Somehow blogging tends to reveal facts about oneself that are usually kept tightly under wraps. Like alcohol it brings to the surface those quirks you only share with the very closest of friends. The terrible out of tune singing along to Taylor Swift (and that you know every.single.word), the shocking dance moves, the fact you can talk until the cows come home (and then some), the snorting when you truly laugh. Writing/blogging is a far easier method of divulging such quirks than in person. Another form of liquid confidence. And thus it’s important to know where your limits lie. We all know that far too much (of either) often leads to making a fool of yourself/doing or revealing something you regret…you know how it goes.
So rather than falling down the rabbit hole of yet again talking about me, me, me let’s get back to the central focus. Food! A passion that I’m happy to share, liquid confidence or no. Most likely over share. “Oh there’s the girl who’s going to interrogate me about what I ate for lunch today. Run. Run. Run. Nowwwwww.” Yep. It happens. However, you can’t deny that food, unlike egocentrism, is pretty darn interesting. Why, it’s an entirely sensory experience – even more so if you’re doing the cooking.
Take baking a cake – that’s what we all start with right? Consider each individual element. Okay, perhaps not quite all of them. Cracking an egg – maybe one handed (that’s when you know you cook far too often) – and not one scrap of shell falling into the bowl. The creamy yellow of a pat of butter. The sound of it being beaten with sugar, the granules scraping on the sides of the bowl. The way in which the batter pours in a thick stream into the lined tin. Wiping your hands on your apron and not worrying about how filthy it’s getting. Licking the bowl and getting half of it on your face (and no one telling you about it, typical). The rich smell that wafts down corridors, seeping under doors, filling the building. The spring of the cooked cake when touched.
So where’s the cake recipe you ask? It’s far too cruel to not have one, right? We-ell truth be told I’ve run out of cake’s in my ‘store’ from the winter break! Chocolate chip muffins will have to be an adequate substitute. I mean, they’re miniature…that’s got to be sufficient redemption. They’re dense and buttery, with dark chocolate to cut through the richness. These little fellas have more substance than your bog-standard store bought chocolate chip muffin, yet come in a more manageable size. Portion control just became a whole heap easier! Unless you ‘forget’ how many you’ve consumed…
They may not be liquid confidence, but they’re guaranteed to turn your mood jolly – and with no risk of letting the quirks you’d rather keep under-wraps spill out!
Miniature Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes approximately 45.
Ingredients
100g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup natural or greek yoghurt
5 tbsp milk
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C. Lightly grease or line two 24 hole miniature muffin tins. Beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl whisk together the yoghurt or milk. Add to the butter mixture, whisking until well combined.
Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda and then fold into wet mixture until just combined. Gently fold through the chocolate chips.
Spoon the batter into each muffin hole (filling each to the brim) and bake for 8 minutes or until springy to touch.
Set the muffin pans on a wire rack and leave to cool for three minutes before removing the muffins and leaving them on the wire rack to cool completely.
The mini muffins are best eaten warm (and the day they are baked). Will keep in an airtight container for two days and can be frozen for up to three months.
Note: The mixture can be used to make 14 ‘regular’ sized muffins – bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Source: Adapted from Cook’s Bible.
