Double chocolate muffins

It's cold, it's grey, it's Monday and I am giving you chocolate muffins. Please don't burn the inside of your mouth when you eat them straight from the oven!

Double trouble

Double chocolate muffins

140g plain chocolate
375g self-raising flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
55g cocoa powder
85g caster sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 tablespoons sunflower oil
375ml milk
140g white chocolate, chopped

Pre-heat oven to 200/gas 6.

Melt the plain chocolate and set aside to cool slightly. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and chopped white chocolate. Mix the eggs, vanilla, oil and milk together in a separate bowl and add the melted chocolate. Roughly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients; less is more at this stage - do not mix too thoroughly. Divide the mixture between 15* muffin cases and bake for 20-25 minutes. Dust with icing sugar over when they are cool.

*The muffin in the picture was one of 18. I think they should be more top-heavy so suggest you make 15, or even 12 if you want whoppers.

Fishing for compliments

Fish is so quick and easy to cook, but my children moan like anything when presented with it in its non-battered, non-fingered natural state. So tonight we're having it in soup - more of a stew really -

Creamy Smoked Fish Chowder

Chow down

Get started by frying a large onion (finely chopped) with some bacon (also chopped). I used 4 thick rashers. When the onion is soft add some chunks of potato - new ones are best as they hold their shape and don't tend to fall apart (I used 7). Stir them around for a minute and then pour in a litre of cold water and half a vegetable stock cube. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add 400g coarsely chopped smoked haddock and a salmon fillet, a handful of frozen peas and a more generous handful of frozen sweetcorn (or a small tin). Bring to the boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Stir in some double cream, add salt and pepper and serve.

Banana Chocolate Muffins  

Bananas rotting in your fruit bowl? Transform them into 12 delicious muffins:

Banana-chocolate muffins

2 ripe bananas, mashed

80g white/brown Chocolate Buttons
350g plain flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

100g caster sugar
115g melted butter
2 eggs
300ml milk
1/4 teaspoon salt

Pre-heat oven to 200. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. Whisk eggs, milk and melted butter together and fold into the dry ingredients, adding bananas and chocolate. Divide between 12 muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Best eaten warm, while the chocolate is still gooey.