Banana Chocolate Espresso Swirl Muffins

These muffins are moist, soft, tender, chocolaty with an espresso kick and full of banana flavour. Not too sweet, well, I did reduce the sugar slightly (from 150gm to 120gm). Recipe makes 8 jumbo sized muffins, but I have used the regular sized muffins and got 12.

Soft, tender crumb. Great with either coffee, tea or milk! Delicious muffins!


Recipe is from the book "The Bread Collection" by Brian Hart Hoffman, pg 42, and also be found at Bake From Scratch website.

The changes I've made was to reduce the sugar to 120gm and bake in a regular sized muffin pan, which makes 12 regular muffins.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #35 

Blueberry Jam

Made some blueberry jam, to clear the frozen blueberries from my freezer. This simple recipe is free from processed sugar, sweetened only with honey. Easy to make and takes only about 15 to 20 minutes of cooking.

Mix everything together, the blueberries, honey, water and salt in a medium  stainless steel pot and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. I wanted a less chunky jam, so I have used the emerson blender to puree the berries after about 15 minutes of cooking. I then simmer for a further 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Allow to cool, spoon into a jar and keep refrigerated.

Blueberry Jam
(from Huckleberry by Zoe Nathan)
makes about 1 cup
3-1/2 to 4 cups (525 to 600gm) fresh blueberries
1/4 cup (85gm) honey
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (60ml) water

Combine the blueberries, honey, salt and water in a medium stainless-steel pot. Simmer over medium heat until jammy, about 15 minutes. Refrigerate until needed.
This keeps well, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #35 

Chives and Cheddar Parker House Round Rolls

Harvested some Chinese Garlic Chives (Kuchai), to make this soft and fluffy rolls, Chives and Cheddar Parker House Rolls. The actual recipe is called Dill and Gruyere Parker House Round Rolls, from The Bread Collection by Brian Hart Hoffman. I did not have any dill but I do have Chinese Garlic Chives. Gruyere is not easily available so I have used Cheddar instead.

There's butter, milk and eggs in the dough. The dough is slightly sticky but it was manageable, just as the book says. After the first rise, the dough is divided into round balls. I've made half a recipe which makes 12 rolls. There's a small cube of plain butter as a filling for each roll. I have however added some chopped chives, garlic powder and a pinch of salt mixed into the softened butter, then refrigerate until set, cubed and used as the filling. Brush the risen rolls with some melted butter before they go into the oven.

Brush with some melted butter again as soon as the rolls are out of the oven. I have omitted the sprinkling of salt over the rolls. 

These rolls are so fluffy soft! Of course, the butter filling gets melted and this makes the rolls even more buttery. These would be great with some soup, but I love eating them plain with just a cup of hot tea! 

The full recipe can be found here.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #35