V-Day Love Muffins

 “If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love.” – Maya Angelou

It’s Valentine’s Day, which means two things: Love and Chocolate! (Sometimes we only have one of those things and so we compensate by eating copious amounts of the other)

Anyway, I was all excited because I was baking some Triple Chocolate Muffins for the cast of Beaches at Signature. I did this because since they (and I) can’t be with loved ones on V-Day, they might as well eat some yummy, chocolate-filled baked treats. And since I don’t really have a life, I felt I was the perfect person to make and deliver these goodies.

So…I’m in my kitchen, whisking some melty chocolate chips into some powdery flour listening to Love Songs Radio on Pandora (where Elliot Yamin was playing, weird right? I forgot he existed) When I realize that if I’m baking for the whole cast of Beaches I am also baking for Mara Davi.

Who is Mara Davi? You might ask. Good question. Mara Davi played a part by the name of Maggie in a little show called A Chorus Line that I got to see her in on Broadway for my graduation present from high school from my parents. This is exciting for many reasons:

1. I have been in several productions of A Chorus Line, which is funny because, I cannot dance that way. Literally. I have turned in, pronated, flat-ass feet.
2. She played the part of Maggie, which has always been kinda one of those “God, I wish,” roles for me. It will never happen because I am not a soprano, I am not a dancer, and…well, my ingénue-like excitement always seems kind of like a manic-Stepford wife.
3. I saw her perform in a show about performing, at a time when I was just headed off to college to pursue a degree in performing, and so, obviously, it left an impression.

And finally: this person, who I saw in all gold and lights and all that, will be eating a chocolate muffin that I made! I’m fan-girling a little, but I don’t mind, because it’s Valentine’s Day, and…I have a total crush on her. And so when I find out that she has eaten the chocolately muffin with a red frosting heart piped on the top, I will be doing a little dance to Celine Dion (or possibly Elliot Yamin) in my kitchen while eating little conversation hearts.

So, even if she never finds out, Mara Davi, this one’s for you.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE LOVE MUFFINS (Adapted from Joy the Baker)

INGREDIENTS:

1 stick unsalted butter

5 oz semisweet chocolate (coarsely chopped)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp instant coffee or espresso granules

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

2/3 cup buttermilk

6 oz semisweet dark chocolate chips

½ cup white baking chocolate

Red food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Fill a small saucepan with two inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium/low heat. Place a heatproof bowl filled with the semisweet coarsely chopped chocolate and butter over the saucepan and allow it to melt. Stir the chocolate/butter mixture occasionally until totally smooth. Once it’s smooth, remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool a bit.
   
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and coffee or espresso granules.
4. Whisk the brown sugar into the cooling chocolate mixture.

   

   This is my new bag clip! He's supposed to be a monster, but I think he's cute and I have named him Ted.

5. Whisk the eggs and buttermilk into the chocolate mixture until it is all blended and the ingredients have made friends.
6. Add all of the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold all of the ingredients together so there are no bits of flour floating around.
   
7. Fold in the dark chocolate chips.

   

   Another new monster clip! I've named her Debra.

8. Divide the batter into the muffin tin.
   
   
   
   
9. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

   

   PS. This is what my apron looked like after making these cupcakes. I look like a sugary murder.

   

   
   

10. Let the muffins cool in the pan for around 5 minutes and then move them to a plate or cooling rack.
11. Let the muffins cool completely before piping on the hearts!
12. While the cupcakes cool melt the white chocolate in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds.
13. When the white chocolate is fully melted, add in the red food coloring and stir it together until the chocolate is the shade you’d like your heart to be.
    
    
14. Allow the white chocolate to cool.
15. Using a piping bag with a small tip attachment, or using a ziplock bag with a tiny hole cut in the corner, pipe small, red hearts onto each muffin.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    

    PS. This is Mara Davi

    

    And this is Elliot Yamin.

16. Give them to someone you love. (Or eat them all yourself. I won’t judge)

Til next time!

D