Many years ago, back in the day when we could go out for breakfast in relative peace and quiet, we used to visit a little tiny cafe in Drummoyne (Sydney) called the Bowen Island Bakery. We would order a coffee and these incredible choc-chip and oat muffins. The choc-chips in these muffins were more like asteroid-sized chunks of Valrhona and they were spectacularly moist, oaty and just a little bit salty.
I have been trying to re-create this recipe ever since. And I don’t claim to be exactly spot-on for this recipe, but it’s close enough to warrant sharing. These make terrific breakfast treats for kids, or grown-ups who need powerful low-GI hit in the morning. I freeze most of the batch and defrost them as needed because they reanimate better than they retain their freshness… and if you do it just right you get a little of that melty chocolate inside.
Choc-chip Oat Muffin Recipe
Ingredients:
1.5 cups rolled oats
1.5 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp salt
1 packet of Cadbury’s Bourneville (or some fancy expensive brand) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
OVEN 180C
Method:
Soak oats in the buttermilk for 15 minutes.
Melt the butter, allowing it too cool a bit.
Combine all the wet ingredients in a bowl, taking care not to combine HOT melted butter with the eggs – or you’ll get scrambled eggs.
Then add the dry ingredients, and stir till JUST combined.
Divide into muffin cases (I get 12 large) and bake until they’re done.
These were sensational Lara.
So delicious! Like going to Bowen Island Bakery at home! Thank you.