Sunday, April 26, 2009

Light Chocolate Muffins


Wow, what a week. I mean really. If anyone had told me a week ago what the week would have entailed I would never have believed them. I mean just crazy crazy stuff happening.  In 4 weeks I am moving from my lovely comfortable life here in Australia, where I have lots of friends, a good job, great apartment and all my family, to the other side of the world.  In 4 weeks I am starting a new job in Missouri. Yes, Missouri!  I told you it was crazy.  Why? you ask, well the last two northern summers I have worked at a beautiful summer camp in Rolla, MO.  This place is my favourite place in the world, working there has been my greatest experience in life.  This year I had resolved myself to not going back, it was too hard, I couldn't keep giving up my life here in Sydney to work for 3 months in the US.  Then this week I got an email. The owner/director of the camp asked me if I would like to be the Assistant Director. All year. What?! Really?! This is my dream job, I've been wanting this for two years. I couldn't turn it down. But I have to be there the 25th May, that's 4 weeks away. 4 weeks!! It has been an emotional week, lots of thinking and decision making. Very mixed emotions, lots of excitement, but telling all my family and friends I'm moving across the world, for a long time, not exciting. The next few weeks and months will be interesting.  As far as the baking and blogging are concerned, I don't know.  In the short term there won't be much baking or blogging happening.  After the summer I will have much more time for baking, but I don't know how good my kitchen and baking supplies will be.  This blog may turn into a story of my journey, with some food and baking mixed in when I can. Only time will tell. 

Onto this weeks recipe. It is one I baked a while ago. I can't say they were great, but still a nice snack. When judging these muffins keep in mind that they are a light muffin, so the texture and flavour is different from your regular muffin. 


This weeks Sunday Baking round-up is back to basics. In light of my recent run of baking disasters I wanted to keep it simple.
Light Chocolate Muffins
recipe from taste.com

Ingredients
1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder
1/4 cup (30g) hot water
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1 egg white
1/2 cup (100g) caster sugar
200g skim milk natural yoghurt
140g apple fruit puree
1/3 cup (80ml) reduced fat milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
50g good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups (265g) self raising flour
icing sugar, to dust

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Brush twelve capacity muffin pans with melted butter to lightly greased.
2. Combine cocoa and hot water in a bowl and stir until smooth.  Add the egg, egg white, sugar, yogurt, apple puree, milk and vanilla, and whisk until well combined. Stir in the chocolate until combined.
3. Sift flour over the mixture and use a large metal spoon to mix until just combined. Spoon evenly among prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from oven. Set aside in the pans for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
4. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

9 comments:

  1. Wow! What an exciting and busy few months you have ahead of you! Good luck with your new job and move to the states!

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  2. Aaah, Missouri. My Sweetie-Pi and I have looked at real estate there (via the internet) for the past two years and if the right set of circumstances presented themselves, we would move there, no qualms.

    Best wishes on your new venture as this exciting chapter unfolds for you.

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  3. Hi Natalie! I dropped in to let you know I mentioned Adopt-a-Blogger today on my post.

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  4. I had fun exploring your blog today. I'm visiting from HoneyB's blog. Good luck with your big move!

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  5. Love your blog! I found you through HoneyB's blog as an adoptee! I love how you share other blogs through your Sunday Baking....what a great idea!

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  6. Congrats on your dream job and good luck with the move!

    HoneyB sent me over... looking forward to reading your blog!

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  7. Hi there, I got here from HoneyB's too, your adoptive blog momma :)

    Congratulations on getting your dream job! They don't come around too often so, you go girl! Good luck!

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  8. I'm from HoneyB's too! I can't believe you are a novice blogger...your food photos are better than mine although I must admit that food photography is not my strong suit.

    Good luck w/ your move!

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  9. Hello!

    HoneyB mentioned you on her blog & I stopped by for a visit! How thoughtful of you to serve light chocolate muffins. Mmmmmm.

    I'll be browsing your site later from home, but so far it's a great looking blog with terrific photos. Well done!

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