Ruby Chocolate and Raspberry Muffins

A ruby chocolate 101, along with a little recipe.

Who doesn’t love muffins? They are arguably the best baked good, mostly because they made cake a socially acceptable breakfast item. However, these muffins are next level. The addition of ruby chocolate not only complements the raspberries with its sweetness but it also introduces a citrus undertone, that is simply *mwah* perfection.

If you’re a Gilmore Girls fan, this is definitely the type of muffin I think Sookie would whip up for Lorelai in the summer months. They strike the perfect balance between sharpness and sweetness, as the ruby chocolate offers a refreshing contrast not typically seen in a muffin.

Ruby Chocolate 101

Barry Callebaut began developing ruby chocolate in 2004, they didn’t officially release the product until 2017. In terms of texture, ruby chocolate shares some similarities to white chocolate. However, it doesn’t have an overly sweet aftertaste due to the addition of cocoa solids.

The ruby variety of cocoa bean requires a very unique production process in order to unlock the distinct pink color and berry flavor. Most importantly, no colorings are added to enhance the pink appearance of the chocolate. Also, the citrus undertone is likely a pleasant result of the utilization of citric acid in the processing of the ruby bean.

Where Can I Get It?

If you live near a Whole Foods, you can find a bar of 34% ruby cocoa from the brand Chocolove in store for $3.79. After trying ruby chocolate myself and baking with it, I would say that it’s definitely worth trying. It almost seems like a white chocolate bar that has been infused with berries, but it’s not as sweet as you might expect.

Ruby Chocolate and Raspberry Muffins

Makes: 9 (regular) or 6 (jumbo)

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (113g) softened butter

• 3/4 cup (155g) white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 cup (80ml) milk or plant-based milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups (195g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• 3/4 cup (87g) ruby chocolate

• 1 cup (110g) frozen raspberries

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C), prepare a muffin tin with baking cups (also known as cupcake liners).

2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the softened butter and sugar. You must make sure that all of the butter has been incorporated, the mixture should not have any lumps.

3. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla extract. If you are making the batter by hand try to increase the speed of your mixing in order to incorporate some air.

4. Then prepare the ruby chocolate by chopping it into small and medium size chunks.

5. Incorporate the flour, baking powder and salt. Once the mixture is smooth add the chopped ruby chocolate and raspberries, stir slowly to prevent the raspberries from separating into tiny pieces.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

7. Serve and enjoy!

The muffins prior to baking.

Just to quickly note, if you forget to pick up cupcake liners at the store (like I did) you can DIY some makeshift ones using squares of parchment paper.

Thank you for reading, if you have tried ruby chocolate I’d love to hear your opinions! Also, if you decide to make these muffins please let me know, I would love your feedback.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Biscotti Sundays x