Tuesday, October 13, 2009

TWD--Allspice Chocolate Chip Crumb Muffin--Coffee Cake and Another Birthday Boy

Well, I had to do something different didn't I?  I mean, Allspice Muffins just wasn't enough for me and hello--no chocolate.  I don't think so.  ;)  kidding.  I was actually glad this week's Tuesday's With Dorie recipe was a simple one, it was chosen by Kayte of Grandma's Kitchen Table (I think this woman is GREAT!).

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This all came down to me just being so lazy that I didn't want to prep a muffin pan.  I know, it's not like it's so much more involved than putting foil in a pan, but after I thought about it, I just thought it would be fun to try the muffin recipe as a coffee cake.  It WAS fun and pretty tasty, too.  I'm actually really glad I added the chocolate chips because I thought just the part of the cake that didn't have any was rather plain.  Mostly I just don't think the kids would have eaten the muffins as the recipe was written.

I did change a few things in the recipe.  You can get the recipe as Dorie wrote it at Kayte's blog, or you can get the book, Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan.  Lovin' this book and this TWD group.

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Oh, I also made a rippled layer of chocolate chips and brown sugar in the center.

Here's the recipe as I made it.  I made a few ingredient changes where I didn't think it would affect the recipe too much.  These were nice and moist.  I hadn't really used allspice as a main flavor ingredient before and did think it was a little too much like cloves, but it wasn't bad, just not what I would do again.  I would have preferred this with some cinnamon in it as well.

Allspice Chocolate Chip Crumb Muffin Coffee Cake, adapted by Katrina from Dorie Greenspan, Baking From My Home to Yours, pages 16-17

Streusel:

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Middle Layer:

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

sprinkles of allspice

Muffins:

1 cup all unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

1/2 cup fat free milk

1/4 cup low fat buttermilk 

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line an 8x8 inch square pan with foil.  Spray with cooking spray.  Set aside.  (Or could make muffins.)

For the streusel, put the flour, brown sugar, allspice and chocolate chips in a medium bowl and mix together.  Add the bits of cold butter and toss, then use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you have irregularly shaped crumbs.  Set aside in the refrigerator.

For the middle layer, combine the brown sugar and chocolate chips in a small bowl.  Set aside.

For the muffins, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir in the brown sugar.  In a glass bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk, buttermilk and vanilla.  Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry and stir together just until mixed. 

Put half the batter into the pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the chocolate chip/brown sugar mixture evenly over the batter.  Sprinkle with desired amount of allspice.  Spread the second half of the batter evenly over that then top with the streusel.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack, then using the foil edges, remove from pan and cut into desired size pieces.

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I may have gone a little long in the baking, the streusel was a little more crispy than I wanted, but it was still good.

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The boys all enjoyed a piece Sunday morning.

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Check out all the other "muffins" out there in TWD world.  Sorry I had to add chocolate to your muffins, Kayte! ;)

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Happy Birthday, Taylor!  The big SIX Monday.  More to come about all the birthday festivities!

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We love you, T, and are sure glad you're part of our family!

34 comments:

Jeannette said...

mmm. looks super great!!

happy birthday to your son :)

Soy*Baby said...

That coffee cake looks delicious. I want a slice. I bet it was yummy with the chocolate chips. Great changes.

Megan said...

GAAHH! How could I have dropped the ball on this one? No chocolate! Shame on me!

And a belated happy birthday to Taylor -

Eliana said...

Glad you did something different here because this looks great.

chocolatechic said...

Oh...it looks so fabulous, I want to eat my computer screen.

Lisa Ernst said...

A woman after my own heart -- needing to add chocolate to all these recipes. I can relate ever so well! These definitely look good, even if you weren't 100% crazy about them. I like pumpkin and chocolate, so maybe something like this recipe, but with a pumpkin base (and chocolate chips of course) might jazz things up a little?

Unknown said...

Wow-your cake looks delicious! Love *all* your changes--esp the chocolate addition! :)

Pamela said...

Yum! That cake looks great. Nice way to wake up on a Sunday morning!

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said...

Ahh! Happy birthday Taylor!! :) I should have added chocolate! That would have made all the difference. Very daring to add the middle layer and delicious!

spike. said...

love the layer in the middle! brown sugar and chocolate- that's a good addition

Shandy said...

First, Yay! to the birthday boy!

Love your coffeecake idea with brown sugar and little chocolate chips. The cake looks delicious!

Anonymous said...

You can never go wrong with chocolate as an addition. Happy Birthday to the six year old!

noble pig said...

I swear it is always a b-day at your house! And the muffins are divine!! Happy Birthday big boy!

TeaLady said...

OH!!Katrina - that looks INCREDIBLE!! How creative. I LOVE coffee cakes and this one looks perfect. And with the choco/cinnamon ripple. WOW!!!

Kayte said...

Oh, I knew there would be chocolate over here this week...no doubts in my mind about that at all! LOL. This looks great, and I am, stealing, yes, stealing the recipe! My guys would love this, I can just tell, so thanks for including the recipe. Thanks for baking with me this week...and every week! Happy Birthday Taylor! Six is pretty special!

Susan @ SGCC said...

That cake looks fabulous! I just love all of your tweaks! Very creative and delicious! :)

Anonymous said...

Your coffee cake version looks great! The chocolate chips look really tempting too!

Babette said...

Nice coffee cake..which is what my daughter said it reminded her of..

Megan said...

what a great iea to make a cake. Love the layer of chocolate in the middle!

Caroline said...

Wow that coffee cake looks amazing! Great work!

bus said...

Thanks for recipe i will try it..

Anonymous said...

Oh, wow, that layer of streusel in the middle is the best. Great idea!

Valerie said...

That looks like it would be a big, chocolatey, yummy hit at our house! Glad you made the recipe your own so we could enjoy!

Clumbsy Cookie said...

That's what happens when you have a big family, a lot of b'day!!! Happy birthday to the little one (well not so little, we all know that 6 is already almost an adult, right?) I loved that you made a huge cake, also loved the other "Katrina touches"! Dorie would be proud!

DessertObsessed said...

it must be superfun at your house; so many birthdays! LOVE the streusel!!

Rachel said...

Yum! Everything is better with chocolate...and it looks like these are no exception!

AmyRuth said...

Wow that looks pretty much "to die for!" Chocoalte makes everything better. Great job and yea for the whole wheat flour. No on knew, right?
AmyRuth

Unplanned Cooking said...

What a sweet party (and I'm hungry now, too :)! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your son!

I read that your husband was offered the job and you're moving -- congrats!

Rachel said...

Genius! I'm so doing this next time and love the chocolate layer. I've made note of it.

Hindy said...

Great coffee cake! I love that you made the chocoalte layer in there. It really looks tasty.

Anonymous said...

How cool that you made it a cake. And chocolate chips are always good.

Unknown said...

Hahaha I LOVE how you always add chocolate to like every single thing!! Super belated Happy Birthday to Taylor!!

Leslie said...

Chocolate makes everything better, so I'm not surprised these were great!

limo hire said...

supereve....muffins...i feel hungry..