On a Monday morning, I was musing on what kind of muffin to make, using up various things that I had in the fridge and kitchen; banana? No, we’ll probably want to eat the bananas. Buckwheat flour? No, I made some buckwheat-date muffins recently, the ones I always make after Passover to use up the charoset. Ricotta? Yes! These are based on Yossi Arefi’s Black- and Blueberry Ricotta cake. I only have frozen blueberries right now, so was considering, and when I saw her suggestion of chocolate chips, that did it.
Ingredients:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup unflavored oil, such as safflower or canola
1 1/2 to scant 2 cups ricotta (16-oz. container with like a spoonful out)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon kosher salt
grated zest of one organic orange
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups mini chocolate chips
coarse sugar for sprinkling on top
Grease or line the wells of a 12-cup muffin tin with papers. You might need one extra muffin cup or ramekin – I got 13 muffins, baker’s dozen. Heat the oven to 375°
Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, and add the sugar. Beat with a whisk until it’s looking a bit lightened – about 3 minutes. Pour in the oil and whisk until it’s nicely emulsified. Beat in the ricotta, breaking up the lumps until smooth. Add the vanilla and salt, grate in the orange zest, and stir. Switch from the whisk to a silicone spatula, and mix in the flour, the baking powder and soda, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the batter into the muffin tin, and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for about 25 minutes until nicely browned and firm.