Muffin's Take 2 (Chocolate Chocolate Chip Almond)

Hi! It's been awhile. I'm sure you've been busy, I certainly have. Haven't really whipped up anything new recently (or anything tasty enough to post... heh...) BUT I was inspired last night to take a second stab at muffins. Found a great recipe on Cooking Light for some chocolate chip chocolate muffins and on my first attempt, I made a funny mistake - I forgot to add the cocoa powder... whoops! They look tasty though? The recipe is located here.

Sooooo I really wanted to chocolate ones but ran out of ingredients from the first batch and had to improvise. These suckers aren't as healthy for you but are really tasty so I guess that balances it out (right?)

One little tip - I ran out of muffin liners so parchment paper works super well, it's not as pretty but in a pinch it worked.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Almond Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I always use this stuff. Love it!)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 stick of butter - melted
• 2/3 cup warm water (add a bit more if too dry)
• 1 container of plain greek yogurt (5.3 oz or 6 oz one would work too)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• sprinkle of sugar (optional)
• Cooking spray

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400degrees F.
2. Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and soda, salt and sugar together so it's well incorporated.
3. Add in butter, water, yogurt, almond extract, egg and mix together until there are no dry bits. The mixture should be light and fluffy. Try not to over mix.
4. Add in the chocolate chips with a few mixes. Prep your muffin tin with the muffin liners, and spray with cooking spray to ensure its easy to get the muffin out.
5. Pour in your mixture evenly between the tins and top with a few extra chocolate chips and a sprinkle of sugar.
6. Bake for 15 minutes and check with a toothpick to ensure it's not wet in the middle. If so, pop them back in for another few minutes until the toothpick comes out dry.
7. Enjoy!

Hurricane-Inspired Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Although there were some hard hit areas for Hurricane Irene, we where not in one of them. I blame this completely on us being fully prepared. We had charged our phones, our computers, ipods, and our kindles fully expecting to lose power. We also stocked up on a few movies as well, expecting to be stuck in the house all weekend. I also make some very stylish candelabras as well. I know you're super jealous that you don't have a pair either. Well, we didn't loose power but we were stuck in the house because of the winds. 

Being stuck in the house all day only leads to one thing - baking. Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies - yes please! They may look small but they pack a punch and are fairly dense. Mine aren't the prettiest in the world but the dough is very easy to work with and you could do a lot of fun and creative things with them. Easy to make - we only used 1 bowl. They would also be very tasty topped with a little frosting or a chocolate bit/kiss as well.

Hurricane Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (or half a jar)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt - corse salt (sea salt works well)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (or white works also)
• 1/3 cup Chocolate Baking Powder
• Optional - chocolate chunk or chip for the top of the cookie

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375degrees
2. Mix together the sugar, butter, peanut butter, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate powder in one bowl. Add in the baking soda, salt and flour in slowly. The dough will be thick. I used my hands. It was easier.
3. Once it's all nicely mixed together, either pop some parchment paper or greesed tin foil on some baking sheets.
4. The cookies don't spread out so the way you form them, will be the way they bake. Ours where about an inch in diameter and they where about 1/2 inch thick.
5. If you are adding candy, press it down in the middle of the cookie.
6. Bake for around 9-11 minutes based on how hot your oven is. Let them cool on the tray for about 10 minutes then transfer to the cooling rack.
Happy Eating!

Chocolate Explosion Cupcakes

Poof! You've just experienced the chocolate explosion cupcake. Made from chocolate cake recipe mixed with chocolate pudding. It's glorious. Fills any chocolate craving you may have. We had a craving. So cupcakes. AND we got skull cupcake holders. I know, you're super duper jealous. Neener neener.

I do have to come clean, I didn't make the frosting. I hate making frosting so I bought the chocolate fudge kind. But honestly - the cupcakes don't need it. I like a really moist light cake, none of that dense dry crap.  These are just that, very moist, very light that they almost fall apart in your hand.

Chocolate Explosion Cupcakes
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 package of instant chocolate pudding - made with 1 1/4 cup cold milk
3/4 cup water
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces melted unsweetened  baking chocolate

Mix it all together - yeah, I know you're porbably not supposed to do it that way but I did. Mix it really good and then pour it into fantastic cupcake holders. Pop that into a 350 degree oven for about 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Once they pop out of the oven - they will fall a little bit - that's ok. Make sure you let them cool before you frost.

This is what is gonna happen when you make these cupcakes - all you'll have left over is a bunch of empty skull wrappers.