chocolate chip muffins

April 15, 2011

When my sister and I were little we weren’t allowed to eat “junk food”, a rule that was strictly enforced by our parents. This included sweets, crisps, sugary drinks, and all sorts of other things that we were itching to get our sticky paws on. Going to McDonald’s was frankly unthinkable. Generally, I appreciate that my parents did not want us to eat crap and fed us whole, fresh foods instead of a ton of sugar, although I don’t think I had the same feelings when I was eight.

Once we reached a certain age, the parents relented slightly. I’m not sure if it was because they knew they could control less as we grew older, or if their own views softened a bit, but the occasional treat would start popping up in our larder. My favourite of these, by a mile, were chocolate chip muffins.

One brand was better than all the others and when Mum bought the Tesco’s Finest chocolate chip muffins and I saw them sitting in the cupboard, the excitement was pretty intense. Sometimes she would buy the miniature version but nothing was as good as the giant ones, which had an American flag on the label to identify them with their country of origin.

Those muffins were just perfection. So moist, with an amazing top and beautiful studs of chocolate throughout. They definitely did not go light on the chocolate chips and why would you?

And so to these muffins, today. Something reminded me of those Tesco muffins sitting in the larder in the house I spent 10 years growing up in, and I wanted to prolong the memory and the thought of home.

Funny that an American muffin can remind me of home.

I wanted these to replicate the muffins of Tesco yore as much as possible which is why they are studded with chocolate chips in a more is more attitude. Lots of chocolate crunch in every bite. Warm from the oven they’re more cupcake-like really but let them sit for half an hour once they’ve cooled and the crumb really holds together well in that very identifiable way of a muffin. Their only fault is that they lack that particularly brilliant feature – the muffin top. If anyone can school me in how to achieve a ridiculously large muffin top, I’d be much obliged.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners. Set tin aside.

2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, white and brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a smaller bowl stir together the melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until well blended. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the liquid mixture into the well and gently stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Spoon batter into muffins cups and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (a little chocolate is ok here). Remove muffins from the oven and allow to cool before serving. Makes 12 muffins.

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