Ok so for my first recipie we'll start with something simple and easy.
I made these muffins using a packet mix ( it was Australia day and I was feelign lazy) but if you want you could make them from scratch.
This a step by step guide with photos and all! Aren't i clever!
Step 1. Gather the Ingredients
1 Chocolate Muffin Packet mix
1 Egg
1 Cup of Milk
1 Cup of Dessicated Coconut
1 box of frozen cherries (I use these because they're cheaper and they come pitted)
3 Tb of oil (not pictured)
All in all I think this cost me about $15 or so cause i had to buy a 6 pack of eggs.
Step 2. Pre-heat the oven
So you need to pre-heat your oven to 200*C, or 190* if you have a fan forced.
Step 3. Defrost the Cherries
Defrost the cherries on a plate, i put paper towel underneath to soak up the juices as too much juice would make the mixture too runny. If by the time you need to mix them in, and they're still a little hard, feel free to zap them in the microwave
Step 4. The Mixing Process
Add all the ingredients except the cherries into the bowl like so
Grabbing your trusty old wodden spoon, give it a good mix until just it becomes a pile of gooey goodness
Add the Cherries and mix them, if the cherries break apart a little thats ok, just makes sure you get them well mixed in or else youll get muffins with massive amount of cherries and some with none.
Step 5. Grease the Muffin tray
Grease the muffin holes pretty well. I use margarine, but you could use butter or oil or something.
Step 6. Spoon the mixture into the tin
Evenly spoon the mixture into the muffin tin, i like to use two spoons, a dessert and a teaspoon. That way you don't have to get your fingers dirty trying to get mixture off the spoon. The batter should be about level with muffin tin.
Try to spread out the cherries evenly between each hole.
Next garnish the tops with some coconut, you can also put some choc-chips on top if you like (my packet mix came with these)
Step 7. Into the Oven
Place the full tray into the oven. Pretty easy huh!
Set the timer for 20 mins.
Make sure you keep an eye on these, you wouldnt want them to burn! Just dont't open the oven in the early stages because this can interrupt the raising process and you'll have flat muffins!
Look at those bad boys cook!
Step 8- Check to see if they are ready
Once the timer goes off, open the oven and check the muffins by inserting a skewer into the centre of a muffin. If the skewer comes out clean then they're all done! If it comes out with batter on them pop them back in foranother couple of minutes.
Let the muffins sit for 15mins in the tray so they can cool down a bit
Once the muffins have cooled off, grab a colling rack and place the muffins on the tray. If you find the muffins are sticking to the side a little, run a knife around the edges then gently prise them out.
Now they're ready to be eaten. You can eat them straight away, but watch out,they may be a little hot on the inside! These are great cold too.
Once they have cooled off completly store them in an airtight container and conusme within in the next couple of days. But watch, if you live with another person they might not last a couple of minutes!
Enjoy your Cherry Ripe Muffins!
This recipie makes abotu 12 muffins, but i had a little left over so i made about 3 smaller ones in cupcake tin.
