Chocolate Chip Muffins - my first baking post

So…after all this while, I finally have a ‘baking’ post. It’s kinda weird given that I started baking really young while helping out mom when she made our birthday cakes and loads of other versions of basic sponge cake. The most famous one that gets made most is the coffee cake which my dad absolutely loves.

What’s even weird is that I bake ALL.THE.TIME. Yet, I never took pics and hence the post never materialized. This time around, I was adamant and made VJ click pics even as he started munching on the muffins.

So why chocolate chip muffins? I remember seeing this episode of Nigella Lawson on TLC oh-so-long-ago and was dying to try it out. The problem with baking for VJ is that since he doesn’t eat eggs, I have to use substitutes. And although I have a couple of good tricks up my sleeve, I always hesitate wondering if it would turn out right? Or just collapse on me? Or not rise at all? Or harden completely? I decided to put all of those thoughts to hell and went ahead and just baked a batch. Now VJ wants then literally every week. I baked this batch before I flew out of town for some work and VJ finished them in 2 days straight. It was originally intended to last him 4 days.

But I will tell you this, it’s a fool-proof recipe and anyone can bake them with their eyes closed. Literally.

Ingredients:

Self rising flour – 1 and ¾ cups

Sugar – ¾ cup ( I use brown)

Chocolate chips – ¾ cup

Oil – 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons ( don’t ask me why)

Unsweetened apple sauce (egg substitute) – ¼ cup (thumb rule: 1 egg = ¼ cup sauce)

Milk - ½ cup

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease them using non-stick cake grease.

2. Measure out all the dry ingredients and set aside in separate bowls.

3. Measure out the wet ingredients and add them to a big mixing bowl. Mix together by hand until well blended and lightly frothy.

4. Now add the sugar and mix again until well blended.

5. Add the flour to this mixture in 3 batches, mixing it well after each time.

6. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.

7. Spoon out into muffin cases (2/3 full) and bake for 20 mins or until a skewer comes clean.

Note:

1. I did not use any baking powder or baking soda as I use self-rising flour and have never had to add extra leaveners.

2. The original recipe calls for 1 cup milk, but in the video I remember seeing the batter being too runny. I did NOT want that and used just ½ cup milk. The muffins turned out fine.

3. I skipped the cocoa powder as VJ likes plain vanilla muffins with chocolate chips. For some reason, he hates double chocolate chip muffins.

4. Oh, I also skipped the vanilla essence as I’m kinda picky about artificial flavoring and the store bought essences are way too strong for my taste. Once I get done being a penny pinching student, I’ll buy vanilla bean pods and add them to my sugar container for natural flavoring. Ha!

Source:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/chocolate-chocolate-chip-muffins-recipe/index.html