Chocolate Oh Chocolate, Wherefore Art Thou Baileys Cream Cheese?

Baileys Cream Cheese Chocolate Muffins

Baileys cream cheese snuggled in each centre

We know where the Baileys cream cheese don’t we! It’s snuggled in each centre being wrapped round by a blanket of chocolate sponge and chocolate chips in these gorgeous muffins!

The flavour of the chocolate shines through and the Baileys cream cheese is not over powering in these muffins. You could always up the ante with the cream cheese filling and add a few extra teaspoons of Baileys for a more prominent flavour should you so wish.

These little babies will be making their way into hubby’s lunch box this week, minus the one I had to taste in a good cause for this write up *smile*.

Baileys Cream Cheese Chocolate Muffins

Makes 12

Ingredients
100g (4 oz) cream cheese
30ml (1 fl oz) Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
1 egg
200ml (7 fl oz) milk
50g (2 oz) melted unsalted (sweet) butter
100g (4 oz) dark (semi sweet) chocolate chips
210g (7½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
50g (2 oz) cocoa powder
100g (4 oz) caster (super fine) sugar

You will need a muffin tin lined with 12 muffin cases

Method

Preheat the oven 190°C/fan oven 170°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. In a bowl beat together the cream cheese and the Baileys until smooth, leave aside until later. In jug, whisk the egg, milk and melted butter. In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and then add the caster sugar and chocolate chips, stirring them through. Make a well in the centre, pour in the liquids from the jug, and mix until just combined with a large metal spoon. Do not over work the mixture; having a few lumps in the mixture is quite normal. Fill each muffin case one-third full with the chocolate mixture, and then fill each muffin case with 1 teaspoon of the Baileys Cream Cheese mixture. With the remaining chocolate mixture, fill each muffin case until three-quarters full. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until fully baked through. Leave in the muffin tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Sift a little icing sugar over the tops before serving (optional).

Lastly, arm yourself with one of these muffins, bite the top off, and see the hidden surprise of the Baileys cream cheese – yum!