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!).

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.

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.

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.

The boys all enjoyed a piece Sunday morning.

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!

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