use a timer here.
3. For the muffins, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, sugar, milk and melted butter.
5. Return dry ingredients to the sieve and sift them straight on to the egg mixture, this double sifting is essential because there won’t be much mixing going on.
6. Take a large spoon and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones, quickly, in about 15 seconds. Don’t be tempted to beat or stir, and don’t be alarmed by the rather unattractive, uneven appearance of the mixture: this, in fact, is what will ensure that the muffins stay light.
7. Fold the chopped chocolate into the mixture, again with a minimum of stirring; just a quick folding in.
8. Divide the mixture among the muffin cups, about 1 heaped teaspoon in each.
9. Bake on a high shelf of the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, until well risen.
10. Then remove the muffins from the oven and cool in the tins for 5 minutes.
11. Transfer the muffins to a cooling tray.
12. Meanwhile, make the topping. Place the broken-up chocolate in a small heatproof bowl, which should be sitting over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
13. Keeping the heat at its lowest, allow the chocolate to melt slowly, it should take about 3 minutes to melt and become smooth and glossy.
14. Remove from the heat and give it a good stir, then let the chocolate cool for 2-3 minutes.
15. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, spoon a little melted chocolate on to each one, and then place them back on the cooling tray.
16. Scatter the hazelnuts over the top of each muffin.
**From “The Delia Collection Chocolate” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**
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