Chocolate Chip Muffins

Another muffin! For the record, I've actually tried other muffin recipes lately that don't involve chocolate; I just don't have photographic evidence of those...

This recipe was very quick and easy, but I wasn't terribly enamored with the final product. They were a little dense and dry. If I try them again, I think I'll lower the baking temperature after the first 10 minutes. Still good for a chocolate fix, though, and they looked nice!

Chocolate Chip Muffins
-2 eggs
-1/2 c. granulated sugar
-1/2 c. light brown sugar
-1/2 c. vegetable oil
-1 t. vanilla
-1/2 c. sour cream
-2 c. flour
-1/2 t. salt
-1/2 t. baking soda
-1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together eggs and sugars. Add in oil, vanilla, and sour cream.
2. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Spoon into lined cups. Bake at 400* for 20 minutes. (Perhaps 400* for 10 minutes, and 360* for 10 minutes.)

Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins

I've been on a bit of a muffin kick for the last couple of weeks. Of the handful of recipes I've tried, this was by far my favorite. They rise quite nicely, and the coffee flavor was perfect. I think they would have been good even without the chocolate chips, but they were an added bonus!

Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins
-2 c. flour
-1 1/8 c. granulated sugar
-2 t. baking powder
-1/2 t. salt
-1/2 c. butter
-2 t. unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dutch-process)
-2 packets Starbucks Via*, or 2 T. espresso powder
-2 eggs
-2/3 c. milk
-1 t. vanilla
-1 1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Melt the butter, and mix in cocoa powder and coffee. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add the butter mixture and the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
3. Spoon batter into lined cups. Bake at 375* for 20 minutes
(*I used the Starbucks Via this time; it's great for baking!)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

After a two week hiatus, I'm back in the kitchen. And a busy two weeks it's been--preparing for Blake's visit, a wonderful long weekend, a bit of a head cold, and the beginning of midterms! There were about a half-dozen different recipes I had been planning to try in that period, so now that I have a little bit of free time, I'm hoping to squeeze in as much baking as possible.

First up--and not on the list of planned experimenting--banana chocolate chip muffins. Why? A few very ripe bananas left over, and some new silicone baking cups to try (the Silpats inspired a craze, I suspect)!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
-1 1/2 c. flour
-2/3 c. sugar
-1 1/2 t. baking powder
-1/4 t. salt
-1 c. mashed ripe banana (~2 large bananas)
-1 large egg
-1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
-1/4 c. milk
-3/4 c. chocolate chips

1. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In smaller bowl, mix banana, egg, melted butter, and milk.
3. Stir wet ingredients into flour mixture until combined. Add in chocolate chips.
4. Pour into muffin cups. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes, until golden on top.
(yield: 12-15, depending on size of muffin cups used)

The bananas that I was persuaded to keep...

The new silicone baking cups (yes, red to match the kitchen).

Yet another silicone success!