Chocolate Muffins: The very first attempt

November 26, 2008 | 26 Comments

This was my first time baking, and i finally did it after thinking about it for so long. There was the problem of oven since i didn’t have one at home. Had been pestering information about baking from Evan, Sihan & Vicki, who are all excellent bakers and was deciding between getting Rowenta or Delonghi oven. But in the end i decided to borrow a Tefal one from my aunt first, its better to try out before splurging on an expensive oven. I was looking at Nigella Lawson cooking video, and boy she made baking seems so easy!

Right, considering the fact that i didn’t know how to bake, i guess the muffin tasted all right, there was some mistakes made though. As it was my very first time, i took quite a while, adjusting between reading from the recipe and preparing the ingredients. There was one particular moment when i was pouring the flour, 300g needed, so i was looking at the weighing scale and thinking i need to stop after the 3rd needle. So i poured slowly until i realised 3 needles was only 30g, not 300g! tsk tsk.

Other than that, i didn’t mix the batter fully, because the recipe asked to mix lightly so that the muffins won’t be too heavy. This resulted in the bottom of the batter not mixed properly, and when the muffins were baked, there were a few tiny white spots of unmixed flour. The recipe called for 300ml of milk, but it turned out to be a mistake as i ended up making 17 muffins instead of the stated 12. After finish baking, the end product muffins were rather sticky, i just realised it was because i ate it immediately when it came out of the oven last night. When i ate it today, it wasn’t sticky anymore.

Ingredients (Makes 16)
80g unsalted butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
300ml (use half will do) whole milk
300g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
150g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
40g unsweetened cocoa powder
120g dark chocolate chips

Directions
1. Melt butter in pan, remove from heat and pour into bowl.

2. Add the eggs, milk, followed by flour, baking powder, sugar and cocoa powder, and mixed lightly. Fold in the chocolate chips.

3. Place 16 muffin cases in a muffin tray, fill each case three quarters full with mixture. Bake in a preheat oven of 180C for 20-25 min.

4. Leave the muffin for a minute, and turn out onto a wire rack to cool before serving.

Baking is really tiring, but fun! I’m going to try baking other stuff tonight, so watch out for them soon! And wasn’t too pleased with the photos of the muffins, looks like i need to re-learn how to take photographs at home, since the lighting and setting is different from the places i take outside.

ps: I brought the book Small cakes by Roger Pizey from a site, Opentrolley

Comments

26 Responses to “Chocolate Muffins: The very first attempt”

sp*
November 26th, 2008 @ 7:56 pm

i wan to eat!
Sihan
November 26th, 2008 @ 8:22 pm

I’m glad they weren’t sticky anymore after waiting. The first attempt looks good! bake on!
elvadrieng
November 26th, 2008 @ 8:39 pm

Those Tefal oven can bake cakes and cookies?

elvadriengs last blog post..My head broke
hui
November 26th, 2008 @ 8:43 pm

omg, u bake bro! i wanna watch when you do baking next time! inform me and i will come ur house disturb! LOL!!
Evan
November 26th, 2008 @ 8:43 pm

so nice!!!!!! definitely doesn’t look like a 1st attempt to me =)
Vicki.
November 26th, 2008 @ 11:24 pm

Yeah, it does’t look like a 1st attempt to me either! Keep up the great job!

Vicki.s last blog post..Catch me on TV
didally
November 26th, 2008 @ 11:30 pm

Yeah, I agree with the ladies, doesn’t look like a first attempt.

Looking forward to more bakes from you. =)
michie
November 27th, 2008 @ 12:20 am

SO CUTEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! Loooked reallllly goooooooood!!

michies last blog post..I have compulsive grocery shopping disorder!
archimedes
November 27th, 2008 @ 12:21 am

Can pass me one??
ladyironchef
November 27th, 2008 @ 2:40 am

sp:

sihan: yeah i ate aome then to my surprise it didn’t stick on so much.

elvadrieng: not all, you need to see whether it is convention or microwave. the microwaves one can’t bake.

hui: hahaha i think you’ll definitely succeed disturbing me, i bake very long and if got people around get distracted easily

evan: magic of the dslr, but still i don’t really like the pictures. The background settings for your bakes are real nice, how did you do that man?

vicki.: haha still a long way to go man

didally: yep i baked some stuff tonight too, just finished cleaning up only. baking’s tiring, but fun!

michie: haha the picture can be better, must re-learn how to take photos at poor lightning

archimedes: i’ll love to, but now still cannot la, must improve my baking before can let others try. lol
Nic (KHKL)
November 27th, 2008 @ 8:05 am

great attempt with beautiful pictures to match! congrats, dude!

Nic (KHKL)s last blog post..Tell-A-Tale (Part 23): The Deep, Dreamy Dikes of Shenzhen (??)
Fen
November 27th, 2008 @ 9:26 am

Congratulations on her first attempt. They do look sellable. at least it resembles the ones that I see in confectionaries.

Get more tips from Evan, Sihan and Vicki, I am sure you will enjoy baking when you have kakis to exchange ideas.

Sorry to delay the 7th Heaven outing, could have been today. Unexpected things happened. Maybe we can meet up between 15th to 18th Dec then
ladyironchef
November 27th, 2008 @ 11:39 am

nic: thanks man, but i think the pictures can be improved, not happy with them leh. lol! you went overseas AGAIN? how come like everytime go travel one. haha

fen: no la, not sellable yet, have to improve on them. yeah of course, i got three “ready-made” excellent teachers, of cos gettin tips from them. but i think they will be bored by the amateur bakes when they baking so exciting stuff. haha. ya no problem, the seventh heaven one we’ll wait for you : )
Jacelyn
November 27th, 2008 @ 1:30 pm

wow i think it’s a good attempt! i failed on my 1st
ladyironchef
November 27th, 2008 @ 2:00 pm

jacelyn: thanks
elvadrieng
November 27th, 2008 @ 4:12 pm

I just realised that my oven may be able to bake cookies. Looks like it’s baking time!

elvadriengs last blog post..My head broke
ladyironchef
November 27th, 2008 @ 4:40 pm

elvadrieng: LOL! you don’t know what yr oven can do? haha. go bake go bake then blog about it : )
Sihan
November 27th, 2008 @ 10:06 pm

15th to the 18th?!?! tts late.. haha. hey.. maybe you guys cld celebrate my bdae with me! haha!! *woots*
ladyironchef
November 27th, 2008 @ 10:23 pm

hahaha 16th dec. i don’t know my schedule for dec yet, so quite diff to confirm. u having a party or something?
Evan
November 27th, 2008 @ 10:40 pm

hv a party sihan, and order obolo cakes again haha, plus free flow of moscato dessert wine :p sihan’s 21st bday was a blast last year!!
Fen
November 28th, 2008 @ 9:43 am

I don’t mind celebrating Sinny’s bday

Then we can get a whole cake for you and find a nice place to makan… but 18th Dec is taken for me. This coming Monday, Tuesday and Friday are taken so leaving Wed and Thurs evenings…

Fens last blog post..Questions on macarons
ladyironchef
November 29th, 2008 @ 10:46 am

evan: you are thinking of obolo cakes again! haha. yeah have a small party

fen: hahaha you also thinking of cakes. *evil thoughts* the birthday’s a prefect excuse for us to eat cakes again. ha
Amsie.
December 1st, 2008 @ 9:10 pm

Awesome stuff, keep it up!

Amsie.s last blog post..Christmas Came Early For Us Starbucks Regulars.
ladyironchef
December 2nd, 2008 @ 7:17 am

amsie: hahahaha. you so long never come and see see look look! lol!
mimi
December 2nd, 2008 @ 9:14 am

why is the top broken?
Friday Delights
June 30th, 2010 @ 9:52 am

I can’t stop drooling…this look so good, great picture!!