Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Soft, fluffy, chocolatey and filled with little pockets of melted chocolate.

There are certain recipes that belong in every baking cupboard.

Chocolate muffins are one of them.

And naturally, we decided to give them the Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate treatment.

These Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins are rich without being too heavy, soft in the middle, and perfect for breakfast, lunchboxes, coffee breaks or an afternoon treat.

They are also wonderfully easy to make, which means they are ideal for those moments when you want something freshly baked without turning the kitchen into a disaster zone.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cake flour
• ½ cup Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• Pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup neutral cooking oil or 100 g melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

For the Top

• Extra chocolate chips
• A light dusting of Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder
• Chocolate drizzle, optional

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.

2. Line a standard 12-hole muffin tray with paper muffin cases.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder, brown sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

4. In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil or melted butter, and vanilla essence.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

6. Stir gently until just combined.

Do not overmix the batter.

A few small lumps are perfectly fine and will help keep the muffins soft and fluffy.

7. Fold in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.

8. Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cases, filling each approximately three-quarters full.

9. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips over the top of each muffin.

10. Bake for approximately 18–22 minutes.

Insert a skewer into the centre of one muffin. It should come out mostly clean, although a little melted chocolate is completely acceptable.

11. Allow the muffins to cool in the tray for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

The Secret to Soft Muffins

There are two very important rules.

Do not overmix them.

And do not overbake them.

Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, stop mixing.

The less unnecessary stirring you do, the softer your muffins will be.

Make Them Extra Chocolatey

If you believe chocolate muffins should take their job very seriously, try adding:

• Milk chocolate chips
• Dark chocolate chunks
• White chocolate chips
• Chocolate spread in the centre
• Chopped hazelnuts
• Mini marshmallows

You can also drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled muffins.

Completely optional.

Highly recommended.

Give Them a Gooey Chocolate Centre

Fill each muffin case halfway with batter.

Place a small block of chocolate in the centre, then cover with more batter.

As the muffins bake, the chocolate melts into a soft centre.

Serve them slightly warm and you will understand why this step is worth the extra effort.

Hot Chocolate & Marshmallow Muffins

For a proper hot-chocolate-inspired version, fold a handful of mini marshmallows into the batter with the chocolate chips.

You can also add a few marshmallow pieces to the tops during the final few minutes of baking.

Keep an eye on them, as marshmallows toast quickly.

Rescue Roast® Mocha Muffins

For a coffee twist, replace approximately ¼ cup of the milk with strong brewed Rescue Roast® coffee.

The coffee deepens the chocolate flavour and creates a delicious mocha muffin.

Pair one with another freshly brewed Rescue Roast® coffee.

There is no rule saying the coffee needs to remain outside the muffin.

Perfect for Lunchboxes

These muffins are also brilliant for packing into lunchboxes or taking along on road trips.

Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container.

They are delicious at room temperature, but a few seconds in the microwave brings the chocolate chips back to life beautifully.

Can You Freeze Them?

Absolutely.

Allow the muffins to cool completely and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag.

Freeze individually so you can take out one at a time whenever the chocolate emergency arises.

Allow to thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the microwave.

250 g or 500 g?

Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate is available in both 250 g and 500 g bags.

The 250 g bag is perfect for enjoying your favourite hot chocolate and trying a few recipes from the Rescue Roast® Academy.

But if Hot Chocolate has now become a regular ingredient in your cakes, puddings, brownies, breakfast recipes and muffins...

The 500 g bag may be a considerably safer cupboard strategy.

A Very Good Reason to Bake Muffins

Soft chocolate muffin.

Melted chocolate chips.

Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate baked straight into the batter.

We are struggling to find a downside.