Friday 22 June 2007

Milo Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

It has been some time since I last baked muffins. At one time I was crazy over muffins before the bread making craze took over. I still like baking muffins since they are much easier and straight forward to make as compared to cakes or bread. They are also very versatile as you can always experiment it with different ingredients.

Inspired by a friend's triple chocolate muffins, I made a batch of Milo flavoured chocolate chip muffins for the kids and my niece.


I adapted the recipe from a cookbook, Williams Sonoma's Muffins, and replaced some of the flour with Milo. This is the first time I've used Milo in my bakes. I grew up drinking Milo everyday...my breakfast (as far back as I could remember) was always a cup of hot Milo with a slice of bread. It was not until I stepped into the working world that I changed my daily beverage to coffee. Even then, I still drink Milo on a very regular basis. Nowadays, it has almost become a comfort drink for me, especially when I am not feeling well. I remembered those winter holidays I spent at my sis place in the states, I would not go to bed before drinking a cup of hot Milo. It really warms up the whole body in those cold, freezing nites.


Although I have already tried several muffin recipes, this is the first recipe that I have used which adopts the "rubbing-in" method. Most of the muffins I have tried used either the creaming method (cream butter with sugar) or the standard muffin method where the wet ingredients (where butter is melted) are mixed with the dry ingredients. For this recipe, the butter is rub-in with the self-rising flour, before the wet ingredients are added to form the batter. I have also used both the dark chocolate chips and white ones...simply because I need to use up the white chocolate chips before they expire ;p

I was very surprised at the texture of the muffins. It was super soft and moist. These are one of the best muffins I have baked. The kids love the sweetness and the added chocolate chips. I could even distinguish the familiar Milo smell when my kitchen was 'engulfed' with the sweet aroma from the freshly baked muffins.


Ingredients:
(makes 9 big muffins)

270g self-rising flour
30g Milo
1 teaspoon baking powder
55g butter
80g sugar
150g milk or semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs, lightly beaten
225ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 200 deg C. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper muffin cups.

  2. Mix the flour, Milo and baking powder in a large bowl.

  3. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

  4. Stir in sugar and chocolate chips.

  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture all at once into the dry ingredients. Mix quickly until just blended. Do not over mix.

  6. Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 20mins or until golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

  7. Cool in the pan for 10mins then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

62 comments:

Anne said...

Another recipe worth making for my kids :)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anne, these muffins are certainly great for kids. The crumbs are very soft and fluffy =)

Anonymous said...

Hi Happy homemaker

Thanks for giving a new idea! I would also like to confirm the amout of milk with you (22ml only).
Please advise. Regards

wei

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Wei, many thanks for pointing this out...it was my typo! (feel like banging my head)! it should be 225ml (1 cup) of milk.
Thousands apologies!

Anonymous said...

Hi Happy homebaker
So cute:) of you!

wei

Anonymous said...

yummy ... milo is my favourite! Am sure going to try this recipe soon :)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Elyn, I can't wait to see your post and comments on this!

mad said...

Hi Happy Home Baker!

I luv the idea of using milo in ur muffins! Going to try the recipe soon!

Btw, I need ur advice! I saw ur recipe on coffee kaya muffin. Do u think it would be possible to substitute kaya for Nutella or Milk Jam from Argentina?

And could I use this Milo muffin recipe (omitting the choco chip) and add a spoonful of kaya/nutella/milk jam????

Thanks in advance for ur help!

=)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Mad, thanks for popping by my blog =)
You certainly can use Nutella or Jam instead of Kaya, since it is not mixed into the mixture...only used as filling...it should not affect the texture. U can also replace the coffee flavoured milk with chocolate ones.

As for the Milo muffin, you can omit the chocolate chips, though it may affect the sweetness. However, I am not too sure about adding the kaya/nutella/jam as filling...since this is the first time I've used self-rising flour and rub-in method for muffins. hope this helps :)

Patricia Scarpin said...

Hi, sweetie!
I'd like to send you an email, if that's OK for you, of course.
Would you mind writing to me so I can reply?
patricia DOT scarpin AT uol.com.br

Thank you!

Helene said...

The look perfect for sunday brunch. I was lucky to find Milo the other day and was wondering what I could buy it for ...now I know!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Helen, my friend is experiementing using Milo to make cookies! I am gonna try it soon =b

Anonymous said...

This sounds great. I'm a big Milo fan, and remember eating cup fulls of milo powder as a child. It's been such a long time since I purchased Milo since we just stick to the 3-in-1 packets now. But having Milo in muffins seems too lovely an idea to miss out on! :)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi ovenhaven, I usually get Milo that comes in a tin. I will only get 3-in-1s if I go travelling :) Sometimes, I'll add Milo to coffee. and there's a new range of Milo...Mocha Milo 3-in-1s...but I couldn't taste the coffee though ;b

Anonymous said...

Mocha Milo 3-in-1? Mmmmm, that sounds great! Will have to check that out. I don't drink coffee, but I always tend to go mocha when I actually go to coffee joints, so if the coffee taste isn't strong in this, it would be just perfect for me. Thanks for the info! Hehe :)

Anonymous said...

Hi, I stumbled upon your blog and really like the stuffs u baked.

I'm a newbie to baking, so wanna check, can I use plain flour instead of self-raising? Thanks!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi ellis, thanks for dropping by!
Self-raising flour has got baking powder added to it. You may refer to this site to see how you can subsitute plain flour with self-raising flour.
http://www.joyofbaking.com/IngredientSubstitution.html
hope this helps =)

Anonymous said...

Thanks!!! Your response is super fast! I was still visually feasting all your yummy foods! You are a good photographer too! Will check out the site u recommended. Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

Hi,

The receipes & food in the blog are so good. As a newbie to baking, they really spur me on....I am going to try the milo muffins, but just a quick question, what type of milk should i be using? I went to the supermarket and saw so many types of milk (e.g. skim, Full cream etc.)that i got confused.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Sunnybb

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Sunnybb, I usually use low fat fresh milk. are you a local, then u will know this brand HL milk, hope this helps!

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I know that brand...Thanks a lot! I will try out the receipe and hopefully it will turn out to be as nice as yours!

Thanks,
Sunnybb

Anonymous said...

hello!
is it possible to substitute the butter with canola oil?!
thks alot!

rgds,
Shine

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Shine, I am not too sure about replacing butter with canola oil for this recipe as the method calls for rubbing the butter with flour. If you prefer to use canola oil, you will have to adjust the method.

Anonymous said...

I tried baking this but why it turns out hard? Can you tell me the reason for it?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, I guess you could have over mixed the battter? The batter should be very lumpy...just give a few quick stir to blend the wet and dry ingredients together. If you didnt over mix, the other possible reason could be that you may haveover bake the muffins?? Sorry, you didn't give any details on how you went about making these, as such I could only guess. Hope I have cleared your doubts?

sHuying said...

Hi there..

Got a question. I've baked muffins a few times now. And each time i do, they do not turn out the soft fluffy muffin texture. The texture turns out a little like 'kueh'. Not sure if you might noe why. ):

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi shuying, there could you be a few reasons. May I ask which my recipes did you try? or were they from some other sources? The reason I ask is, the measurement of the ingredients may affect the texture. If you try to convert cup measurements to weight, the flour amount may actually varies. If this is not the cause, then it could be due to your oven temperature...it could be too low. I learned not to trust the oven setting, I used an oven thermometer to check. and you need to preheat your oven before baking. The 3rd possible cause could be due to the way you mix the batter. If you overmix, it will cause your muffins to turn hard, but since yours is kueh like, I dont really know the reason behind.
You can take a look at this site (http://www.preparedpantry.com/DomeSecrets.htm), (http://www.preparedpantry.com/muffinmethods.htm), it has got details on how to bake great muffins. Hope this helps :) Do let me know if u have further questions.

Anonymous said...

Hi just to make sure, how much milk do I put? Cos I was looking through comments and u said der was a typo. So yea

:D

Anonymous said...

Another question :

u said it make 9 big muffins. i need abt 30 muffins, how many times do i nid to do the recipe?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, the amount of milk to use is 225ml.
The number of muffins will depend on the size of your muffin cups or your muffin liners. You can try making 3 batches, you should be able to get 30 muffins. Happy baking!

Anonymous said...

if im using a mircowave oven will it be fine? hmm do i need to put the metal stand? if yes, the higher or lower one?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, I am sorry, as I do not have a microwave oven, I can't give any comments on this. I usually bake the muffins at the middle rack of my oven, the heating element is located at the top of the oven.

Linda♥ said...

Thanks. i am the one asking abt the mircowave oven. i had try using it, it turn out quite nice as in the taste. i used conventional after preheating my oven. should i use mix? but i jus wondering why the muffin surface is smooth instead of being so 'fa'/nice like urs.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Linda-Bunny, I oso donno leh ;)
There are many factors affecting the outcome of a bake, as baking is a Science...unlike cooking, which you can make adjustment here and there. I suspect it could be due to the oven temperature, the way you mix the batter, the size of the muffin cups/liners. I actually prefer to have a nice smooth dome...just like those muffins you get from bakery shops, all the time I bake muffins which all look really ugly!!!

Susan said...

Hi HHB,
I hv tried your milo choc chip muffin. But I hv a question to ask you. Why the choc chips all sink on the bottom?
Thanks in advance for your answer.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Susan, it could be due to the consistancy of the batter, it could be too thin? or you may have over mixed the batter? The batter should appear lumpy. I am sorry I am no expert in the area of baking, I did a search and you may like to take a look at this article here: (http://www.slashfood.com/2008/03/07/tip-of-the-day-dont-let-your-chocolate-chips-sink)
Hope this helps.

Baking gal said...

Hi HHB

I'm not a big fan of rubbing in so if I change the butter to vegetable oil and then use the method where I mix the wet and dry ingredients, will my muffins still be fluffy?

Can I put more Milo and take out the flour? I love Milo!!!

Last but not least, may I know which muffin tin you use? Where can I get one?

Thanks!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Baking gal, I would suggest that you try another recipe that doesn't use the rubbing method. It is best to follow a recipe as closely as possible. I am no expert in baking, so I am not sure how it will turn out if you were to change the method.

As for replacing more milo with flour, it may also affect the finished bake, the reason is, the amount of flour to be used will affect the texture of the muffin.

I do not have a muffin tin. I only have a tray that comes with 6 holes, but they are very shallow, not meant for muffins. Nowadays, I bake muffins using paper muffin cups which are sturdy and I simply place them on a baking tray. Hope this helps.

joannehooy said...

hi,
Love your recipes! jus like to check with you... how much is 1 cup? 250 ml or 225 ml? i have a measuring cup that says 200ml! I am confused! Pls help! and whats the best way to measure flour? jus read off the marking on the cup or weigh it?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, most recipe will state 1 cup of liquid as 250ml or 240ml depending on country. In Japan, 1 cup is 200ml. The best way is to weigh the flour. If you want to use measuring cup, do note that you need to use those measuring cups that are meant for measuring dry ingredients, they are not the same as those that are used for liquid.

Baking gal said...

Hi HHB

Thanks for your help. =)

Wong said...

Hi HBB,
I never use rub in method before. May I know does it mean by cutting the butter from fridge into small pieces then use the fingers to mix it with the flour mixture?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Wong, yes, use cold butter cut into small cubes, then rub the butter with finger tips into the flour mixture. Because of the hot weather and my warm hands, I use a fork instead.

Jess said...

Hi there,

Wondering whether top flour is the same as self-raising flour?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Jess, no top flour is not self-raising flour. Self raising flour has got baking powder added to it. You can find out more about Top Flour here (http://www.prima.com.sg/primaflour/household/prod_pr_flour2.htm#6)

Jess said...

Thanks for the prompt reply~ another question, is it possible if I replace the self-raising flour with top flour in the muffin?

I used your Milo Dog cookies and they were a success with my friends ! thank you!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Jess, you can replace it with top flour, but do check this site to see on the amount of baking powder and salt to add to the top flour. (http://www.joyofbaking.com/IngredientSubstitution.html)

Ay Choo said...

Hi HBB,
May i know whtr a blender is needed during the mixing process ? or juz use bare hand to mix all the ingredients. Thank you.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Ay Choo, you don't need a mixer for this, just use a manual whisk or a wooden spoon will do.

Chang said...

Hi, I tried the recipe just now, it is simple and nice. The muffin is soft. Thks for sharing such a good recipe!

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB!

Just happened to chance upon your recipe and followed it to make a batch of muffins! (:

My muffins turned out slightly burnt on the outside, yet slightly soft/moist on the inside, while the sides were soft but firm. Do you suggest I lessen the amount of milk added?
& to increase the sweetness, do you reckon I add more milo powder or sugar?

Thank you so much for your help & recipe! :D

Happy Homebaker said...

hi drunkjunks, looks like it is due to your oven temperature and not the ingredient amounts. maybe the oven is too hot...or the tray was placed too near the heating coil? That could be why the top was burnt but the inside still a little uncooked. Try bake them at a lower rack position, or bake it at a lower temperature. To make it sweeter, you can increase the sugar amount. Hope this helps :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Happy Homebaker, enjoy reading yr blog. i'm a novice in baking. Thanks for sharing your receipes, today i tried out your Milo Double Chocolate Chip Muffins receipe. I placed e tray on e lowest lever and the the muffins were burnt (all black) at the bottom. i didnt realise till i turn over cos the top was brown. also mine doesnt crack and raise so high like yours.
can u help to advise, thanks.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, is the heating elements of your oven located at the bottom? maybe you can try bake at a higher rack position. or you may want to try baking at a lower temperature? All ovens work differently, so you need to experiment the baking time and temperature for differently bakes to get to know how your oven behaves. As for not rising high, it could be due to the baking powder or you may have left the batter too long? once the batter is mixed, you need to bake it right away as the baking powder will start to work once it is mixed with the liquid. Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

can i know wad butter you used? is it salted or unsalted?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I used unsalted butter.

Anonymous said...

hi!
chance upon your blog and i must say all your recipes look awesome! took a try on the milo choc chip muffin. taste good. fluffy and moist while warm. but i realized once it gets cold, the texture becomes kinda rubbery, not as fluffy anymore. wonder if you could gimme some advise :)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Joeist, muffins are best served warm, what you can do is, before warm it in the oven before serving, it will taste fresh out of oven. Hope this help :)

Anonymous said...

Hi there,

I chanced upon this recipe of yours and am thinking of trying for my kid. As I understand, self-raising flour already has baking powder in it. So do we still add baking powder which you have suggested?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, yes, you will still need to add the baking powder.

#Jaclyn:) said...

Hi what exactly is the rubbing-in method? >_<

Happy Homebaker said...

Jaclyn, you may read about it here:
http://baking911.com/quick-guide/how-to-az/mixing-method-cut-or-cutting
or google for info on rub in method.