Recipe: Chocolate-Cherry Muffins (using dried cherries)

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY MUFFINS

4 ounces dried tart cherries
1/2 cup boiling water
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted, softened
1/2 cup sugar, plus
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 12-muffin tin with butter or shortening, or use foil or paper cupcake liners. Set aside.

TO SOAK THE CHERRIES:
Place dried cherries in small bowl. Add boiling water. Soak for 10 minutes. Place sieve over another small bowl. Drain cherries, reserving liquid in bowl. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE MUFFINS:
Meanwhile, melt chocolate in microwave or small metal mixing bowl set over but not touching pan of gently simmering water. Set it aside to cool.

Place mesh sieve over medium mixing bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Shake contents into bowl. Set aside.

Place butter and 1/2 cup sugar in large mixing bowl. With mixer on high speed, mix butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape cooled chocolate into mixture. Reduce mixer speed to low. Mix in chocolate. Add eggs, 1 at a time, waiting until first is incorporated before adding second. Mix in almond extract. Move beaters around bowl and scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula several times while mixing. With mixer still on low speed, mix in flour mixture, then cherry soaking liquid. Using rubber spatula, fold in reserved cherries.

TO BAKE THE MUFFINS:
Mound batter into muffin tins. Sprinkle tops generously with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center of muffin comes out dry. Remove muffins from oven. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove muffins to wire rack to cool completely.

TO STORE THE MUFFINS:
Store in recloseable gallon-size plastic bag at room temperature for 24 hours. Or wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap, then place on baking sheet. Freeze for at least 3 hours. When completely frozen, place each muffin in individual recloseable sandwich-size plastic bag. Label bag with waterproof marker to note contents and date. (Can be frozen up to 3 months.) Remove muffin from freezer the night before and let it thaw on kitchen counter to be eaten the next morning.

Source: Lora Brody, Saint Paul Pioneer Press; September 9, 2001