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WHOLE GRAIN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

with salted caramel sauce

recipes via the Top With Cinnamon cookbook, by Izy Hossack (@topwithcinnamon) photos & video shot via iPhone 5

I have been on a years-long hunt for a good chocolate muffin. The kind that draws you in at the coffee shop, your face to the glass display, that has you clutching a wax paper bag before you know what hit you; the ones with a satisfying layer of chocolate chunks studded on their surfaces and a comfortingly dense crumb underneath, decadent without being too sweet. Izy's recipe is just that. The whole wheat and oat flours add a satisfying heft that carries these muffins into justified-breakfast territory, but there's still more than enough chocolate to keep you feeling like you got away with having dessert for breakfast.

The best part about Izy's recipe is that it's perfect for small batch bakers. It's really a recipe for a mix, one that keeps for one month at room temperature or three in the freezer. All you need to do is take a generous cupful of the mix, add 4 tbsp of milk, an egg, and some extra chopped chocolate, and it makes the perfect small batch of four muffins in no time. Here's how to do it.

for the muffin mix

45g (1 1/2 oz or 1/2 cup) oat flour 250g (9 oz or 2 cups) whole wheat flour 85 g (3 oz or 1 cup) cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 275g (10 oz or 1 1/4 cups) coconut sugar or granulated sugar 120ml (4 oz or 1/2 cup) vegetable oil or melted coconut oil

To make the mix, combine all the ingredients except the oil in a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub the oil into the dry ingredients until it forms a crumbly mixture, like soil.

for one batch of muffins

200 g (1 ¼ cups) of the muffin mix 1 egg 4 tbsp milk 15 g (1/2 oz) dark chocolate, ideally 60% cocoa solids or above, chopped

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1 ¼ cup of the muffin mix in a medium bowl with the milk and egg, and mix just until incorporated. Line a muffin pan with four liners (you may need six, depending on the size of your pan) and divide the batter evenly between them. Sprinkle chopped chocolate over top.

Bake for 18-25 minutes, or until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

for the salted caramel

3 1/2 tbsp sugar 4 tbsp water 1 tbsp salted butter 4 tbsp whipping cream flaky salt or fleur de sel for sprinkling

dissolve

the sugar and water together in a deep saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

simmer

continuously, swirling often but not stirring, until it turns a dark golden -- slightly darker than you see here.

add

the butter and cream (carefully, as the mixture may sputter) and continue to cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

continue

to cook for another 5 minutes, or until the caramel thickens to your preferred consistency.

then enjoy warm!

for the full recipes, check out Top With Cinnamon, by Izy Hossack (Hardie Grant, 2014) or visit http://tworedbowls.com

Thank you for reading!