August 26, 2019

Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins

Name: Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 350 g flour; 100 g caster sugar; 100 g light brown sugar; 200 ml unsweetened almond milk (room temperature); 100 ml unflavoured oil of your choice; 100 ml aquafaba; 1/4 tsp fine salt; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 75 g vegan dark chocolate chips tossed in 1 tbsp plain flour; 4 tbsp your favourite vegan hot chocolate mix; 2 tbsp flaked almonds; 1 tbsp melted vegan butter; 1 tsp sea salt flakes; Extra chocolate chips (if desired)

Tall, dark & handsome vegan Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins… you’re looking hella fine! Studded with dark chocolate chips and topped with a crunchy almond hot chocolate crown, this is a muffin for serious chocolate lovers.

Question: When a muffin is packing this much chocolate, can it still legitimately be considered breakfast?

The secret to big, fluffy vegan muffins

The secret is that there is no secret! This recipe is so basic. Using only a handful of ingredients for the muffin base batter, you’ll wonder why muffins ever need eggs or dairy at all. These muffins puff up like magic and dome beautifully on top. The chocolate chips remain suspended so you get a welcome chocolatey hit with every mouthful.

My love affair with salted hot chocolate

I had my first taste of salted hot chocolate roaming the restaurants of Vienna in search of apple strudel. When I found churros with salted hot chocolate instead, I forgot all about the strudel.

Ultimately, if you love sea salt-sprinkled chocolate chip cookies, you will go nuts for these jetpuffed muffins.

The magical almond-hot chocolate topping

They have a crunchy topping of flaked almonds, hot chocolate powder and sea salt. I stir these ingredients with melted vegan butter to create a paste that is spooned onto the muffin batter once the cases are filled.

The salty-nutty-chocolate mixture bubbles and toasts in the oven to create a nobbly, domed top that tastes intensely like almond praline.

Ingredients you’ll need for Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins

Plain flour
Caster sugar
Light brown sugar
Unsweetened almond milk
Oil (any unflavoured)
Aquafaba (water from a can of unsalted chickpeas)
Salt
Baking powder
Baking soda
Vanilla extract
Dark chocolate chips (any vegan)
Your favourite vegan hot chocolate mix (I use this one)
Flaked almonds
Vegan butter
Sea salt flakes

Step-by-step: How to make Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins

Time needed: 45 minutes.

How to make Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins

Prep your oven and tin
Pre-heat the oven to 175C. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with large tulip cases.
Make the topping
In a small bowl, mix together the hot chocolate powder, flaked almonds and vegan butter. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, fine salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Add the wet ingredients
Add the almond milk, aquafaba, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk until just combined. It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfectly smooth. Fold in the flour-dusted chocolate chips.
Fill the cases
Fill the muffin cases, a little over 3/4 of the way up. Top with some of the hot chocolate and almond mixture. Sprinkle with sea salt and extra chocolate chips if desired.
Bake the muffins
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden and risen. If a metal skewer inserted into the centre of the muffins comes out clean, they’re done.
Cool and serve
Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.