Caramel maple mud cupcakes with fudge frosting

Hi guys!

I am truly sorry for not writing for sooo long. The past months have been super busy for me, finishing my studies, applying to a lot of jobs and finally starting an apprenticeship. All those things took up tons of time and whenever I had a few days off, I found that I wasn't in the mood to cook. 

Now, being in my job for almost four months and slowly getting the hang of it, I am enjoying cooking and baking again and - most importantly - I want to share recipes I've tried and loved with you. So thanks for the patience and hopefully you'll enjoy new recipes and want to try them immediately. 

Today's recipe comes from Donna Hay. She has hands-down become one of my favorites. I love the way she photographs her food and baked goods. And I have never tried a recipe that didn't work. As autumn had officially started this week, I turned to old editions of the Donna Hay magazine. I especially loved a chapter she did on caramel. Luckily, Donna decided to share the recipe for these cupcakes on her website, so you'll have easy access to it. This is the link: https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/desserts-and-baking/caramel-maple-mud-cupcakes-with-fudge-frosting

And here's my step-by-step-guide:

1) Place the maple syrup, milk, sugar, butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. This takes about 5-10 minutes. Be patient and don't turn the heat on high or you'll risk burning the chocolate. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

2) Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°C). Add both the flours and whisk until just combined. If you don't have self-raising flour, substitute with 200g of all-purpose flour in total and add a little less than 1 teaspoon baking powder. Add the egg and which until smooth.

3) Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Fill the cases, leaving a little room to the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

4) To make the caramel fudge frosting, place the sugar, butter and salt in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. 

5) Turn the heat to high, add the milk and vanilla extract and bring to the boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

6) Remove from the heat. Add the icing sugar and whisk until smooth. Working quickly, spread the cupcakes with the frosting. 

This is how they look:

As usual, Donna's yield is not the same as my experience. Even though I used the exact amounts as she tells you to, I had enough dough for 12 cupcakes and more than enough frosting. Everything else worked perfectly. 

These cupcakes are sweet, so if you haven't got a sweet tooth, don't try them. The sweetness has different layers from using different kinds of sweeteners, sugar and maple syrup, and caramelizing the sugar. I love caramel as it symbolizes warmth and cosiness for me. 

I hope, you enjoy the start of fall-time and have fun trying!

Banana Bran Muffins

Hi guys!

I know, I am a tiny bit late for meat free monday, but I hope you don't mind a meat free, start of the week pick-me-up recipe. Today's muffins are healthy, they're not your average fatty and sweet muffin, but they're light and filled with nutrients so you can even grab one on the go for breakfast. No bad conscience necessary! The recipe is from Donna Hay's "Fresh and Light", her most recent book as of today. It includes tons of new ideas for light breakfasts, lunches, dinners while making sure you are getting great nutrients at the same time. And it tastes great, too. These muffins aren't as sweet as your regular muffin from the coffee shop around the corner, but they offer great taste and will fill you up until lunch.

Here's the recipe:
300g (10.5 oz; 2 cups) whole-wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
100g (3.5 oz; 2/3 cup) raw unrefined dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg
300ml (10 fl.oz; 1 + 1/4 cup) buttermilk
80ml (2.5 fl.oz; 1/3 cup) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 bananas
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
65g (2.3 oz) bran (wheat or oat)

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). In a bowl combine the flour with baking powder, sugar, cinnamon powder and bran. 

2) In a seperate bowl, combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, honey, vanilla extract. Mash the bananas with a fork and mix as well.

3) Carefully fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Don't overmix otherwise you'll end up with dry muffins. 

4) Line a muffin tin with paper cases or grease it with a little butter and split the dough evenly among the cases. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 
© Copyright: Donna Hay, "Fresh and Light", p. 12.

Yield: 12
Active preparation time: about 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 45 minutes

Here's how mine look:

I used wheat bran as I have trouble digesting oat sometimes. If you want gluten free muffins, try substituting buckwheat flour and omit the bran. What I love most about these muffins is their taste. Don't expect them to be nothing but sweet, they'll give you a hint of sweetness and fruit from the banana, not more. At the same time, the whole-wheat flour and bran counterbalance that sweetness and make sure you stay full longer and get important nutrients.

Have fun trying and start your week healthy!

Banana Walnut Muffin

Hi guys!

Soo, it's Monday and I have a sweet vegan treat for you to help you start your week right. I know, can muffins ever be good for you? Well, these contain healtier flours and nutrious bananas and walnuts so I think they might be better for you than the average chocolate muffin. The recipe comes from Gwyneth Paltrow's "Notes to my kitchen table", one of my go-to books if I want recipes for a healthy treat. 

Here's the recipe:
4 (or 6) tablespoons rapeseed oil
125g (4.4 oz; 3/4 cup) whole spelt flour
100g (3.5 oz; 2/3 cup) white spelt flour
60g (2.1 oz; a good 1/3 cup) barley flour (or buckwheat)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
3 very ripe banana
125ml (4 fl.oz; 1/2 cup) maple syrup
4 tablespoons brown rice syrup (or 3 parts honey + 1 part water; equal parts light agave nectar)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
85g (3 oz) raisins
60g (2.1 oz) toasted walnuts

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases or oil them with the two additional tablespoons of rapeseed oil. Chop the walnuts and toast them in a pan. 

2) Sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl. Purée the bananas in a food processor or blender and then add 4 tablespoons of rapeseed oil, syrups and vanilla and pulse to combine. 

3) Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir just to combine and fold in the raisins and walnuts (don't overmix or you will have tough muffins!). 

4) Use an ice cream scoop to distribute the batter evenly among the muffin sections.

5) Bake for approx. 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. 

Yield: 12 muffins
Active preparation time: 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 45 minutes
© Copyright: Gwyneth Paltrow, "Notes from my kitchen table", p. 226

Here's how mine look:

These muffins are not as sweet as a "regular" muffin, but they have lots of flavour anyways. I particularly love the stronger taste of the flours to balance the sweetness of the banana. The raisins turn into soft, moist pieces and the walnuts add crunch as well as deep nutty flavour from toasting them. It really does make a difference, so don't skip the toasting. I have a hard time finding barley flour, so I substituted buckwheat flour and it worked beautifully. Both flours, barley and buckwheat, contain eight essential amino acids and are gluten free. I also can't find brown rice syrup, but I do always have agave nectar in my baking ingredient box, so this is a good substitute. If you can't find any wherever you live, substitute honey (it makes the muffins vegetarian instead of vegan, but works just as well). 

Have fun trying!

Spiced Apple Crumb Muffins

Hi guys!

As much as I love to share new and exciting recipes for vegetarian lunch and dinner, I feel like it is time now to give you another recipe for a vegan baked treat. Of course, almost all cakes, cupcakes, muffins or cookies are vegetarian, but many contain eggs and milk making them non-vegan. The following muffins are vegan and contain spelt flour which is easier to digest than regular all-purpose flour. It also gives a great depth of flavour. The recipe comes from Gwyneth Paltrow's "Notes from my Kitchen Table" which features a few recipes for vegan and actually healthy muffins and cookies. Now who doesn't love that?

Here's the recipe:

For the crumb topping: 
4 tablespoons white spelt flour
4 tablespoons whole spelt flour
4 tablespoons whole rolled oats
4 tablespoons unrefined dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soya milk

For the muffins:
1 tablespoon corn flour
2 small apples, peeled and finely diced
125ml (1/2 cup; 4 fl.oz) vegetable oil
150ml (little less than 2/3 cup; ca. 4.5 fl.oz) real Vermont maple syrup
150 ml (little less than 2/3 cup; ca. 4.5 fl.oz) soya milk
100g (2/3 cup; 3.5 oz) white spelt flour
125g (2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon; 4 oz) whole spelt flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
60g (2 oz) lightly toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases or oil it with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. 

2) For the crumb topping, combine all the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add the vegetable oil and soya milk and rub everything together with your fingers - the mixture should be lumpy. Set the mixture aside.

3) For the muffins, in a small bowl, toss the cornflour with the apples. 

4) In another large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and all of the syrup and soya milk. Sift in the remaining ingredients (except for the walnuts) and fold in the apples and walnuts. 

5) Evenly distribute the batter in the muffin sections, sprinkle with the crumb topping and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Yield: 1 dozen muffins
Active preparation time: 30 minutes
Total preparation time: 60 minutes
© Copyright: Gwyneth Paltrow, "Notes from my Kitchen Table", p. 224

Here's how they look:

They might not win a prize for the prettiest muffins and they certainly are not the most colourful ones, but I just love how they taste. The combination of white and whole spelt flour not only makes these muffins more nutrious, it also adds depth to the taste - almost like whole wheat bread. The apples and cinnamon are a classic combination and work great in combination with this heartier batter. I added 1 teaspoon of soya milk to the crumb topping to make it a little softer and moist. It should not be runny, but I didn't want it to be bone-dry. I also like to add 1 more apple. It doesn't change the consistency, it simply adds more fruit.

Have fun trying!

Pumpkin and Feta Muffins

Hi guys!

It's monday again, so time for another meat free recipe. Autumn is starting to settle in Switzerland and with it are lots of winter vegetables. I got really excited when I saw that the grocery stores began selling pumpkin. I love pumpkin in all variations, especially because of its variety. Depending on what kind of pumpkin you use, your soup, bread or vegetables will taste quite differently. For today's recipe I've been going back to a recipe blog that really got me interested a while ago: Heidi Swanson's "101 cookbooks". I love her approach to healthy food and I love how she uses everyday ingredients that are easy to buy and use. I got a little carried away when going to a local pumpkin market with my sister, so we needed recipes to use all the pumpkin we'd bought. I stumbled upon Heidi's recipe for Pumpkin and Feta muffins and wanted to give them a try instantly. 

Here's the link to the recipe:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/pumpkin-and-feta-muffins-recipe.html

Here's how mine turned out:

I am not exaggerating when I say that I fell in love with these muffins at first bite. They combine different flavors and textures, from soft and sweet roasted pumpkin bits to peppery mustard and salty cheese. I was a little skeptic at first how they would turn out, but I am definitely going to bake these muffins again. They make a great way to use pumpkin a little different than in the usual breads or soups. These would go really well as an appetizer or entrée for a dinner with friends. 

Have fun trying!  

Orange Breakfast Muffins

Hi guys!

It's time for another vegetarian recipe. I have shared quite a few recipes for main dishes with you, so today I want to share a simple muffin recipe. They are titled as breakfast muffins in the cookbook I've taken them from - Nigella Lawson's "Nigella Bites" -, but I think they make a great snack or afternoon tea side dish. 

Here's the recipe:

75g (2/3 stick) unsalted butter
250g (1 2/3 cup; 8 oz) self-raising flour
25g (1 oz; 1/4 cup) ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
75g (2 1/2 oz; 1/3 cup) caster or superfine sugar
zest of 1 orange
100ml (3 fl.oz) orange juice
100ml (3 fl.oz) full-fat milk
1 egg

1) Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F). Melt the butter and set aside. 

2) Combine the flour, ground almonds, bicarb, baking powder, sugar and orange zest in a large bowl. 

3) Measure the orange juice and milk into a jug and whisk in the egg and then the cooled, melted butter. Now pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, mixing with a fork as you go. The batter will be lumpy but that's as it should be: you want everything to be no more than barely combined. If you mix the batter too much, the muffins will turn out hard.

4) Spoon out the mixture equally into the muffin cases and cook for 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool slightly. 
© Copyright: Nigella Lawson, "Nigella Bites", p. 6

Yield: a dozen
Active preparation time: 10 minutes
Total preparation time: 30 minutes

Here's how they look:

I love that they are done so fast. It takes almost no time to whip up the batter and in 30 minutes, you're rewarded with beautifully golden, fluffy muffins that smell divine. The orange and the almonds go very well together and make a nice alternative to the usual fruit muffin. They have literally lightened up my past week. 

Have fun trying!

Cappucino Chip Muffins

Hi guys!

Today's recipe provides you with a great pick-me-up that you can enjoy at any time of the day. It's cappucino chip muffins. I'm a big coffee lover and combining coffee with my sweet tooth is probably as good as it gets. The recipe is from Cynthia Barcomi's "I love baking". I've been wanting to try this recipe for a little while, but couldn't seem to come around to it until recently. 

Here's the recipe:

250ml (1 cup; 8 fl.oz) whole or semi-skimmed milk
120g (1 stick) unsalted butter, molten and cooled
1 egg
350g (2 + 1/3 cup; 12 oz) all-purpose flour
150g (2/3 cup; 5 oz) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons dissoluble espresso powder
1 teaspoon ground coffee (non dissoluble)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
100g (3.5 oz) chocolate (milk or dark)

1) Preheat the oven to 190°C (374°F). Grease a 12-whole muffin tin or line with paper cases. 

2) Put the milk, cooled molten butter and egg in a bowl and stir to combine. In a second bowl, mix the flour, sugar, espresso powder, ground coffee, salt and cinnamon powder. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. 

3) Chop the chocolate and fold it into the dough. Divide the dough equally between the muffin cases. 

4) Bake for about 18 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then turn them on cooling rack to cool completely. 

Yield: 12 muffins
Active preparation time: 15 minutes
Total preparation time: about 30 minutes

Here's how mine turned out:

These muffins are the perfect combination of coffee and chocolate. I've used dark chocolate, because I like it better in combination with coffee. If you can't find dissoluble espresso powder, you can also brew a very strong ristretto (max. 40ml (1/8 cup) espresso) and mix it in the dough. The ground coffee adds crunch and serves as a little surprise in the muffins. 

Have fun trying and give in to those coffee cravings!

Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins

Hi guys!

Another must-do for my blog is a decent chocolate muffin. I've been dreaming to make this for quite a while and finally had some spare time to whip them up. The recipe I've chosen is from Donna Hay's "simple essentials - chocolate" book that is heaven for any chocolate-addict like me. Recipes for brownies, muffins, chocolate mousse, chocolate soufflé and many more...

Here's the recipe:
300g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
50g (little less than 1/3 cup) cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
220g (1 cup) superfine sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
160ml (2/3 cup) vegetable oil
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
150g (4 3/4 oz) milk chocolate, chopped.

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Chop the milk chocolate. Sift the flour and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Mix it with baking powder and sugar. 

2) In a separate bowl, stir the eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil and milk together. Add the egg-mixture to the flour and mix until combined. You can use a kitchen machine, hand blender or simple egg beater. Fold in the chopped chocolate.

3) Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Fill the cases with the dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. 

Yield: 12
Active preparation time: 10 minutes
Total preparation time: 40 minutes
© Copyright: Donna Hay, "simple essentials-chocolate", p. 40

Here's how mine turned out:

If you want your muffins to be slightly fudgy in the middle, bake them until a skewer comes out almost clean. I baked mine for 25 minutes, so they are baked through. You can chop the chocolate into pieces of any size you want. I went for squares of about 1/2 cm (0.2 inch). It's also good to invest in a good milk chocolate. You can taste the difference! 
If you like, you could add dried cherries, fresh orange zest or chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts) to spice things up. 

Have fun trying and give in to those chocolate cravings!

Too-Easy Muffins

Hi guys!


I couldn't write about muffins, or food in general actually, without sharing at least similar recipes so you can try them yourselfs and see which ones you like best. This recipe is from Donna Hay's "Fast, Fresh, Simple" and the muffins are fast. All you need is basic baking ingredients and fresh fruit and you are 40 minutes away from beautifully fragrant, fluffy muffins. 

Here's the link to the recipe: http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/15197/tooeasy-blueberry-muffins


I've used spelt flour instead of plain flour, because it is easier to digest and I like to change things every once in a while. The recipe in my german version of the book calls for 1,5 teaspoons of baking powder, because we don't get self-raising flour, but the rest is exactly the same. I replaced the blueberries for cherries that have just come in season, but are a great alternative. 


Here's how mine turned out:

I hope you are enjoying summer and all the good stuff it brings along. 


Have fun trying!

Blueberry Muffins

Hi guys!


Blueberry muffins are such a classic, I could not write a blog without including one fool-proof recipe for these delicious summer treats. 


Summer is starting in Switzerland again - hopefully it's here to stay! As the weekend approaches, I like to have something to knibble on and enjoy while everyone is at home. I went to the grocery store and decided on some fresh, organic blueberries that were looking great. Now I know they taste amazing as well. I like to use fresh berries and fruit as often as possible in summer, not because they are healthier than frozen fruit, they are not, but because I like the texture they add to muffins, cakes, pies or crumbles better than frozen fruit.


Here's how mine turned out:

  
I've used a recipe by Donna Hay which I consider the best muffin recipe I have tried. Believe me when I say I've tried a lot. These muffins have a beautiful texture and the dough is nice and thick which will ensure your fruit doesn't sink and end in some unrecognizable fruit purée on the bottom. 


Here's the recipe:


300g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
165g (3/4 cup) superfine sugar
240g (8 oz, about 1 1/2 cup) sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon zest
80 ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
190g (little over 6 oz) fresh blueberries


1) Preheat the oven to 180 °C (365°F). Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl.


2) In a second bowl, stir the sour cream, eggs, lemon zest and oil. Mix it in the flour-mixture.


3) Fold in the blueberries. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases or grease with butter and fill with dough. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.


Yield: 12 muffins; active preparation time: 10-15 minutes; total preparation time: 45 minutes.
© Copyright: Donna Hay, A Cook's Guide, Muffins; p. 94.


These muffins are super easy; you are going to succeed every time. You could use any fruit you like, but I like them best with blueberries or raspberries. 

Have fun trying and soak up some sun over the weekend!
  

Strawberry Muffins

Hi guys! 


Yesterday has been another Meat Free Monday and I didn't only want to concentrate on regular warm dishes, but on dessert as well. As a lot of desserts ask for eggs, butter and milk you can cook and bake them for vegetarian friends, but not for vegans. The muffins I am showing you today are vegan but don't sacrifice any flavor. Another plus is they are baked without sugar but maple syrup and light agave nectar. These two natural sweeteners are pretty low on the glycaemic index so you won't get super hungry after eating them, because maple syrup and agave nectar won't increase your blood sugar level as much as regular sugar does. 


The recipe is from Gwyneth Paltrow's cook book "My father's daughter" or "Notes from my Kitchen Table", as the UK version is called. I know what you might be thinking right now. "An actress writing a cook book? How is that going to turn out?" I came across it a few months ago in a book shop and got curious. As I started skimming through, I found that a lot of the recipes sounded very interesting and good. I also liked the idea of using healthier alternatives in some recipes and bought the book. When I started cooking the recipes at home I was immediately falling in love. All the recipes I have been trying so far (almost all of them) have worked wonderfully and tasted great. Another positive aspect is that Gwyneth not only indicates the preparation time, but splits it in active and total preparation time so you can choose your recipes depending on how much time you've got.


Here's the recipe:


1/2 cup (125ml) soy milk
1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil (I used rapeseed oil)
1/2 cup (125ml) maple syrup
4 tablespoons light agave nectar


2/3 cup (100g) white spelt flour
3/4 cup (125g) whole spelt flour (make sure the cup is packed)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt


300g (10 oz) strawberries (the original recipe uses blueberries, but you can substitute any fruit you like)


Yield: 12 muffins; Active preparation time: 15 minutes (20 if you chop strawberries); Total preparation time: 45 minutes


1) Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) Chop the strawberries.


2) Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and combine.


2) Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir the wet ingredients in the dry until just combined. Be careful not to beat the dough too much.


4) Fold in the strawberries. Divide the dough equally between the muffin cases. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. 
© Copyright: Gwyneth Paltrow "Notes from my Kitchen Table", healthier version of the blueberry muffins, p. 230


Here's how mine turned out:

These muffins are not as sweet as regular muffins when you bake them with sugar. Don't expect them to be really sweet, they are a little more savory. If you are looking for muffins that are not sticky-sweet, these are perfect for you. Make sure you are using spelt flour. It is a little different in taste, but it is easier to digest although not gluten-free. If you are looking for gluten-free muffins, try substituting buckwheat flour. 

Have fun trying!

Fresh Ginger & Lemon Muffins

Hi guys!


As I already mentioned in my last blog, the weather is starting to become warmer again and I am starting to cook and bake dishes that are summer-appropriate. For me this represents light dishes involving fresh fruit and vegetables as there is such a variety starting to become available now. And let's be honest: is there anything better than a muffin with fresh, incredibly sweet strawberries or other fruit? 


So this week, I have decided to go with a recipe that expresses the freshness of late spring and early summer just perfectly: fresh ginger and lemon muffins from Cynthia Barcomi's "I love baking". As the recipe is written in german, I am trying my best to translate it using the right measurements.


Here's the recipe:


2 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon (385g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 pinch salt
1 stick (125g; 4 oz) unsalted butter
1 cup (150g) sugar
2 eggs
lemon zest from one lemon
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 cup (250ml; 8 fl. oz) buttermilk
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar


1) Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a muffin tin with paper cases or grease it.


2) Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a small bowl.


3) In a second bowl beat the butter and sugar using a blender or kitchen machine until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and whisk for another 1-2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and ginger, then add the buttermilk and whisk to combine. Mix in the flour whisking as little as possible.


4) Fill the dough in the muffin tin. Make sure they are equally full. Bake for about 18 minutes until cooked (my muffins needed 23 minutes until perfectly cooked) and test with a skewer. 


5) Let the muffins rest in the tin for 10 minutes. In the meantime, combine the lemon juice with the sugar in small saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Using a metal skewer or a toothpick, hole the muffins at several places. Pour the syrup over the muffins. You want to make sure they're soaked with syrup.


Yield: 12 muffins


Here is how mine turned out:

What I love most about these muffins is that they are not just sweet. With the lemon zest in the dough and lemon syrup on top, they have a great refreshing taste to them. It took about 30 minutes active preparation time, because a few things needed grating. My muffin cases were filled completely with dough, but they didn't run out to the side, but rose nicely. 


I hope you can enjoy a few summery days from wherever in the world you are visiting the blog and are getting inspired! I tried the first muffins in beautiful sunshine outside:

Have fun trying!

Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins

Hi guys!


It's sweets time again and another Donna Hay recipe is waiting around the corner. I absolutely wanted to try her recipe for raspberry and white chocolate muffins and so I did!
The recipe is on her website, you can find it following this link: http://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/sweets/fruit/raspberry-and-white-chocolate-muffins


Here is how my turned out:

As you know, I like things to be easy and simple, but delicious. I find nothing worse than having a ton of work with a recipe and it doesn't turn out perfect and delicious. 

This recipe involves a few quick steps:

1) Preheat the oven and line a muffin tin with paper cups or baking paper, cut into pieces.

2) Sift flour and baking powder, add the sugar.

3) Combine sour cream, eggs, oil and lemon rind and whisk together, than add the flour mixture.

4) Fold in the raspberries and chocolate and fill into the muffin tin.

The recipe says it makes 6, I got 12 out of the dough, so I guess that is a plain typing error. It took about 15 minutes to whisk the dough together. I used frozen raspberries as I find it easier to fold them in. The dough is rather tough, so fresh raspberries might break apart very easily and end as raspberry purée in the muffins rather than pieces.  


I like the combination of sour raspberries and sweet white chocolate a lot, but I can imagine some people might like the freshness of the fruit itself better than fruit and chocolate combination.


Please leave your comments and thoughts! I would also like to know if you have recipes you want me to try? I'm open for suggestions!!