Chocolate Chip Muffins 朱古力粒鬆餅

I prepared some chocolate chip muffins for my kids as after school snacks yesterday. My elder daughter would break off the crispy muffin top and devour it right away, leaving behind the bottom part (how smart is that!). My younger son simply ate the whole thing in a jiff as usual. Homemade baked treats made from scratch are the best as you have your own control over the ingredients. Store-bought muffins are often too sweet to my liking so I usually make them with less sugar. This time I made them with organic unbleached flour as well as organic cane sugar. Baking more with natural and unrefined ingredients has been my goal for this year. I want my family to enjoy scrumptious treats and stay healthy at the same time.
昨天EC為孩子們預備了朱古力粒鬆餅作茶點，女兒十分醒目，一般先把最好吃最香脆的頂部吃掉，然後把底部退回給EC。貪吃的小兒子嘛，當然不消一會兒便把整個鬆餅吃進肚子裏去！自己在家製作西點的好處是可以自行控制食材。市售的鬆餅一般很甜，不太適合EC的口味，EC做的是減糖配方，並使用了有機無漂白麵粉和有機蔗糖。使用天然及非精製食材是EC新一年的目標，EC盼望家人可在享受美味西點之餘亦吃得健康。

There are two methods for making muffins. The muffin method is the easier and quicker method. The wet and dry ingredients are mixed separately in their own bowl. The two are then blended together with minimal folds. Read about my blog posts such as Cranberry Brown Sugar Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and Baked Double Chocolate Doughnuts for more informations. The other method, which is what I am sharing today, is the traditional creaming method used in cake and cupcake preparations. To recreate that classic bakery-style muffin look, fill muffin tin with more batter and bake in the oven with a higher initial temperature. The higher heat will cause the air bubbles in the batter to rise rapidly, creating a higher dome. Freshly baked muffins are the best. Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight food container (cover the container with a piece of paper towel to absorb moisture before placing the lid on). Warm muffins in the toaster oven for a couple of minutes the next day until the top is crunchy and your muffins will be like freshly baked once again.
鬆餅一般有兩個製作方法，其一就是muffin method(詳情可參考蔓越莓黑糖鬆餅、香蕉朱古力粒鬆餅和焗雙重朱古力甜甜圈)。先把乾料和濕料各自分别混合，然後輕輕的把兩者簡單混合一下便可以送入焗爐了。另一方法就是傳統的糖油混合法(creaming method)。此法跟做蛋糕或杯子蛋糕的方法一樣，亦是這次EC使用的混合的手法。要做出咖啡店鬆餅的經典外形，分配麵糊時要把模填滿一點，初時可用高一點的爐溫令麵糊內的氣泡快速膨脹往上爬升，做出又圓又大(也是最好吃)的頂部。鬆餅剛出爐時暖暖的吃最好，吃不完的鬆餅可用食物盒密封保存(關蓋前可蓋上一張廚房紙吸濕)，隔天放進焗爐內輕輕翻烘數分鐘把整體烘暖及把表面烘脆，取出稍放涼一下便跟新鮮焗起的一樣了！

Chocolate Chip Muffins
朱古力粒鬆餅

Makes 7 to 8
七至八個份量

Ingredients

170 g all purpose flour (I used organic unbleached all purpose flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
70 g granulated sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
100 g unsalted butter, softened
15 g grapeseed oil (or any light tasting oil)
113 g milk
7 g apple cider or white vinegar
1 large egg (about 50 g)
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

材料

中筋麵粉(EC用有機無漂白麵粉) 170克
泡打粉 1/2茶匙
梳打粉 3/8茶匙
鹽 1/4茶匙
細砂糖(EC用有機蔗糖) 70克
無鹽牛油(放軟) 100克
葡萄籽油(或任何淡味食油) 15克
牛奶 113克
蘋果醋或白醋 7克
大蛋 1隻(約50克)
雲尼拿醬或純雲尼拿香油 1/2茶匙
迷你朱古力粒 1/3杯

Directions 做法

Preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
焗爐預熱375ºF/190ºC，鬆餅模內放紙模備用。

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Make buttermilk by combining milk, preferably slightly warm, and vinegar in another bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until mixture is curdled. Set aside.
麵粉、泡打粉、梳打粉和鹽混合過篩放大碗中，另一大碗內放牛奶(最好是微暖的)及醋拌勻做成酪奶(buttermilk)，靜置五分鐘待混合物結塊，備用。

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on low speed until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla then beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
用座枱式攪拌機(使用攪拌槳配件)把牛油低速拌至軟滑後加入糖和雲尼拿醬，中速攪拌至顏色轉淡及蓬鬆，約三至四分鐘，停機清理盆邊。

Add beaten egg in two additions, beating with medium speed until fully incorporated between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
雞蛋打散後分兩次加入並以中速拌匀，每次待蛋液完全被吸收後才可加另一次，需要時可停機清理盆邊。

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the flour is just blended. Add in the oil and half of the buttermilk and mix with low speed until just blended.
加入三分一粉類低速拌至剛無粉粒，加入油及一半酪奶低速拌至剛混合。

Add half of the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until the flour is just blended. Add remaining buttermilk and mix with low speed until just blended.
加入餘下一半粉類低速拌至剛無粉粒，加入所有剩下酪奶低速拌至剛混合。

Add remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed for a few seconds. Then sprinkle in the chocolate chips and continue to mix on low speed until the flour just disappears. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and give it a few quick folds to make sure that the chocolate chips are evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
加入餘下所有粉類低速拌幾秒後倒入朱古力粒，低速拌至剛無粉粒後可停機，以膠刮清理盆邊及快速切拌幾下確保朱古力粒平均分佈於麵糊中，切勿過度攪拌。

Divide batter evenly among liners (I used an ice cream scoop). Bake for 5 minutes then reduce temperature to 350ºF/175ºC and continue baking until the muffins are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of muffin comes out clean, about 15 to 18 minutes more. Adjust oven temperature and baking time accordingly for your own oven.
將麵糊平均分配倒入紙模中(EC用雪糕舀)，入爐5分鐘後把爐溫調至350ºF/175ºC，繼續焗至鬆餅表面金黃及竹籤插入鬆餅中央取出不沾麵糊，EC家中焗爐約需多焗15至18分鐘，請自行調節焗爐火力及時間。