I had 3 pints of fresh raspberries I needed to use up, so I used this fab recipe at the suggestion of fellow Nestie, RockysLove. I was really upset that they turned out blue, though. I’m still not sure what happened and where the h-e-double-hockey-sticks the color came from, but it didn’t deter from the taste! Hmmm, I guess this means I’ve got a new Fourth of July dessert…
Chocolate Chip & Raspberry Yogurt Muffins
Adapted from: Eat Something
1 c raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 c plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 c dark chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c Splenda for Baking
2 eggs, room temperature
1-3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
Wash and drain the berries, if using fresh. Mix berries, yogurt, vanilla and chocolate chips in one bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar together. When fluffy and no longer grainy, add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well. Then stir in the yogurt mixture and sift in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, stirring just until well incorporated. Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 full and bake for about 20 minutes, or until muffin tops bounce back when touched. Cool on a rack, then enjoy!
August 20, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Wow!! I don’t know why they turned out so dark looking… that’s strange. But I bet they were yummy, I remorsefully wanted to try it with raspberries as soon as I’d made them.
I probably would dust the fresh berries in a little bit of flour or sugar or even the dry ing next time to keep the berries well scattered (and in theory I’ve heard it helps with containing the juice though I’m skeptical there)…dried gogi berries even once plumped are still pretty small and light so they float about well (and very dry, like plumping raisins they won’t leach). Maybe you could try dried raspberries (although they can be hard to find without corn syrup–we go 3 hr to Publix for them, since it’s the one dried berry we can’t get at Wild Oats LOL)? Then again, I wonder if it was the berries or the chocolate…
*shrugs* who knows, I’m glad they worked out in the flavor department though… and I’m so excited someone made one of my recipes and liked it!! Woohoo, now I guess I owe Sarah… *giggles*
August 20, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Interesting how the color came about! But its the taste the matters!
August 21, 2008 at 7:56 am
Chocolate and raspberry is such a perfect combo! They look delicious.
August 21, 2008 at 10:15 am
What a GREAT idea! These look so yummy! I love vanilla yogurt. lol @ the color. That’s cool – more for me!
August 21, 2008 at 10:57 am
I used to have the same problem with my blueberry muffins turning smurf-blue! It took me a frew tries, but I learned to toss the berries really well in the dry ingredients and fold the batter as gently as possible to prevent the mositure of the berries from leaking into the batter. This recipe looks delicious- I will definitely have to try it!
August 22, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Raspberries are red because they contain a pigment called anthocyanin, which also happens to be pH sensitive. Under acidic conditions it is red, and basic yields a blue colour. The (basic) baking soda shifts the balance, turning all that red juice blue! Did you ever do that experiment in grade school, where you take boiled red cabbage and add vinegar/ baking soda to make the juice change colour? It’s the same principle.
Two solutions:
1) Keep the berries from leaking, with flour and gentle folding, like others have mentioned
2) or experiment with the baking soda/ acid ratio, to get a better balance. Of course, you have to be careful, or else the muffins won’t rise!
Hope that explains things. Sorry to get all nerdy on you. They look like they’re positively stuffed with berries — yum!
August 22, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I think the colour is lovely and it makes the cupcakes look a little improbable! I like that!
September 11, 2008 at 12:35 am
Interesting… a must try !