Earl Grey White Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Last night was the championship game for my dodgeball team: Dodge Caravan. Despite a stellar season, we came up short in the championship game and fell to the winners: Can't Hit This. We're usually a very competitive team and while we may not have the power, we have skill and more importantly, I feel we have the best spirit in the league. The next season starts 3 weeks from now, but I don't know if I'll be able to make it. What is Monday night without Dodgeball?

Anyway, as a treat I decided to bring some muffins to the game to celebrate the end of the season for both teams. As some of you may know, I'm a big fan of Earl Grey tea. I have a chocolate Earl Grey cookie recipe that I'm in the process of perfecting. Until then, here's a great, simple Earl Grey muffin recipe. You can't have any better combination than Earl Grey and chocolate. The two are just made to go together and Earl Grey and White Chocolate are ideal. Make sure you use large chunks of white chocolate. Mine were too small so you can't make them out in the picture, but they're there!

Earl Grey White Chocolate Chunk Muffins

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground Earl Grey tea (or more if you dare)
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 400F. Butter or spray a regular-size muffin pan or fit the pan with paper muffin cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground Earl Grey tea. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don't worry about being thorough - a few lumps are better than over mixing the batter. Stir in the white chocolate chunks. Divide the batter evenly among the muffins cups.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin.

Chocolate Ganache Tartlets

This week is my co-worker Kelly's birthday. Last week she mentioned she liked the Lemon Macaroon tarts that I made last year so I decided I would make her something similar but a little more special this time.

Macaroon tarlets are easy to make, but messy. The sticky tart dough is frustrating to work with, but in the end it looks great. Use cooking spray or oil on your hands to help with forming the cups. To make the tarts, I used my mini cupcake tin, rolled small dough balls and pressed them with the end of my marble pestle. It has a round tip that is the perfect size. Once you make the tarts, use your imagination and pick whatever filling you want: custard, pudding, fresh fruit, etc. I decided to go with Chocolate Ganache, topped with a dessert topping and almonds. It looks rather decadent, and worthy of Kelly's birthday.

Chocolate Ganache Tartlets

• 2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 egg whites

• 8 oz (225g) good quality bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
• whipped dessert topping
• sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 24 mini muffin tins.

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups coconut, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg whites; stir well. Divide mixture evenly among the prepared mini muffin cups, pressing mixture into bottom and up sides of muffin cups (use cooking spray on hands to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands).

Bake in the preheated oven until until the coconut turns golden around the edges and is set in the center(roughly 10 minutes). Cool 2 minutes in the muffin tins on a wire rack. Remove from tins and cool completely on the rack.

Chocolate Ganache:
Place the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just under a boil. Pour over the chocolate and let stand about 5 minutes. Add the rum if you're using some and whisk to combine. Spoon the chocolate into the macaroon crusts. Let cool about 1 hour. Top with a healthy spoonful of whipped topping, sprinkle with sliced almonds.