Double Chocolate Muffins

Studded with mini chocolate chips, double chocolate muffins are something I would typically serve with lunch or as an afternoon snack, but we've been known to enjoy them as an indulgent breakfast item from time to time. 

These muffins are best served a day or two after they're baked, but they freeze beautifully in an airtight container for up to a month.  To thaw, keep in airtight container as they thaw overnight in the fridge.  I enjoy these muffins chilled or at room temperature, but my girls enjoy them heated in the microwave for just a few seconds to melt the mini chocolate chips.  If you should happen to find yourself with slightly stale muffins, try this indulgent twist - break a muffin into bits, place the bits in a bowl, and drizzle with heavy cream - heaven!

Ingredients:  eggs, applesauce, flour, unsalted butter, the best dutch-processed cocoa powder you can find, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and mini chocolate chips.

Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer).

Use the paddle attachment or, even better, a BeaterBlade attachment!  If you love to bake, do yourself a favor on get a BeaterBlade.  It eliminates the pesky task of having to scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl.  Love, love, love this thing!

On a side note - I have tried a similar attachment that's made by the company that makes the stand mixer and there's no comparison, the BeaterBlade works much better.  They're available for various makes and models of mixers so have that information handy before you purchase. 

Back to the recipe - add the eggs, applesauce, and cocoa sifted cocoa powder.  Nothing worse than biting into a dry clump of unsweetened cocoa powder so don't forget to sift that cocoa!! 

Mix until incorporated.  Don't worry if the mixture looks a little curdled - it's fine.

Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; mix until no traces of flour remain.

Stir in the mini chocolate chips.  Did you set aside a few to nibble on?  I did!

Mmmm... time to dish up the batter. 

I use a rounded #20 scoop to portion the batter into a professional grade muffin pan that is lined with these awesome liners that I've absolutely fallen in love with.  I especially like using them for chocolate muffins and cupcakes - they make my baked goods look so rich and decadent! 

(affiliate links)

Using a portion scoop is neat and tidy... and all my muffins are going to turn out the same size.  Win-win!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• professional muffin pan https://amzn.to/3uBm5uT

• brown grease-proof paper liners https://amzn.to/3uzKEbr

• #20 portion scoop https://amzn.to/34MdFG9

• high quality dutch-processed cocoa powder https://amzn.to/34wD4DI

• beaterblade attachment http://amzn.to/2yxCz9Y

• heavy duty stand mixer https://amzn.to/3HCXIAF

• baker’s joy https://amzn.to/3JfdySc

• The Low GI Cookbook https://amzn.to/3LmQ6o8

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Double Chocolate Muffins

makes 18

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted

• 1 1/2 cups applesauce

• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick baking spray or paper liners.

3. Cream butter and sugar together until light in color, about 2 minutes.

4. Add eggs, cocoa powder, and applesauce; mix until smooth.

5. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix just until combined (don't over mix); stir in mini chocolate chips.

6. Use a heaping #20 portion scoop to fill cups about 3/4 full.

7. Bake 22-25 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a couple crumbs attached.

8. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan, placing on cooling rack to cool completely.

adapted from The Low GI Cookbook 

Roasted Acorn Squash Bread

Oh how my family loves sweet, delicious quick breads.  This time of year I usually make pumpkin bread, but just about any sweet winter squash can be substituted.  Today I'm using pureed acorn squash, but think about using other tasty varieties like butternut, buttercup, cushaw, delicata, hubbard, kabocha, and so on. 

I like to freeze the roasted, pureed squash in 1-cup portions so I can bake a fresh loaf whenever the mood strikes.  Also, baked loaves freeze beautifully when wrapped well in plastic followed by heavy-duty foil, being sure to seal very well.  Thaw, wrapped, in the fridge overnight.

To begin, we'll need to roast some squash.  For the bread shown in the photo, I used acorn squash, but just about any sweet winter squash variety can be used.

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds (this tool works really well).  

We won't be needing the seeds today's recipe, but you can certainly roast them separately (like I did here).

Preheat the oven to 400F and place the squash cut side down on a half sheet pan.  Pierce the squash with the point of a sharp knife a few times so they don't explode in the oven.  

Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes until they look like this.  They'll be soft to the touch and the flesh will scoop out easily when they're cool enough to handle. 

They should be soft enough to give under pressure.  Don't be alarmed if the squash halves start to caramelize during the roasting process.  Extra flavor.  Cool and scoop the squash from the skins and puree it.  If I have a lot of squash to puree, I use my food processor (this is the one I have).  For a smaller amount, a hand-held immersion blender works well - I use this one).

Time to mix the dry ingredients for the bread.  Flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Whisk to combine.  Have you tried a flat whisk yet?  I have this one - changed my life. 

In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.  Pureed squash, applesauce, sugar, and eggs.

Whisk to combine.

Now pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thoroughly.  I usually start out whisking, then switch to a silicone spatula. 

Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with Baker's Joy.... unless you want the corners of your bread to stick in the pan.  Another life changing product.  Just saying.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about an hour.  Remove from oven and rest for about 10-15 minutes before unmolding.  Cool completely on a rack before slicing with a serrated knife (my favorite brand).

Be sure to use a really good quality pan, like this one, for best results.  Your bread won't burn and your pan won't rust.  Commercial quality pays.  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• professional loaf pan https://amzn.to/3Gy7ItC

• baker’s joy baking spray https://amzn.to/3B9i6qG

• flat whisk https://amzn.to/3GzHnv1

• ice cream scoop https://amzn.to/35U3JH9

• my favorite serrated knife https://amzn.to/3B36rJX

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Roasted Acorn Squash Bread

makes one 9x5-inch loaf

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup roasted acorn squash puree (see note below)

• 4 ounces applesauce

• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (or double if using dried)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, coat a 9x5-inch metal loaf pan with baking spray, and place oven rack in lower center position.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pureed squash, applesauce, sugar, and eggs; set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, and cinnamon.

4. Pour squash mixture into flour mixture and whisk until no dry lumps remain.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center (and all the way down to the bottom of the pan) comes out clean.

6. Remove bread from oven and rest for 10- 15 minutes before unmolding.

7. Allow bread to cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Notes

• To roast squash, preheat oven to 400F. Cut squash in half, scoop out and remove seeds. Place halves, cut side down, on half sheet pan. Pierce skin with knife in several places. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the outer skin softens and gives under pressure. When cool enough to handle, scoop flesh from skins and use a food processor to puree (you can skip this step if your squash doesn't have a stringy texture).

• Freeze the roasted, pureed squash in 1-cup portions so you can bake a fresh loaf whenever the mood strikes.

• Baked loaves freeze beautifully when vacuum sealed or wrapped well in plastic followed by heavy-duty foil, being sure to seal very well. Thaw overnight in the fridge before unwrapping.