Yummy :)

I love chocolate muffins and this variation is a good one; it includes brandy but you could omit this if you prefer alcohol free.  Just use some water to soak the fruit and for the glaze instead.

Only 5 muffins left by the time I got my camera out, so they went pretty quick! (Only 4 left after I had finished the photos, how did that happen?)

The glaze makes them sticky and moist

Recipe (makes 12):

• Large handful of prunes (about 80g), or raisins if you prefer
• 3tsp brandy, topped up with a little boiling water if you are in a rush
• 170g self-raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 2tsp baking powder
• 130g brown sugar
• 50 g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 85ml sunflower oil
• 85ml milk
• 1tsp vanilla bean paste (or use vanilla extract if you can’t find this)
• 60g dark choc chips

For the glaze you will need:

• 3tbsps icing sugar
• 1tbsp cocoa
• 3tbsps reserved liquid from soaking the fruit; top up with water as needed.

The first thing to do is soak the fruit in the brandy for around 1hr, or as long as you can before you make the muffins.  If you are in a rush add a little boiling water to speed things up a bit.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Now mix all the ingredients (except for the fruit and choc chips) together until just combined.  Drain and chop the fruit into small pieces (if you used raisins, no chopping needed), then add to the mixture along with the chocolate chips and stir in.

Spoon the mixture into muffin cases and bake for 25mins.

To make the glaze, stir all the ingredients together.  Once the muffins are done, carefully drizzle over the muffins.