Spiced choco chip muffin

Spiced choco chip muffin © dan and tuesday

This muffin recipe puts a twist on the regular choco chip muffin by adding spices. I used a spice I found in the Sunday Riverside market in Cardiff. It’s called Victorian cake spice. I’m not really sure what’s in it – if you know, feel free to enlighten us! But it smells of Christmas, of cinnamon and nutmeg!

Victorian cake spice © dan and tueday

I’ve made this a few times now – to share at work, to give us a present for Kielo, and, now, for our friends Helen and Phil.

You need:

• 100 g softened unsalted butter
• 100 g caster sugar
• 100 g dark muscovado sugar
• 5 tbsp milk
• 150 ml sour cream
• 2 free-range eggs
• 250 g plain flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200 g dark chocolate chips

dark chocolate chips © dan and tuesday

Tools

• 12-cup muffin tray, lined with muffin cases
• mixing bowls
• handheld mixer
• pre-heated oven at 190˚C

What to do:

1. Mix butter and sugars in a bowl and mix well.
2. Beat in eggs.
3. Add milk and cream and mix until everything is thoroughly mixed.
4. In another bowl, sift flour, spice, bicarbonate of soda, and cocoa powder.
5. Mix the wet and dry mixture very well. I just use a spoon at this stage and not the handmixer.
   

   making muffins © dan and tuesday

6. Add the chocolate chips. Mix well, agin with a spoon.
7. Spoon mixture on the muffin cases.
8. Bake for about 28 – 30 mins then take out from the oven and let it  cool in the tray for about 10 mins. Transfer to a wire rack to cool properly.

spiced choco chip muffin © dan and tuesday

Maybe this is more of a Christmas muffin… but so far no one has objected to a little taste of Christmas in the summer.

Dark chocolate mousse

This was our noche buena dessert which is quite rich but wonderful and smooth like ice-cream. No ‘finish product’  pictures…

dark chocolate mousse mix © kloza

You need:

For the mousse

• 3 free-range eggs
• 100 g caster sugar
• 300g dark chococolate, break into small pieces
• 125 unsalted butter
• 500ml double cream or any whipping cream
• cocoa powder (optional)

For the Baileys cream to go on top of the mousse – OPTIONAL

• 200g mascaporne cheese
• 75ml Baileys cream (I ran out of Baileys so I used Welsh cream)
• 30g caster sugar

Tools

• electric (hand) mixer
• mixing bowls
• heatproof bowl
• serving bowls or ramekins

What to do:

1. Whisk the eggs in a bowl using a hand mixer, gradually adding sugar. Whisk until lighty and airy. This takes from about 8 to 10 mins.
   

   beating the eggs © kloza

2. Melt the dark chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl and put it over a pan of steaming (not boiling) hot water. If you haven’t done this before, I wrote a bit about doing this when I made this rich dark chocolate cupcake. Btw, use a wooden spoon!
   

   melting chocolate © kloza

3. Add the chocolate mix to the egg mix (not the other way around!) gradually while running the mixer on medium speed. Whisk until it firms up a bit- the “loose ribbob stage” which means when the whisk is lifted, the mix is creating clear lines in the surface before it disappears
4. Semi-whip the double cream then gently fold into the chocolate mixture.
   

   dark chocolate mousse mix © kloza

5. The original recipe suggests serving into bowls but when I do this next time, I will serve them on ramekins instead. It means more to go around!
6. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
7. Serve with the Baileys cream on top (recipe below) or with fruit or on its own.

OPTIONAL Baileys cream – can be made in advanced or just before serving

1. Whisk the mascaporne cheese, Baileys cream and sugar. Stop whisking when it reach a soft peak consistency.
2. Put a dollop on top of the mousse and dust with cocoa powder.

I found this recipe from The Guardian magazine.

View photos here.