20 October 2008

Chocolate chestnut muffins

Chocolate chestnut muffins.

I was in the mood for something sweet after dinner tonight, but not sickly sweet, definitely chocolate but dark and sophisticated. I came up with these 'grown-up' muffins, grown up as in more for adults than regular muffins that easily please masses of children. I am the first to admit that I love everyday chocolate muffins but for a little luxury this recipe really hits the spot.

I combined two cake making method to make these muffins, the usual muffins method of wet ingrediants into dry, and the chocolate brownie 'melting' method. I melted very dark, good quality chocolate into butter and stirred in sweet chestnut puree, after cooling slightly I stirred in beaten eggs and a little sugar, then folded in flour and very good quality cocoa, to give the muffins a little depth of colour. As a extra special treat I poured in a glug of Tia Maria, I recently fell in love with Tia Maria and am now finding uses for it all over the shop.



Chocolate chestnut muffins:
100g best quality dark chocolate
100g butter
250g tin of vanilla sweetened chestnut puree
2 eggs, beaten
75g caster sugar
125g self raising flour
25g good quality cocoa
a glug of Tia Maria
Preheat the oven to 180c.
In a large heavy bottomed pan melt together the chocolate and butter, remove from the heat and stir in chestnut puree.
Cool slightly and stir in eggs and caster sugar.
Sift together the flour and cocoa and fold into the chocolate chestnut mixture, spoon into muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes.
Now, I did say that this recipe was intended for grown-ups, however my two children loved these and polished off two each before I hid the remaining muffins. They are very light, but a little goes a long way, they are very intensively chocolatey. I do think they would be very good as 'pudding' with coffee, or Tia Maria, after dinner with friends. The first thing that hits you is the chocolate, they are extremely chocolatey, and you can really taste it, I can't stand chocolate muffins that are just brown cakes with no hint of chocolate to the flavour.
Then the chestnut hits you, chocolate and chestnut, a great combination.
The liquor really gives a adult kick, it doesn't alter the flavour of the cakes, just adds a little depth to it.
Do give this recipe a try, and don't be put off by using chestnuts before Christmas, this is how I came to use the chestnut puree tonight, it had been sitting around in my cupboard since last Christmas as it didn't feel 'right' to use it any other time.
I recently heard of baby born born in the height if summer, who had been named Holly.
"you can't call a summer baby Holly" I declared, and so had a number of other people, as babies Grandad was very determined when he said, "It's not just a Christmas name!" So on that reasoning I decided if Holly wasn't just for Christmas then neither are chestnuts. Although these would be very good to leave out for Santa.....

13 comments:

Rhyleysgranny said...

Goodness those sound sooooo good. I have never used chestnut puree. OH doesn't like chestnuts. Do you think he would notice? They look just perfect too. Lovely pics
xxx

J.L. Danger said...

chestnuts huh....I have never tried that before, but I think I just might.

Anonymous said...

They sound fabulous, I adore chestnut puree - I could eat it out of the tin. I must try these.

Oh my! Apple pie! said...

Granny: Chestnut puree isn't as 'chestntty' as whole chestnuts. It just gives a lovely nutty flavour to the cakes, my children loved them but usually dislike choc/ nut cakes.
KG: I am the same,love it!
J.Danger: you must try chestnuts, they are divine!

The Blonde Duck said...

These look simply divine. I'm so craving muffins right now...

hungryandfrozen said...

What a cool idea! Very grown up...and you're right, no point leaving special ingredients around and waiting for the right time or you'll never end up using them at all! I've got a right craving for chocolate now :)

Kelly-Jane said...

Chocolate and chestnuts = delicious and yummy! and you did like the Tia Maria in the end :) :)

Oh my! Apple pie! said...

Laura: I am forever buying special ingredients then let them go to waste.
Kelly-Jane: yes, I bit the bullet and bought a bottle and I really like it, so much so I am finding all sorts of things to add it too.

Coby said...

I have nothing but utter respect for anyone who can create baking recipes - especially ones that OBVIOUSLY taste incredible! YUM.

Rosie said...

Chestnuts and chocolate oh my these muffins have to taste just incredible!!

Rosie x

Anonymous said...

Oh dear, these sounds soooo good!

Your blog is so cute, and all of your recipes sound so tempting!

Thinking About Food said...

I have a tin of chestnut puree from last Christmas too....been saving it up to use for this Christmas, but now that I know where to get it(not a commonly stocked item here!) I am going to give these a go, they sound lovely!

Anonymous said...

Interesting for me//
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