Strawberry-Yogurt Muffins with Choco chips

Baking to do away with the blues. That is what I did yesterday. However I was so wound up that I forgot to check my baking powder supply. It has now reached the bottom of the tin and unfortunately I had also ran out of fruits salts which can be used as a substitute. On top of that I was dropping stuff and by the time the muffins went into the oven, I realized that I had forgotten to turn on the bottom grill. Somehow I managed to make a batch of decent looking (but very tasty) muffins but ended up feeling even more wound up. I guess I need a break from the regular stuff.....hence planning for a vacation sometime next week or so. Worry not if I go MIA for a few days...

For now, read on for the quick recipe -

Total Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup All purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar (powdered)
• egg ( 1 no)
• yogurt ( 2 tbsp )
• baking powder ( 1/2 level tsp )
• choco chips (2-3 tbsp)
• Mala's strawberry crush ( 1 tbsp )

Preparation - Take the butter in a mixing bowl and beat it for 3-4 mins. Add the powdered sugar and beat well for 5 mins or till the mixture turns a few shades lighter. Mix in the strawberry crush.

Break egg into a separate bowl and beat well such that stiff peaks can be formed.
Stir gently into the butter-sugar mix. Add the yogurt too.

Mix the flour and baking powder together. Use a sieve to gently sift it into the batter in small batches. Mix gently till no lumps remain. Add in the choco chips.

Grease a non-stick muffin tray. Pour into the molds till 2/3 full. Sprinkle some choco chips on top.

Cooking - Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Put the tray inside and turn down heat to 160 degrees after 5 minutes. Bake for another 10 mins. Insert a toothpick at the center of muffin and check if it comes out clean. Else bake for another 5 mins.

Note - Dust the choco chips in some flour before adding to the batter. This prevents them from sinking (well I actually forgot this step too).
 

15 minute Choco Muffins (Children's Day Special)

Children are a nation's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. These sentiments of  former US President J.F. Kennedy found an echo in our very own Chacha, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.  He understood the importance of children in building the country's future and proposed free primary education for all children. He was also the first proponent of the 'midday meal' scheme as we call it today. As a tribute, we celebrate his birthday (14th November) as Children's Day.

In case you have not planned anything special for your little one, this recipe comes just in the nick of time. These muffins are also a life saver when you have unexpected visitors. Since they need very little time and effort, one can easily prepare a batch while doing other household chores. Very useful when the kids suddenly ask for something sweet.

With a little chocolate frosting and decor sprinkled on top, these are good enough to serve as party snacks.

[As these disappeared as soon as they got out of the muffin tray, will upload a photo when i make the next batch]

Preparation Time - 15 mins (Makes 6 nos)

Ingredients - 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup Fortune refined rice bran oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 tsp baking powder, 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 tsp ENO, 2 1/2 tsp cocoa powder.

Preparation - Take the sugar in the dry grinding jar of a mixer-grinder. Grind for 1 minute.

Transfer to the whipping jar. Add the oil, egg and milk. Buzz for 3 minutes.

Take the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and ENO in a sieve. Sift gently into the whipping jar. Buzz for 30 seconds to 1 minute till the batter just comes together.

Cooking - Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.

Grease the muffin tray with butter/oil. Sprinkle a little flour.

Pour the batter into the cups till 2/3rd full.

Insert the tray into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Prick the center of the muffins with a tooth-pick to check if done. If not, bake for another 2 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Enjoy.

Almond Muffins

The baking bug has bitten me hard. I do find some excuse to bake something every other day. These are the almond muffins i couldn't resist after making the eggless nutmeg muffins which disappeared in a single day.

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients - All purpose flour ( 1 cup), butter ( 1/2 cup ), sugar ( 1/2 cup, powdered ), egg ( 1 no), almond meal ( 2/3 cup ), milk ( 1/4 cup ), baking powder ( 1/2 level tsp ), chopped almonds ( 1-2 tsp), almond oil ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation - Take the butter and almond oil in a mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar and beat well for 5 mins or till the mixture turns a few shades lighter.

Break egg into a separate bowl and beat well such that stiff peaks can be formed.
Stir gently into the butter-sugar mix. Add the milk also.( do not panic if you find a slight curdling at this stage )
Mix the flour, almond meal and baking powder together. Use a sieve to gently sift it into the batter in small batches. Mix gently till no lumps remain.

Grease a non-stick muffin tray. Pour into the molds till 2/3 full. Sprinkle chopped almonds on top.

Cooking - Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Put the tray inside and turn down heat to 160 degrees after 5 minutes. Bake for another 10 mins. Insert a toothpick at the center of muffin and check if it comes out clean. Else bake for another 5 mins.