Cherry and Chocolate Muffins

After almost six weeks without baking any muffins it was time to pull out the tray again. I mentioned my excessive cherry shopping last week and this recipe is only one of the baking results that this led too. There was the Swabian Kirschenmichel and a couple other sweets that didn't even make it onto the blog, it was just too much cooking and baking to write about!

So here's one of my creations, muffins stuffed with chunky bittersweet chocolate and sweet dark cherries, unpitted to keep them firm and juicy. I find this combination is one of the best for muffins. Although I love them with blueberries or with my blood orange marmalade mixed into the dough, but the sweetness of the black fruits and the dark chocolate melted into the cakey sponginess is just too good! So good that I fill each mold with one third more of the dough than I usually do, more dough means bigger muffins!

Cherry and Chocolate Muffins

For a muffin tray with 12 molds you need

• fresh black cherries, unpitted or pitted, 250g/ 9 ounces

• bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped, 100g / 3.5 ounces

• plain flour 320g / 11.5 ounces

• granulated sugar 100g / 3.5 ounces

• baking powder 3 leveled teaspoons

• baking soda 1/2 teaspoon

• salt 1/4 teaspoon

• milk 210ml / 7 ounces

• butter, melted, 120g / 4.5 ounces

• organic eggs 2

Set your oven to 190°C / 375°F (fan-assisted oven) and put paper baking cups into the 12 molds.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk the milk, melted butter and eggs in another bowl. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture, stir with a wooden spoon until you have a lumpy dough. Gently fold in the cherries and chocolate. The more you mix it the more it will lose its light texture.

Fill the muffin tray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.