Double Choc Cherry Muffins

Sometimes the unplanned, spur of the moment dishes can turn out to be the best!

I had half a pack of fresh black cherries left over from my Cherry, Mascarpone & Biscotti Dessert, and was looking for ideas on how to use them up. Spotting just over half a 100g bar of Lindt 70% dark chocolate in the kitchen cupboard, I soon had the answer.

Dark chocolate and cherries is a timeless combination that never ceases to please. This recipe delivers a double hit of chocolate, through the sponge mixture and the broken-up chunks.

The other ingredients involved here are all ones I usually have in the fridge or store cupboard. After about an hour, the family was tucking into fresh double choc cherry muffins, still warm from the oven.

Fancy some of that action? Read on…

Servings

This will make 12 muffins.

Timings

10 -15 mins to prepare while the oven is warming up, then 25 mins in the oven at 180C.

You Will Need

• 255g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• half tsp bicarb of soda
• half tsp salt
• 110g sugar (caster or granulated)
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 egg
• 250ml milk
• 90ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 60g dark chocolate broken into chunks
• 60g black cherries, stones removed and cut into quarters

Method

1. Switch on the oven and heat to 180C. Lay out a muffin tin or mould.
2. While the oven is getting up to temperature, prepare the mixture.
3. In a bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt and sugar.
4. Add in the cherries and choc chunks. Give it all a good stir so that the cherries and choc are coated in the dry mix.
5. Break the egg into a separate bowl, and stir in the milk, oil and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to incorporate, so that there are no dry ingredients visible.
6. Spoon into the muffin tin/mould and put in the oven for 25 mins at 180C.
7. Remove from the oven when done and leave to cool on a wire rack, before enjoying. They are great when still a little warm, and just as good when cool. They will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container (though they will probably all be gone before then!)

Customise it!

For an even smoother taste, replace the 90ml veg oil with 90g of butter, melted in a microwave. You could also introduce some chopped nuts along with the cherries and choc – go for 40g and reduce the cherries and choc chunks to 40g also.

The next track for the ADK Spotify Playlist is bang on theme, requiring no further explanation. This is Goldfrapp with Black Cherry.