Dan Lepard's Chocolate Custard Muffin

Dan Lepard, that baker extraordinaire called this "the best chocolate muffin you'll ever eat" and it is not difficult to understand why. The top of this muffin is crusty almost light cookie like and the inside is rich and fragrant with chocolate and vanilla. It is not as rich as a cupcake or a brownie and yet it is impossible to resist another.

It is also a doddle to make. You only need a pot and a whisk and then you're set. It lends itself so easily to experiments. I have played with it a little - using espresso shots, instant espresso powder, kahlua, baileys and rum... and they all work so well. the best bit - you can serve it for breakfast, tea and even dessert - dress it with cinnamon ice cream and pour chocolate sauce over it... my guest haven't complained... especially when they heard you only need to use 75g of butter and 2 eggs for 12 lekkerste muffins!

Chocolate Mocha Custard Muffin

(you'll find the original here)

50g cornflour

3 level tbsp cocoa

100g dark soft brown sugar - I used Billington's

1 cup espresso

125ml warm water

75g unsalted butter, cubed

125g dark chocolate, broken small - I used Valrhona Guanaja 70%

75ml sunflower oil

a pinch of fleur de sel

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

100g caster sugar

125g plain flour

2½ tsp baking powder

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4
2. Sift the cocoa, cornflour and brown sugar into heat resisting bowl. It is very important to sift so the cornflour doesn't become lumpy. Add the water and espresso into bowl and whisk together over a medium heat until very thick and smooth.

3. Beat in the butter and chocolate until melted and absorbed, then add the oil, salt, vanilla and one of the eggs, and beat again until combined.

4.Add the remaining egg and the caster sugar, and beat again until smooth and thick.
5.Measure the flour and baking powder into a bowl, stir together, then sift directly on to the custard and beat through until combined.

6. Spoon into a dozen paper muffin cases sitting in the pockets of a muffin tray.

7. Bake for 25 minutes.