Enter the White Chocolate Coconut Muffin

So I think this is my 3rd variation of that brilliant original buttermilk muffin recipe — and it has yet to fail me! That being said, these muffins turned out slightly differently from how I expected them too.  At first I wanted them to be lemon white chocolate coconut muffins, but alas, Aldi was shut for Easter! So they became White Chocolate Coconut muffins.

As ever, I am a big fan of using up ingredients (waste not, want not) so the coconut and white chocolate were both left over from my Cookie Monster cupcakes.  When I was buying ingredients for them, I waaay overestimated the amount of googly eyes I would need! So I had 2 packs of white chocolate buttons left, just waiting to be thrown into some tasty muffins.

Floating muffin?

The coconut flavour is definitely more subtle than I was hoping for, but perhaps the “distinguished palates” can make it out.  However, I think the coconut itself adds a nice difference in texture and makes these muffins oh so moist and delicious.  The white chocolate buttons were also a great addition.  The ones near the surface turned a beautiful golden brown, and developed a caramel-like flavour. Yum! I ate one steaming out of the oven and another one today.  Both were fantastic, if not the lemon-coconut-white chocolate fusion that I had originally envisaged.

Next time, to bump up the coconut flavour, I might try toasting the coconut before hand. And a quick look on Google tells me that it is possible to buy coconut extract.  I would be wary about adding coconut milk to this recipe as I wouldn’t want to disturb the wet-dry ratios and any ratios between the buttermilk and the evening agents.
In any event, these muffins are a surprise winner! So without further ado, white chocolate coconut muffins!

White Chocolate Coconut Muffins

makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups (325g) plain (all purpose)  flour
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup butter milk (180ml) –> (3/4 cup milk + 2 tsp lemon juice, let stand for a few minutes before using)
• 2/3 cup (160mL) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1.5 cups (355mL) white chocolate chips/white chocolate buttons, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup dessicated coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Position rack in centre of the oven. Place 12 muffins cups in the tin and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract.
3. In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Gently fold in the white chocolate chips and coconut.
4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients inside.  With a rubber spatula, gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are just combined.  15-20 turns of the spatula should be enough and stop after that! Otherwise you will have tough dry nasty muffins instead of moist delicious ones.
5. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups (I found mine were quite full. Just make sure you grease the top of the muffin pan as well so the muffin tops don’t stick). Place on middle rack in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool about 5 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely.