When we were kids growing up in the 70s, we always had a florentine slice if we had aunts and uncles coming for Sunday tea. This was a seriously good treat - a layer of dark chocolate, topped with a s...
Read moreFlorentine muffins (vegan)
The Story
A taste of childhood in vegan form
Florentine muffins (vegan)
Florentines in muffin form - squidgily delicious coconut muffins, studded with sultanas, glace cherries and dark chocolate chunks. Topped off with crunchy almonds and more cherries and chocolate. The muffins are egg and dairy free. Ground psyllium husk (sometimes called psyllium husk powder) is available online and from healthfood shops - a small packet will make dozens of cakes.
Ingredients
For the muffins
- 150 g brown sugar
- 200 ml non-dairy milk
- 3 tbs cold water
- 1 tsp rice, apple or other white vinegar
- 2 tsp ground psyllium husk
- 120 ml sunflower or other mild-flavoured vegetable oil
- 100 g dessicated coconut
- 200 g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 75 g sultanas
- 75 g glace cherries, quartered
- 75 g dairy-free dark chocolate, cut into small chunks
For the topping
- 50 g flaked almonds (mix with pistachios for colour if you wish)
- 50 g glace cherries, halved
- 50 g dairy-free dark chocolate, cut into chunks
- 2 tbs golden syrup
- 15 g vegan butter or dairy-free margarine
- 50 g sugar
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180C (fan) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick muffin liners.
- Put the sugar, non-dairy milk, water and vinegar into a mixing bowl and whisk in the psyllium husk (you may see a little floating on the surface - this is fine). Stir in the oil.
- Sieve the flour and baking powder into the liquid mixture, add the dessicated coconut, then stir briefly with a spatula until just combined.
- Stir in the cherries, sultanas and chocolate just until evenly distributed. Leave to sit for 10 minutes (this is important, as it allows the psyllium husk to swell - otherwise the mixture will be too runny which will make it difficult to transfer it into the tins).
- Divide the mixture between the lined muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the muffins from the oven, top each of them with a little of the almond topping (see note below) and return the oven for around 7 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
- For the topping: melt the vegan butter or margarine in the microwave or in a small pan on the stove. Stir in the sugar and golden syrup, then add the almonds cherries and chocolate.
