Spoke Spider Web Chocolate Muffins

Happy Halloween!

Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients

1 stick (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large egg

1cup (240 ml) milk

1 tablespoon (15ml) white vinegar

1 cup (150g) raw cane sugar, packed

2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla bean paste

1 3/4 cups (230g) all purpose flour, sifted

2/3 cup (60g) cocoa powder

1 teaspoon (8g) baking soda

1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder

1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt

1 cup (160g) bittersweet chocolate chips (54% cocoa)

For topping 

1/2 cup dark chocolate chopped 

1/2 cup white chocolate chopped 

2 piping bags 

A toothpick or knife.

Directions

Preheat the oven at 375ºF (190ºC). Position rack in the middle of the oven.

Put the paper liners in the muffin pan.

Combine the vinegar with milk, remove and leave rest for 5 minutes. You will see how milk looks like a yogurt. This is our homemade buttermilk.

In a large bowl sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk in sugar until everything is combined. Add the chocolate chips. 

In a small bowl whisk the eggs, the butter cooled, the homemade buttermilk, and vanilla bean paste.

Put wet ingredients into solid ingredients, mix with a rubber spatula, until everything are combined, but it is really important not to overmix the batter in order to have good results.

When all the ingredients are combined, use a medium size scoop spoon to put the dough into the muffin pan, the muffin cup will be full.

Put in the middle of the oven and bake about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick insert on the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool for about 5 minutes in a wire rack before removing from pan. 

For the topping

Meanwhile the muffins are baking prepare the chocolate toppings.

Break the dark and white chocolate into separate bowls and melt in the microwave on medium heat. Put 2 spoonfuls of dark chocolate in one bag and the same of white chocolate in the other.

Working with one muffin at a time, spread with dark chocolate from the bowl, letting it run down a bit, then pipe four concentric circles of white chocolate on top. Using a small toothpick, drag through the circles at regular intervals, from the centre to the edge, to create a cobweb effect. 

Repeat with five more muffins. On the remaining six, spread over the white chocolate and decorate with the dark.

This recipe was adapted from BBC Good Food, Spider Web Chocolate Fudge Muffins.

Enjoy!!