Hummingbird Bakery Chocolate Muffins

Yesterday I became the proud new owner of 2 glorious items: a 1 kg bag of Cocoa Barry Extra Brute cocoa powder and The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. I could barely sleep with the anticipation of putting both to good use come the morning. So rise and shine, I was up at 6 am on a Saturday ( you know you are a baking addict when....) and made a lovely dark and luxurious batch of chocolate muffins. Did either recent purchases disappoint? Not in the least !

The muffins were moist, soft and perfectly flavored with the rich cocoa powder and milk chocolate chips. These were light and air, not dense like a regular muffin. In fact, you could easily compare these to the taste and texture of a cupcake.

In the past I have always used Fry's Cocoa Powder not by choice but out of necessity. There is simply not another brand around here at the grocery store. Then I decided to just go for it and buy Cocoa Barry Extra Brute online. I clearly had no idea what a 1 kg bag would look like because when it arrived I was shocked to see the size of it. I thought to myself "I am never going to use all this!" but when I opened the bag today I realized how wrong my thinking was yesterday. It is like silk. Not a clump to be found. It is a dark chocolate color and the smell that greeted me when I opened the bag was incredible. I felt like I was in a chocolate factory. I am in love and cannot wait to use this gorgeous cocoa powder in many a baked dessert to come!

And the cookbook? Another great purchase!

Each recipe has a photo and the book is beautifully laid out into various sections including muffins, cupcakes, cakes, pies, cookies and bars. I decided to try the chocolate muffins as my first baking experience from the book switching up the recipe a bit as I went along. What I noticed right away was the low oven temperature and longer baking time. These bake at 325F for 1/2 hr. The came out of the oven nothing short of sheer perfection.

So without further ado, let's get baking!

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe Chocolate Muffins, Hummingbird Chocolate Muffins

WHAT YOU NEED

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
2/3 cup milk - 2 % works fine
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 3 tablepoons unsalted butter melted
4 oz milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 325F
LINE MUFFIN TIN with 12 paper liners

IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER fitted with paddle attachment, cream eggs and sugar for 3 minutes on MED speed
IN SEPARATE MEDIUM bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt
IN SMALL BOWL, combine milk and vanilla extract
ADD FLOUR MIX AND MILK MIX in 3 alternate batches mixing just until combined
STIR in melted butter and chocolate chips
WITH ICE CREAM SCOOP, fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter
BAKE 30 minutes - toothpick inserted in center should come out clean
LET COOL 5 minutes in pan then transfer muffins to cooling rack

ENJOY !



Also seen here:

Lemon Lime Bars

Having half a dozen lemons and limes in the fridge drew me to this recipe. I didn't want to make a tart, a pie, or even a ice cream. I wanted something homey, traditional and pretty much what one could label as "comfort food". Lemon Bars are the epitome of comfort food so lemon lime bars sprinkled with icing sugar and topped with lime zest seemed like a pretty good idea.

This recipe makes thick, sweet and tangy lemon lime bars; a perfect citrus combination especially lovely this time of year. The crust is an amazing shortbread that works very well with the tangy fruit filling. For dessert, I highly recommended serving these alongside a dollop of whipped cream.

The original recipe hails from Better Homes and Gardens. I followed it to the letter but found the baking time, at least in my oven, was way off. I needed to add an extra 10 minutes to get it to set properly. So I recommend you start off with the original recipe time-frame and then check it from there until you can move the pan gently without the center giggling all over the place. Extra baking time will cause it to brown a bit more on top than usual but have no fear, it will soon be sprinkled liberally with powdered sugar and no one will be the wiser.

I also found that the source recipe didn't have enough lime added to it other than a measly teaspoon of lime zest. So instead of adding the full 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the filling I divided it into 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup lime juice.

To begin you will need to line a 9" x 13" baking pan with heavy foil so it covers the bottom and sides with a slight overhang around all the edges. Next preheat that oven to 350F and get baking!

Baked and cooling at room temperature

This will need another 2 hours in the fridge before slicing

RECIPE:

* altered source recipe Lemon Lime Bars, Better Homes and Gardens

WHAT YOU NEED

CRUST

2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
Zest of 1 large lemon

FILLING

6 large eggs
2 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lime juice
zest of 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
feel free to add a drop or two of yellow food dye to give it a rich yellow color!

TOPPING

powdered sugar
lime zest

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 9x13" pan with heavy foil

IN BOWL OF A STAND MIXER fitted with paddle blade, beat butter 1 minute MED speed
ADD brown sugar and cream until combined
ADD flour and lemon zest beating until mixture resembles coarse crumbs
PRESS into bottom and up the sides of prepared pan
BAKE 20 minutes (or until center is set)
REMOVE and let rest on cooling rack while you prepare the filling

IN BOWL OF A STAND MIXER fitted with paddle blade, combine all ingredients and MIX on MED 2-3 minutes scraping down sides when necessary
POUR into hot crust
RETURN to oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until center is set. This too an extra 10 minutes in my oven so keep checking after 20 minutes and adjust baking time accordingly.

REMOVE from oven and let rest on baking rack 1 hour
COVER AND TRANSFER to fridge for 2 hours
SPRINKLE generously with powdered sugar and lime zest
LIFT bars out of pan gently by pulling up on foil edges
CUT with a knife dipped in hot water. Dip knife in hot water after each cut to ensure clean and smooth edges

ENJOY !

Also seen here:

Milk Chocolate Jumbo Oatmeal Cookies

Nothing like Grandma's oatmeal cookies! Yup, these contain oatmeal but that is pretty much the only remnants left of the traditional oatmeal cookie. The addition of cocoa and milk chocolate chips bring these babies up to a whole new level of YUM.

You can use any brand of chocolate chips you prefer but for me nothing beats Callebaut Milk Chocolate. 1 1/2 cups added to the batter is sheer perfection.

Are they really jumbo? Uh, ya, they are. You can squeeze in about 6 cookies per standard baking sheet and you need to leave PLENTY of room between the cookies as these spread out quite a bit during baking. 3-4" spaces is ideal.

This recipe makes approximately 18 large cookies. You will need 3 cookie sheets, each one lined with parchment paper and then you are ready to begin.

These are large, sweet, super crispy and oh so chocolatey. Simply put, I adore them.

LET'S GET STARTED!

RECIPE:
*adjusted source recipe: Family Circle Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook

WHAT YOU NEED

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (best quality you can find)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups large flake old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper

IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt
IN LARGE BOWL, beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar MED speed for 3 minutes
BEAT in eggs and vanilla
ON LOW SPEED add in flour mixture blending til just combined
GRADUALLY add in oats blending again til just combined
FOLD in chocolate chips

USE your cookie scoop to measure out cookies - dropping them 3-4" apart onto parchment lined baking sheets
BAKE 17 minutes
LET COOL in pan 5 minutes
TRANSFER cookies to cooling rack and let cool to room temperature

FANTASTIC !

Also seen here:

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

Let's face it, who doesn't love brownies? And who doesn't love cupcakes? No show of hands? Exactly.

Why choose? Combine the rich and chocolatey density of a brownie into a cupcake topped with fudge icing and you pretty much have my definition of heaven.

I had 2 special ingredients on hand for this recipe but you can make it without them. Just ensure you have some good quality dark chocolate (4 ounces worth) before you begin. I wanted to dress these up a bit so I chose an extra dark Godiva chocolate (85% cocoa) and for the decorative topping I opted for some Brownie Tattoos I had purchased several weeks ago at Michael's Craft Store.

The trick to working with the tattoos in this recipe is to use a puncher or circular cutter to get a clean circular cut. After you cut out the circle, simply peel off the edible tattoo
and press gently down onto the icing.

These bake up nicely in paper liners and tend not to rise too much
due to the heavy brownie batter. If you want to bake directly in a muffin pan
then ensure you spray the tin liberally with cooking spray.

Frost them using a piping tip or an icing spatula

to spread frosting over the cupcakes. I used a Wilton 2D tip.


Then apply the tattoo cutouts and enjoy!

LET'S GET STARTED!

RECIPE:
*altered source recipe: Brownie Cupcakes, Joy of Baking

WHAT YOU NEED

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cup fine granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

FUDGE FROSTING

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/3 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Brownie Tattoos (optional)

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 325F
LINE muffin tin with 12 paper liners

IN SMALL DOUBLE BOILER, melt chocolate and butter stirring constantly until smooth and combined
SET ASIDE and let come to room temperature
TRANSFER to large bowl and whisk in sugar and vanilla extract
WHISK in 3 eggs, one a time, until combined
STIR in flour and salt
DIVIDE equally into muffin tin (I use an ice cream scoop to measure out the batter)
BAKE 23-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out sticky with moist crumbs
LET COOL in tin 5 minutes them transfer to cooling rack
LET COOL COMPLETELY

FROSTING:

IN SMALL DOUBLE BOILER, melt chocolate whisking continuously until smooth
REMOVE FROM HEAT and let come to room temperature
IN STAND MIXER fitted with paddle attachment, mix butter 2-3 minutes MED speed
ADD melted chocolate
BLEND until combined
ADD icing sugar and vanilla extract
BLEND slow speed 1 minute, scrape down sides and mix 3 minutes MED speed
SPOON into piping bag fitted with your tip of choice
PIPE frosting onto cooled cupcakes
CUTOUT brownie tattoos, peel of backing and press down lightly into tops of cupcakes

ENJOY !


Also seen here:

Sticky Chocolate Cinnamon Buns

Glorious chocolate cinnamon buns! The secret to these decadent treats is the addition of chocolate chips and a layer of caramel sauce lurking underneath as they bake. During the baking process, some of the chocolate chips melt into the caramel sauce. When you flip the buns over after baking you have an incredible chocolate cinnamon bun glazed in a rich and creamy chocolate, caramel sauce.

I started out with my basic sticky bun dough recipe which is made in the bread machine. The cinnamon bun filling ingredients stay the same too but with the addition of 1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips. The biggest change though is the caramel sauce. Made easily in a saucepan and then poured into the baking pan, it serves as the sticky topping to these sweet and delicious buns. For a special dessert treat, top them with whipped cream and a cherry or shaved chocolate. Beyond good!





LET'S GET STARTED

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

A bread maker with a dough setting
9X13" baking dish

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

1 large egg at room temperature
1 1/4 cups warm water (80F or 27C)
3 1/2 teaspoons oil (plain vegetable oil works best. I used Becel)
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups white bread flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (I use the type marked for bread maker use)

THE FILLING

1/2 cup unsalted melted butter
1/4 cup fine white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

CARAMEL SAUCE

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoons cream or milk

MAKE IT

GREASE baking dish (I melt 2 tablespoons of butter for this and brush it all over the inside of the dish)

IN YOUR BREAD MAKER, ADD all dough ingredients in the exact order as listed above.
SELECT Dough course and press Start

WHILE DOUGH IS RISING, combine all caramel sauce ingredients in a small saucepan
BRING TO A BOIL over medium heat and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring continously
POUR INTO prepared baking pan and ensure it covers all areas of the bottom of the pan

ONCE the dough course is complete, liberally sprinkle a work surface with flour
PLACE dough on work surface and roll out to a large rectangle (12" x 16")

Filling Ingredients: BRUSH melted butter on dough leaving 1/2 " edge on all sides
COMBINE sugars and cinnamon together in a bowl, sprinkle all over buttered area
TOP with chocolate chips
STARTING with longest side, ROLL up dough tightly to form a log
WITH SHARP KNIFE, cut rolls in 1 1/2" slices
PLACE rolls in baking dish over caramel sauce
COVER with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm area for 30 minutes
PREHEAT oven to 350F
REMOVE towel and BAKE in oven for 25 minutes.

ALLOW buns to rest in baking dish at room temperature on cooling rack for 5 minutes
INVERT buns onto a plate

DIG IN !

Also seen here:

Raisin Bran Loaf

The next best thing to a raisin bran muffin. This bread is made in your bread maker and filled to the brim with goodness: all-bran cereal, wheat bran and whole wheat flour. Molasses adds richness, color and that taste that brings anything labeled "raisin bran" truly alive.

This bread is super quick to put together even though it has a tad longer ingredient list than usual. Within a few hours you will have a lovely loaf to enjoy. This one is great toasted but also would be fantastic as a basis for your next french toast breakfast.

If you don't have wheat bran handy simply swap it out with oat bran. I tend to have oat bran on standby all the time as it is one of my favorite hot cereals. I used dark raisins in this recipe but you could also use golden raisins or any other small dried fruit and exchange it in the recipe at a 1:1 ratio.

So let's get BAKING!

I use this brand of cereal.

It is excellent in this recipe.


A fresh and golden loaf

RECIPE:
*source recipe: 250 Best Canadian Bread Machine Baking Recipes
Makes 1.5 lb loaf


WHAT YOU NEED

1 1/4 cups water at room temperature
1/4 cup skim milk powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon of molasses (not blackstrap)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (neutral flavor only)
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups white bread flour
1/2 cup bran cereal
1/4 cup wheat bran
3/4 cup raisins
1 1/4 teaspoon bread machine yeast

MAKE IT

ADD all ingredients into your bread maker pan in the order above except raisins
ADD raisins to dispenser container on your bread machine. If you don't have a dispenser then go ahead and add the raisins with the rest of the ingredients
SELECT WHOLE WHEAT cycle
SELECT EXTRAS if you have an extras dispenser for the raisins
SELECT 1.5 lb loaf and MEDIUM crust setting
PRESS START and let the bread maker do all the work

ENJOY !

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These are an old-time favorite and seem to have a strong presence in the hearts of most families. I love the texture and taste of a really good oatmeal raisin cookie. They cannot be too crispy or too chewy. I was aiming for something in between. And of course, one that would be perfect for dunking into a cup of milk. Another option: adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream to one half, sandwich with another cookie and voila, an amazing ice cream sandwich treat.

When making these cookies please opt for old-fashioned large flake oats. Do not go with the quick-cooking variety or you will be sadly disappointed in the cookie outcome. You see, quick-cooking oats are already pre-cooked and simply do not work well in baked goods. I love the large fashioned variety of oats for their nuttiness and chew. They work very well in this recipe.

As far as raisins go, why not jazz it up a bit? I decided to use half dark raisins and half golden raisins. The golden raisins almost add a floral flavor to the cookie when you bite into one of them. They are a refreshing addition to these traditional treats. These cookies would also gladly welcome the addition of dried cherries or cranberries. Play around with your ingredients and see what works for you!

So let's get started !

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe: The Pastry Queen

WHAT YOU NEED
* this recipe makes approx. 4 dozen cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, large flake variety
3/4 cup dark raisins
3/4 cup golden raisins

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
WITH ELECTRIC HAND MIXER OR STAND MIXER (fitted with paddle attachment), cream butter, syrup and 2 sugars on MED speed for 4-5 minutes
ADD EGGS and beat on MED speed til thoroughly blended
ADD remaining ingredients mixing on LOW speed until combined

DROP GOLFBALL-SIZED mounds of dough onto prepared sheets leaving 1 inch space between each cookie
LIGHTLY press down each cookie to flatten slightly
BAKE 7-10 minutes until golden brown
COOL on baking sheets for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling rack
COOL completely.

ENJOY !