I am at the gym three times a week taking spin classes. But I'm not sure it'll be enough to stop my waist from expanding if I keep making muffins! But people, you must know, I can't help myself. I've been dreaming about Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Muffins. Dairy Free and Egg Free to boot. And like a revelation, they came to me. And before you know it, I woke up at 5:45 AM (on Monday of Memorial Day weekend, can you believe it?), quietly dressed, and then make a beeline for the kitchen.
As of this blogpost, I've already eaten one. I'm doing everything in my power not to go back up to the kitchen and scoff down another. And another. The only thing holding me back is this blogpost and the fact that I bought a new pair of jeans yesterday. I want them to fit after they come out of the dryer!
Your job: see if you can figure out what ingredient commonly used in gluten free baking is missing.
In addition to the usual missing ingredient (did you figure it out?!), I love the fact that these muffins include a hearty dose of healthy multi-grain gluten free flours. While it could've been easy to just make them with three flours, if I'm going to eat these suckers at the rate I know I'm going to eat them, I'd much prefer to use healthier ingredients. Like I did for these Cranberry Ginger Muffins.Or these Banana Mango Muffins.
And then there's the sweetener. We all know the truth about the evils of white sugar (and brown, as well), from tooth decay to weight gain to spikes in blood sugar, but it's hard, I'll admit it, to stop baking with it. It seems so, well, so normal to use white sugar in baking. But once you start experimenting, you'll find that it's a cinch. And the cool thing is that you use less. I mean, take a look at this recipe. Usually, with 1 3/4 cup flours/starches, you'd use at least 3/4 - 1 cup of sugar. I used 1/3 cup coconut sugar and 1 dropper of vanilla stevia (you could use regular, unflavored stevia as well). And these muffins are plenty sweet. And I have a sweet tooth, trust me.
Chocolate Chip Espresso Muffins
click here for printable recipe
Dry ingredients:
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup teff flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup potato starch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp espresso powder, optional
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut sugar
Wet ingredients:
1 tbsp egg replacer mixed with 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water
1 dropper vanilla stevia (or plain stevia, or eliminate and replace with 1/3 cup sucanat or coconut sugar)
1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or other oil)
2 tbsp almond butter (I imagine you could use sunflower butter or peanut butter)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 bananas, mashed
Extras:
1/2 cup chocolate chips (plus extra for the top of each muffin)
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted (350 degrees for five minutes)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Blend dry ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined (from buckwheat through coconut sugar.)
Mix egg replacer with water until frothy. Add to dry ingredients, along with stevia, oil, almond butter, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas. Mix well.
Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Spoon into greased muffin tin (about 2/3 full. If desired, gently place (don't push) three chocolate chips on the top of each muffin. Bake for 25 minutes.
Allow to sit in muffin tin for five minutes then immediately remove from pan and place on rack to cool.
Important note: wait until thoroughly cool to eat.
I've got it - there is no xanthan or guar gum! I'm glad you've made a recipe without them...it seems like they will have a much better texture than many muffins I've tried, which are often rather sticky because of the gum. How well do they hold up?
ReplyDeleteCould you forget the stevia and use Nutella instead of almond butter? Or is that overkill?
ReplyDeleteLooks fantastic! I don't have sorghum on its own, but have the rest and have Arrowhead (I think) G-F baking mix, which has sorghum and other starches. So one more question: Could I replace the potato & tapioca & sorghum with that, and then add your other flours?
Great stuff, really! Can't wait to try them.
As soon as you mentioned the idea of a missing ingredient, I guessed xanthan gum - yay! These sound great. I'm also wondering how they held up!
ReplyDeleteThey look great! I would have gone with xanthan gum, too. With all those healthy ingredients, I'd say you don't have to feel bad about eating more than one! :)
ReplyDeleteYUUUUM!!
ReplyDeleteI just realized I read, but never commented on this post. :-( Scrumptious muffins, Ellen. I love making recipes without gums. So far I haven't found them necessary for any of my muffin recipes. I discovered that fact by accidentally leaving it out one time. It was a wonderful discovery! Anyway, chocolate chips and espresso seem like an excellent combination to me. :-)
ReplyDeleteShirley
Ooo, these look so good! (I understand the waistline thing too :))
ReplyDelete~Aubree Cherie
Mercy goodness, that looks so Yummy!
ReplyDeleteHi Sophie - so glad to make your cyber-acquaintance. I would imagine that you could sub either rice flour or amaranth flour for the sorghum. I think it would be an easy sub. Let me know how they come out!
ReplyDeleteEllen
Yes, I've had to up my workouts from 3 to 5 days a week. But I'd say glorious muffins are worth it! Truthfully, I'm always so impressed with the lovely treats that can be made without dairy and wheat. Amazing!
ReplyDelete