Capuchin Monkeys

I can't really remember when I first realized I loved to cook. In middle school I won first place at the Kentucky state fair for my banana bread and when I received that check for 25 dollars I recall thinking, "25 bucks?! effing cheapskates... but maybe there's something to this; maybe there's something outside the realm of state fair baked goods..." (Meanwhile, I'm still bitter about the first place prize :P)

I would always get my hands in something. In high school, I was somewhat famous for this recipe which, I should point out, I haven't made in quite some time. Cappuccino Muffins are delicious, rich, and full of coffee and chocolate, so what's not to love? There's nothing crazy going on, and it's certainly not something I just came up with one day, but it's a recipe I've made my own.

Nothing is better than one of these guys, some of the espresso cream cheese (it is also AMAZING on bagels, might I add) and a small glass of milk... oh, I feel the need to be a snob and point out: having worked at Starbucks and considering the only coffee in this recipe is derived from instant granules, I kind of take issue with the flagrant use of the terms 'cappuccino' and 'espresso'... let's see about rectifying that.


Cappuccino Muffins with Espresso Cream Cheese

Espresso Cream Cheese (I always double this, but here's the original amount):

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp instant coffee (you can't get around it here)
1/2 vanilla
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Mix all of this together in a bowl until combined (if you let the cream cheese soften, it makes this so easy). Refrigerate. Bam, you've got a delicious spread for bagels and muffins... I should note that it is in fact a spread, not some kind of frosting thing. I just serve it alongside the muffins in case people aren't fans of tasty cream cheese goodness.



Cappuccino Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
2 tbsp instant coffee granules*
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Add the butter and combine- the mixture will be dry/lumpy/weird (the butter prevents gluten from forming = more tender muffins). Dissolve the instant coffee in the milk, add the egg and vanilla. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon into muffin cup lined muffin pan. It should make 12 good-sized muffins. Bake 17 - 20 minutes, but start checking after 15 to be safe. Serve with the espresso cream cheese and enjoy!



*I made some actual espresso for this... Basically in place of milk I combined about half a cup brewed espresso, or really really really strong coffee, and 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream. That way, the consistency of the liquid wasn't changed, since I couldn't just substitute the coffee for the milk without messing up some muffins. So, to recap, still a cup of liquid, just a 1:1 ratio of espresso to cream.

I've had my roommates taste them and the substitution was definitely a success... if anything in the future I'll use even stronger coffee. Tomorrow night: beer chili :D