Ingredients
250g / 9oz Marriages Self-raising White Flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 tbsp coco powder
140g / 5oz granulated sugar
1 large egg
230ml / 8floz milk
90ml / 3floz vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
80g/ 2-3oz chocolate chips
Decoration chocolate:
200g dark or milk chocolate
33g unsalted butter
60g white chocolate
Halloween Chocolate Muffins
These chocolate muffins are simple but delicious, full of chocolate chunks, making them a hit with kids and adults. Each muffin has a soft, tender crumb with a deep cocoa flavour and the decadent chocolate decoration on top adds a spooky touch that’s perfect for Halloween parties, school treats or a cosy autumn afternoon. Play with the percentage of chocolate you like best, I went for the 55% Sambirano Dark Chocolate Chef Drops. For the white chocolate decoration I used Willies Chef's Drops 36% Vegan White Chocolate, I find this melts down to a great smooth chocolate.
The recipe is straightforward enough for home bakers, but with the decorating step, you can get creative and make your muffins look truly spooktacular. Whether you stick to the spiderweb design or improvise with Halloween-inspired shapes, they’re sure to impress!
Makes 12
Method
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Prepare and Preheat: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases and set aside.
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Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sieve together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Add the sugar and mix to combine.
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Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then add the milk, oil, and vanilla extract.
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Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
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Add Chocolate Chips: Chop 80g of milk chocolate and fold into the batter.
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Bake the Muffins: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cases. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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Prepare Chocolate for Decoration: Set up two bain-maries: one for dark chocolate with butter, and the other for white chocolate. Timing is important: too hot and the chocolate may burn; too cool and it will set before you can decorate.
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Melt the Chocolate: Melt the dark chocolate and butter together, stirring frequently. When nearly melted, begin melting the white chocolate. Both should reach a smooth, silky consistency at roughly the same time.
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Decorate with Dark Chocolate: Transfer the dark chocolate mixture to a piping bag with a large round nozzle (or a bag tip cut off). Swirl the chocolate over the muffins, then smooth with a small palette or butter knife. Work quickly so the chocolate doesn’t set before applying the white chocolate.
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Decorate with White Chocolate: Place the white chocolate into a piping bag with a fine nozzle (or a small cut in the tip). Start with a 0.5 cm dot in the centre of each muffin, then pipe a swirl pattern outward. Once all muffins have this base pattern, use a cocktail stick or skewer to pull lines from the centre to the edges to create a spiderweb effect.
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Store and Enjoy: Store the muffins in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
