When I last visited the supermarket (how is it that a simple trip to the supermarket is now the most exciting part of the week), I spied a sign for a delicious looking caramel muffin in the coffee shop window. Now a caramel muffin sounds like a great idea, why haven’t i thought of that before? It’s funny how I usually get inspiration from so many different places, now it’s either from a screen or a brief trip out of the house. I do hope that when this is all over we don’t take simple luxuries, like eating out, browsing the shops or just the signs of bustling life for granted.
Since we as family have become rather fond of the new caramel filled Nomo bars (simply the best free-from alternative to a Cadbury’s Caramel that you are likely to find), I had the idea of stuffing the muffins with a square to give a gooey caramel chocolatey centre. This results in a filling that remains gooey even once the muffins have cooled, and an oozy chocolatey caramel simply has to be a good idea. These muffins don’t need the icing, but it does add a bit of extravagance that is very welcome in the rather dismal winter of 2021.
Caramel Muffins
(dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, sesame-free, vegetarian and vegan)
makes 6 large muffins
20g caster sugar
25g soft brown sugar
1/2 tbsp baking powder
125g plain flour
pinch of salt
55g dairy-free margarine, melted
75ml dairy-free milk
75ml dairy-free yogurt
30ml golden or maple syrup
1/2 tsp caramel essence (optional)
6 squares of Nomo caramel filled chocolate
for the icing:
40g dairy-free margarine
80g icing sugar
splash of dairy-free milk
- Heat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade. Fill a muffin tray with liners.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together. Pour in the wet ingredients and combine. You do not want any clumps of raw flour but do not over-mix, a little lumpy is good.
- 1/4 fill the liners and then place a square of the chocolate in the middle. Cover with the remaining muffin mix.
- I topped mine with some Demerara sugar, but it’s not necessary
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until risen and golden and a knife comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- If icing, whisk together the icing ingredients and pipe rosettes on the top of each muffin, topped with another square of caramel chocolate if you wish.
