I apologize. I’m a liar.
Remember when I told you, you’ll never make another muffin again? Well, I lied. Big Time.
The truth is, I think I make a new muffin every other day. I love muffins. LOVE THEM. They are the perfect answer to the constant rumbling in my stomach.
Let’s face it, I haven’t met many muffins I didn’t like. I have no shame. I highly lack self-control when it comes to food so sometimes I try to trick myself into eating healthy.
Yes, that’s what I said, HEALTHY! That’s when I try to bake and eat whole grains. I even try to get the Wild Boar and the hooligans to eat more whole grains. But sometimes I meet so much resistance I resort to tricking them into eating healthy without them knowing. Deceptive I realize, but I never promised anyone a rose garden over here.
My daily begging to eat seven grain bread, rice cakes and oatmeal has become a futile effort. Frankly I’m bored with it.
So instead I make things like Chocolate Malted Muffins made with whole grains tricking the pants off my family.
Do not tell them, they will never trust me again.
So let’s go make this diet food. It really is diet food. Really it is.
Here are all the low-calorie ingredients for the muffin batter. Really, they are. Barley flour, white whole wheat flour, unbleached bread flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, malted milk powder, light or dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, buttermilk (which is scandalously missing from this photo), eggs, vanilla extract and chocolate chips.
Let’s mix up the dry ingredients first. Come on, get your grains out…let’s go!
First let’s take a look at the flours that went into making this recipe.
Aren’t you feeling healthy already? Barley flour….mmmmmmmmm.
White whole wheat is like a milder version of whole wheat flour. But you can use whole wheat flour as well. You could probably use white flour too but then that would defeat the whole purpose of this recipe!
Unbleached bread flour is next. Sounds good doesn’t it?
Into a bowl add 1 cup of whole barley flour, 1/2 cup white whole wheat or whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup unbleached bread flour. Simple right?
To the flour add 3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
1/4 cup malted milk powder also gets added to the flour.
1 cup of light or dark brown sugar (I used dark, I think it gives it more depth of flavor).
1 teaspoon of baking powder…
1/2 teaspoon baking powder…again satisfy your cleaning, baking and deodorizing needs with baking soda! Crazy.
And finally a 1/2 teaspoon of salt is all added to the flour mixture.
Whisk up all the dry ingredients, making sure to break up all the little rocks of sugar and cocoa, set aside.
On to the wet…
Now get another bowl to make a mess in and melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Sheesh, there’s not even a lot of butter in here. You’re saving calories left and right!
Here’s the buttermilk that was scandalously missing in action from the ingredient photo. No, I did not forget this at the store, I just forgot to take it out of the fridge. Cut me some slack here.
Add 1-1/4 cups of buttermilk to the melted butter. I would make sure your butter is not burning hot when you add the cold milk, you’ll see why if you try that.
Do you ever have the feeling someone is watching you? Stop looking at me or I’ll poke your eyes out. Add 2 eggs to the bowl.
And 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Whisk it all together. No mixer needed. Even better.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and like magic, the batter turns chocolaty. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter.
I sprayed my cupcake size muffin tin with nonstick spray and filled each well to the rim. I’ve said it before, I do not like whimpy muffins. This batter only gave me nine muffins because I filled up each well. I love to over-do things.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Keep checking, don’t over-bake them!
Here’s the muffins when they are done. Aren’t they amazing looking? And giant?
Leave the muffins to cool in the pan for a minute or two and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Now let’s make the glaze.
For the glaze you will need: brown sugar, malted milk powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, corn syrup, plain yogurt and vanilla extract.
To a saucepan add 6 Tablespoons of light or dark brown sugar (I used dark).
Then add 2 Tablespoons malted milk powder, 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 Tablespoon corn syrup, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 cup plain yogurt.
Bring these ingredients to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Here’s what it looks like as it comes together. Remove from heat and pour over the cooled muffins.
Oh sweet mother of Mary, look at this. Just keep drizzling until the muffin tops are completely covered with this sugary-chocolate-malted milk goodness.
See very diet-like don’t you think?
And then because I think they are healthy I eat four of them at a time, erasing any possibility of modeling self-control to my family.
And then I do something crazy like add whipped cream to these little gems. I’m hopeless. Don’t judge me.
Chocolate Malted Muffins
adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Whole Grain Baking
Muffin Batter
1 cup (4 ounces) barley flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) whole wheat flour or white whole wheat
1/2 cup (2-1/8 ounces) unbleached bread flour
3/4 cup (2-1/4 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup (1-1/4 ounces) malted milk powder
1 cup (7-1/2 ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
1-1/4 cups (10 ounces) buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips
Glaze
6 Tablespoons (2-3/4 ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons (5/8 ounce) malted milk powder
2 Tablespoons (3/8 ounce) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 cup (2 ounces) plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease or use cooking spray on a muffin tin or line with papers and coat the papers with nonstick spray.
To Make The Batter: Whisk together the flours, cocoa, malted milk powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the butter, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing until the batter is evenly moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the muffins until you can smell the chocolate and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 23-25 minutes. Don’t over-bake! Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then turn them onto a rack to finish cooling.
To Make The Glaze: Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and drizzle over the tops of the cooled muffins.
Enjoy these and try not to eat four of them in one sitting as I do!
Jennifer says
Holy cow…these look good. I’m going to the grocery store later today. I think I’ll have to pick up the ingredients to make some this weekend!
Asthmagirl says
You’re not hopeless, you’re despicable.
Those are too tempting not to make!
maggie, dammit says
I like liars. And chocolate.
Tipper says
Just looking at the muffins is starving me to death! I love King Authur flour-it is the best for bread. I’ve noticed the price has went up a good deal in my area. What about yours?
Julena Jo says
I forgive you for lying! I can’t wait to try these. Gorgeous photos. I wish I hadn’t skipped breakfast because now I’m starving. (I only skipped because I ate two giant monster cookies before bed and am still sort of fullish.)I’m so happy that fate, with the help of StumbledUpon, brought me to your web site. Your commentary made me laugh aloud first thing today. How awesome is that? Thank you!
krysta says
LIAR! but what a good liar and I don’t judge.
Andi Sexton (rrlscrapgal) says
OK.. here’s the deal.. You need to open a muffin store/bistro/cafe along with that winery you got planned in Oregon… I’ll visit.. promise!
jennielynn says
Oooooh. I love chocolate malts. I am making these today! And, I’m sorry, but I just tagged you for the seven random things meme. You can totally count the whole loving muffins thing!
Tempered Woman says
You were SO close to healthy. But you need to get yourself some aluminum free baking powder. Then it’s official. I think you forgot to espouse the many benefits of chocolate. antioxidant, etc.
And to Tipper above~ flour has gone up everywhere. They had to raise prices becuase of wheat is in such high demand. Blame the ethanol enthusiasts!
Mental P Mama says
Good God.
Jaclyn Bailey says
I cant wait to try these! SO YUMMY LOOKING!!!!!!
Mike says
lol, very healthy I see! đŸ˜‰ They look fantastic.
Deborah says
delicious and healthy? You can’t get better than that!
Jessica says
Yum! I want some of this diet food! ; )
kristina says
As if the recipe itself wasn’t indulgent enough, you topped it with whipped cream?! Good lord.
Stacy says
These look awesome! I love anything with the word “malt” in it.
annbb says
These cannot possibly be as good as, let alone better than, your heavenly Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. Not possible, it’s just not!
(Mental P. Mama made my family some…I only got the tiniest little piece before my family DEVOURED the rest.)
MuzzyBlue says
And to make these little sweetie-pies even better, I’ll sprinkle in a little FiberSure!! They’ll never know…shhh
Elle says
Oh wow! I have to make these! You’re killing me with these recipes!
Kevin says
Chocolate muffins with chocolate glaze and whipped cream look so decadent and yet so good. Hidden beneathe the surface though is the healtyness od barley flour, whole wheat flour and yogurt. đŸ™‚
RecipeGirl says
Hey, I love that they’re “healthy!”
They look so incredible oozing with chocolate (and I don’t even like choc. that much.) If I made these, my 6 year old would never let me make a fresh fruit muffin again!
gizmar says
I think somewhere, in some book or some legal document there’s a law that says you’re not allowed to tease people with stuff like this because it causes drooling and stomach rumbling that’s entirely uncontrollable. I’m just happy I didn’t end up wetting my pants.
Chelsea/PB&J In A Bowl says
Sooo. . . do you need my address? I’ve asked you to mail me several of your baked goodies, and for some reason, I haven’t gotten any. Must be something wrong at the post office. These look awesome.
LaskiGal says
You’re killing me! We made the Rigatoni w/ Red Peppers over this past weekend. It was AWESOME! And, you were right. It was filling. I added some sauteed mushrooms and onions to the leftovers and created a while new day two meal! I couldn’t believe something so EASY could taste so great! THANK YOU!
I’m going to make this one this weekend. Healthy and chocolate–I’m up for it!
Liz C. says
Ok, you have seriously got to stop this… you’re killing me! I could pass on the other muffins, but this would be sheer torture to pass up. Seriously outrageous gooey-good muffins. Fine. Now I’m going to have to make them. Thanks a lot. đŸ˜‰
Psychgrad says
You know…I think it is an entirely justifiable lie. It’s like saying, I promise I’ll never breathe again. Really – I’d rather just breathe and be called a liar.
kappamaki says
Subscribing to your RSS feed was the smartest decision I’ve made all week!
Geri says
Cathy your writing causes me to scroll faster and faster passing the photos like I’m driving on the interstate..can’t wait to read the next word..then after I do read I go back to the photos…and read it all over again.. I thought of the container of choc. malted powder that I use for milkshakes..thanks for your idea of putting it into other things…how cool…when you were a kid do you remember singing this:
Oh do you know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man?
Oh do you know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane?
Yes I know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man.
Yes I know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane.
Now while you are mixing your muffin batter you can sing along.
One of my favorite muffin recipes is date and walnut…have you tried it?
If not give it a try. They are awesome.
Now it’s time to crash can’t wait until you blog again…have a great weekend and one last thing..do you have Passover and if so can you tell us something about the Passover meal?
Jen-o-topia in TN says
Something that looks this good MUST be bad. Very, very bad.
Jeff says
That looks amazing and more importantly easy to do especially for an idiot baker like myself.
Jeff says
That looks amazing and most importantly easy to do especially for an idiot baker like myself.
Patricia Scarpin says
These are some sinful muffins! That dripping icing is a killer.
Indigo says
You forgot to point out that the buttermilk was low-fat! The calories are just dropping off this recipe. I’ll have to have at least two for maximum health benefits, yes?
Deb says
You are killing me with those muffins! Malted milk powder!!! I used to eat that stuff with a spoon right out of the package! Ohhhhh Yummmmm!!!! I gotta have these!
pam says
Oh my gosh! They look perfect!
Cindy says
Absolutely loved your step by step pictures.
All Adither says
If they have one in your area, you can get cheap King Arthur’s flour at Trader Joes.
grace says
you’re killing me softly with muffins. really, you are.
Marye says
those wound wonderful…malted milk? Oh yum.
Harmony says
Why do you tempt us so?!
jennyonthespot says
Curses! Curses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe I can rename this recipe to, “The Muffin(ssssss) Jenny Ate Which Sabotaged Her Hopes to Complete a Half Marathon in June”. Huh? Huh?
Sharon says
Hi Cathy, Thanks for the visit. These muffins look MORE than delicious. I’m sure I could come up with an adjective, but let’s just leave it at that for now đŸ™‚ Fabulous pictures as well!