Dried Cherry Chocolate Muffins (William Sonoma)

It is a sad day for me... because Joyce from Kitchen Flavours, Lena from Frozen wings and I have decided to end our Bake-along!!!

Joyce from Kitchen Flavours, Lena from Frozen wings and I have been baking along for 5 years!!! For all these years, we have been sharing our joy and pains of our daily lives and baking. I missed you gals! I hope that we will stay in touch and find great opportunities elsewhere apart from baking...

What's next?

One: We are still baking but not for long! This dried cherry chocolate muffins from the book, William Sonoma, Essential of Baking or here will be our second last bake-along. And our last will be Bundt Cake, a theme bake for our 5th bake-along anniversary. Then, that's it!!!

Two: We won't be using the linky thumbnails for the last two bake-along. If you wish to bake-along with us, you can publish your post as usual and leave a comment in our blog post.

Sob sob... but let's get back to baking.

I wouldn't say that these chocolate muffins are the fluffiest or the most chocolaty or the richest or the best...

Please don't get me wrong! These chocolate muffins are nice but nice in a way with its unique texture and taste! Although these tangy and chocolaty muffins are baked in standard 1/3 cup size muffin cups, they are rather short, compact, moist and cakey-brownie-like. Plus if you bake them without any paper liner, they would be extra nice with their crusty outside.

Dried Cherry Chocolate Muffins (William Sonoma) 

Start by melting the chocolate. Set aside to cool slightly.

For best results, have these ingredients at room temperature.

Next I did these.

Then fold in the dried cherries. I didn't add any nuts and so I added extra cherries.

Then I baked the muffins and see that they didn't rise madly!

... because it has a moist and cakey-brownie-like texture!
Plus the recipe is right that it tastes better when it is warm!

Hope you will like this cakey-brownie-like kind of chocolate muffins.

Here's the recipe that is mostly adapted from the book, William Sonoma, Essential of Baking or here (with half of the amount that I used in blue)

Makes 12 standard 1/3 cup size muffins (or 6 in blue)

60g (2 oz) unsweetened chocolate, chopped (half = 30g) - I used Callebaut dark chocolate callets with 70% cocoa

280g (1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour (half = 140g)

1 tsp baking soda (half = 1/2 tsp)
1/4 tsp salt (half = 1/8 tsp)
1/2 cup (125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature (half = 60g)
1 cup (220 g) firmly packed golden brown sugar (half = 110g but I reduced to 70g and the sweetness is just right for me)
1 large egg (half = 1/2)
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp paste (half = 1/4 tsp paste)

1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk (half = 125ml)
90 g (3 oz) dried cherries (half = 30g)
1/2 cup (60 g) toasted, skinned, and chopped hazelnuts (filberts) - I don't like this addition and so didn't add this and so I added extra 30g dried cherries into 6 muffins.

extra butter or vegetable oil spray to grease

Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 375°F or 190°C. Butter 12 standard muffin-pan cups.

Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler placed over (not touching) barely simmering water. Heat, stirring often, until the chocolate melts. Remove it from over the water and set aside to cool slightly. Alternatively, place chocolate in a heat proof bowl and microwave with short pulses of low power until it melts.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

By mixer:
In a bowl of a mixer, beat the butter on low speed until creamy. Gradually beat in the brown sugar until dissolved. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and chocolate. Add the dry ingredients in 3 batches alternately with the buttermilk and mix on low speed just until smooth.

By hand:
In a large mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the brown sugar until dissolved. Stir in the egg, vanilla, and chocolate. Add the dry ingredients in 3 batches alternately with the buttermilk and mix just until smooth.

Fold in the cherries and nuts (optional). Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about three-fourths full.

Bake for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 2 mins, then turn out onto the rack. Serve warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Happy Baking

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