Russian Season

Buttery. Moist. Sweet. Fluffy. Aromatic. Coated with dark bittersweet chocolate and generously sprinkled with walnuts. The milky flavour of cottage cheese curds and the mild sweetness of pumpkin enhanced by the rich aroma of nutmeg and cinnamon. Perfect served for breakfast or for dessert, with a glass of milk or a cup of tea alike. I’m talking pumpkin and cottage cheese muffins!

Ingredients

400g/14oz all-purpose flour
300g/10 1/2oz coarsely grated fresh pumpkin
200g/7oz melted margarine
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
250g/9oz cottage cheese
100g/3 1/2oz bittersweet chocolate
1 cup walnuts, finely diced
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Makes 18 muffins

In a bowl, combine melted margarine, sugar, and eggs. Beat with a fork until smooth. Add cottage cheese and grated pumpkin and stir carefully.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Fold the flour mix into the batter, and stir carefully.

Spoon the batter into prepared muffin forms.

Bake at 180C/350F for 25-30 minutes.

When ready, allow to cool in the oven for 10 minutes.

When muffins have cooled, melt the chocolate and dip each muffin into the chocolate. Let the first coat of chocolate dry out a little bit and repeat. Sprinkle diced walnuts on top of each muffin. Allow to cool completely.