Mint Chocolate Chip Chocolate Muffins

So rich. So good. 

There's really nothing else I can say about these muffins. I adapted this recipe from Sally Baking Addiction's Double Chocolate Muffins so you know it's a good one. My only regret is that I made a small batch. Don't be like me, double the recipe below; you deserve it.

For other amazing muffins, scroll down to see what the other Muffin Monday bakers made today. 

Mint Chocolate Chip Chocolate Muffins

Yield 7-8 muffins

Ingredients 

1 cup (125 grams) flour 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt 

3/4 cup mint chocolate chips 

1 egg

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt

1/4 cup milk 

1/4 cup oil 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

Directions 

Line a muffin pan with muffin liners or grease well. Preheat oven to 425 F. 

Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and mint chocolate chips. In a separate bowl whisk egg, yogurt, milk, oil, and vanilla. 

Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until no dry streaks remain. Scoop the batter into the muffin wells.  You can reserve some mint chocolate chips to sprinkle on top at this point. 

Bake for 5 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for another 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. 

• Cranberry Squash Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mint Chocolate Chip Chocolate Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Sourdough Chocolate Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Sourdough Pecan Pie Muffins from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Turmeric Granola Blueberry Muffins from A Messy Kitchen

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin-loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

Chocolate Chip Nut Muffins - #MuffinMonday

Last week I took a few days off work and it was amazing. It was two years of going non-stop and the last year in particular was HARD. I was struggling to manage my calendar and not overbook myself and just barely making it through my extremely short weekends. I work on Saturdays so it is really just Sunday to get everything done. 

The day I returned to work, I saw this quote on Facebook. "If you don't take a break, your body will take one for you and it won't be a convenient time." So so true. I was really starting to think I was at my breaking point. Never a good thing. My calendar is still a mess but I have made a promise to myself to actively work on making it more manageable and schedule more days off from work.

The plan was to catch up on some baking during my down time but that didn't happen. No worries, I found time yesterday to pull out the baking pans and whip up some muffins. 

It's Muffin Monday so as usual, there are sweet and savoury treats down below for you. Be sure to check them all out. 

Chocolate Chip  Nut Muffins 

Yield:  16 muffins

Ingredients

375 grams all purpose flour 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

pinch of nutmeg 

1 cup sugar 

1 cup milk 

2/3 cup oil 

1/3 cup yogurt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pistachios)

Directions

Grease or line your muffin tins. Preheat oven to 425 F. 

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. In another bowl whisk sugar, milk, oil, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and then gently fold until there are no more streaks of flour. Next, fold in the chocolate chips and nuts. You can reserve some to top the muffins. 

Divide the batter among 16 baking wells - filling almost to the top. 

Bake for 5 mins at 425 F then reduce to 350 F and bake another 8 to 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. 

Notes

Muffin recipe adapted from Sally Baking Addiction. 

• Chocolate Chip Nut Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Fruit Curd Muffins from A Messy Kitchen
• Mocha Oatmeal Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Pumpkin Apple Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Zucchini Feta Muffins from Food Lust People Love

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin-loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

Focaccia Bread Art - #BreadBakers

I have wanted to make focaccia bread art for a very long time but just never had the opportunity. When I offered to host this month's Bread Bakers and chose the theme "Flatbreads", I already knew what I wanted to make. It was going to be amazing. Now, what's that saying? Man plans and God laughs?

Do you know the absolute worst time to need a variety of colourful vegetables? No. Well, let me tell you. It's right after a hurricane has ravaged your island leaving most of the farms flattened so vegetables are scarce and hence EXPENSIVE. Tomatoes and sweet peppers are about US $10 per pound. O my heart. Cabbage? Unthinkable. Hopefully, we can get past this very soon. 

In any event, I pushed on and did something. I made this a few times. The first time, the focaccia was a little blah so for subsequent versions, I made an herb oil for use in and on the dough. That was a game changer and what I highly recommend. 

Focaccia Bread Art

Ingredients 

Sponge

1 cup flour 

1/2 cup water 

a pinch of instant yeast 

Herb Oil 

5 tablespoons olive oil 

Herbs of your choice (I used rosemary and 3 minced cloves of garlic)

Rest of the dough

2 cups flour 

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon instant yeast (or 2 1/4 t of active dry yeast)

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons herb oil from above 

Toppings (your choice)

Remaining herb oil 

Sweet peppers  (in different colours)

Parsley 

Rosemary 

Tomatoes

Zucchini

Escallion

Directions

Mix together the sponge ingredients and let sit at room temperature for 14 hours. 

Add the herbs and garlic to the olive oil and gently warm. You don't need it to be hot. I did this in a bain marie for just a couple minutes. Let the oil sit.

When the sponge is ready, add the flour, salt, yeast, water, and oil. Knead together to make a soft dough. Let rise at room temperature in an oiled bowl for about an hour until doubled. You can also proof the dough in the fridge at this point as well. The slower rise develops more flavour.

While the dough is rising, slice your vegetables and herbs to get them ready to quickly top your focaccia. 

When the dough is ready, lightly spray a baking sheet and also drizzle with a little olive oil. 

Gently pull and shape the dough into a rough rectangle or oval. It should be about 3/4" to 1" thick. Use your fingers to dimple the dough then drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Next, have fun and add your vegetables and herbs in any pattern you desire. Remember to use the herbs from your oil here as well.

Preheat oven to 425 F. 

Let the focaccia rise until puffy. 

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. 

Eat and enjoy. 

• Eggless Keto Naan from Sneha's Recipes
• Focaccia Bread Art from Passion Kneaded
• Magical Oreo Paratha from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Nan-e-Barbari from Ambrosia
• Rosemary Onion Socca - Chickpea Flatbread from Food Lust People Love
• Sourdough Pizza Bianca from Karen's Kitchen Stories

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.