Posted on: Wednesday, September 8, 2004
RECIPE DOCTOR
Starbucks-style muffins can be made lighter at home
By Elaine Magee
Back-to-school means back to late nights helping with homework and hectic mornings trying to catch the bus, which means back to Starbucks for that morning pick-me-up. In honor of the fall rush, I'll be recreating light versions of four popular Starbucks treats, starting with rich Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins.
We've made these smarter by using only 2 tablespoons of canola oil, substituting some of the sugar with Splenda, using light cream cheese for the filling, and replacing half of the white flour with whole wheat.
One Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffin contains (according to their Web site) 450 calories, and 24 grams of fat, while a Texas-size version of the light muffin contains 308 calories and 10 grams fat.
Coming up in the Starbucks series: Java Chip Frappuccino, Classic Coffee Cake and White Chocolate Mocha.
CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS
Cream Cheese Filling:
Chocolate batter:
Heat oven to 350-degrees. Line 18 regular or 8 Texas-size muffin cups with baking cups or coat muffin pan with canola cooking spray.
To make filling, add cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, Splenda and egg to small mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips, if desired; set mixture aside.
In a separate bowl, beat flours, sugar, Splenda, cocoa, baking soda and salt on low until well mixed.
Add water, canola oil, sour cream, vinegar and vanilla to dry ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (scraping sides of bowl and beaters midway).
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with chocolate batter. For regular-size muffins, top each with 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture. For Texas-size muffins, top with 3 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, if desired.
Bake until muffins are cooked through and middle springs back when pressed lightly (about 18-20 minutes for regular size and 25-30 minutes for Texas size). Cool completely. Store in refrigerator.
Makes 8 Texas-size muffins or 18 regular-size muffins
• Per regular-size muffin: 137 calories, 4 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate (2 g fiber), 4.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 1.5 g monounsaturated fat, .7 g polyunsaturated fat), 17 mg cholesterol, 190 mg sodium. • Per Texas-size muffin: 308 calories, 9 g protein, 47 g carbohydrate (4.5 g fiber), 10 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat, 3.5 g monounsaturated fat, 1.5 g polyunsaturated fat), 38 mg cholesterol, 427.5 mg sodium. NOTE: Adding chocolate chips will add 20 calories and 1.5 g fat per muffin to regular-size muffins and 45 calories and 3.5 g fat to Texas-size. Adding almonds will add 12 calories and 1 g fat per muffin to regular-size muffins and 26.5 calories and 2.5 g fat to Texas-size. Elaine Magee is author of "The Recipe Doctor Cookbook" and "The Flax Cookbook." Readers may reach her through her Web site at www.recipedoctor.com. Personal responses can't be provided. This column is distributed by Knight Ridder News Service.
