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Chocolate Macadamia Nut Tea Party Muffins

Source of Recipe

Kathlen Brandon


List of Ingredients

5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus 2 oz. more set aside
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Very small pinch of allspice (optional)
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed (dark brown is fine if you do not have light)
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil (olive oil will work, but it will make a denser muffin)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten with fork



Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Prepare a regular (12 cups) muffin tin by either greasing the cups or using a light coating of vegetable spray.
Gently melt the 5 oz. of chocolate over very low heat (or in a low microwave oven) until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, the optional allspice, brown sugar, and chopped nuts. (You may wish to pre-mix these dry ingredients first to make the mixing into the melted chocolate easier.)
In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients (milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and pre-stirred egg) and whisk or stir until blended.

Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Do not over mix or the muffins may not rise well. The somewhat stiff chocolate mixture may take some coaxing as you stir, if the milk and egg are too cold.
Spoon half the muffin mixture into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over this portion, then continue to fill the cups with the rest of the mixture. Do not over-fill the cups or the muffin tops will not rise well.

Bake about 16-18 minutes (ovens vary, so it is best to allow from 15-20 minutes, checking for doneness by seeing that the muffins are firm to the touch, but not dry, and well-risen in the muffin tin.
Cool 5-10 minutes, then remove from muffin tin and cool completely.

These muffins are a great coffee or tea party treat.