Orange Walnut Muffins with White Chocolate Topping

Uff... what a great weekend. A bit in a hurry, but still this type of hurry was positive. Only now - having come back from our milonga - I have found a moment to check my blog out and fulfil the promise of publishing the recipe for muffins. It will be my only one contribution to the Citrus Weekend... even though I was dreaming of preparing 7 other citrus delicacies. As a dancer and tango teacher, paradoxically I have plenty of free time on Monday mornings (I mean: after 11 a.m.) and during the weekdays before noon. Weekends are evenings are the busiest so I just simply didn't have enough time for a citrus frenzy (though I managed to bake two delicious loaves of bread, one of which was handed over to my friends, the other one was handed out partially and partially eaten by us).

Anyway, with a small delay (it's after midnight so theoretically it's already Monday) I would like to share with you the recipe for Orange Walnut Muffins with White Chocolate Topping. Sweet and fruity oranges and crunchy toasted walnuts make these muffins perfect for breakfast with a glass of milk. Yet, just a bit of white chocolate as a topping and you get an elegant afternoon treat. They smell  and taste very Christmassy and I have a feeling that you will be able to try them out very soon in Tango Cafe :)

Orange Walnut Muffins 

with White Chocolate Topping

(inspired by the recipe for Orange Muffins from the Ultimate Muffin Cookbook by Bruce Weinstein Mark Scarbrough)

Wet ingredients:
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup (125g) natural yogurt
85g (6 tablespoons, 3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
3/4 cup freshly squeezed out orange juice
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g walnuts, toasted (around 6min. in 200°C / 400°F) and chopped

Dry ingredients:
240 g (2 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
185g (3/4 cup) sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
a pinch of cinnamon

Topping:
100g good quality white chocolate

Makes around 12 medium / standard size muffins (5cm in diameter).

1. Mix all wet ingredients together until uniform.
2. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Prepare the muffin tins: line them with paper muffin cups or cut pieces of baking paper.
3. Dry ingredients: whisk the dry ingredients in a second bowl until well uniform.
4. Add the dry ingredients bowl into wet ingredients bowl, stir in just until incorporated. Don't overmix! Fill the prepared tins (mine are pretty shallow and I filled them to the brim, instead of the usual three-quarters full). Bake for 22 minutes, until the muffins are light brown and have rounded tops. The muffins are ready when the toothpick or cake tester comes out almost clean (can be one or two crumbs attached). Set the pan onto the rack and let the muffins cool down for 10 minutes.
5. Chop the chocolate and put into a small pan. Place the small pan above a large pan with boiling water. Important: the pan with chocolate cannot touch the boiling water. Melt the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Spread the warm melted chocolate over the muffins with a tablespoon.