BLACK SUGAR LONGAN MUFFINS

Chinese: Hei Tang Long Yan Dan Gao 黑糖龍眼蛋糕

This popular Taiwanese dessert is light and moist for a warming afternoon snack.

Ingredients

340 g (2 cups) Dried longan

1 cup Dark rum/rice wine

1/2 cup Almond milk (or any non-dairy milk of your choice)

90 g Black sugar (or pure black sugar blocks)

1/2 cup Dairy-free yogurt (or silken tofu/banana)

113 g Margarine/Coconut oil

2 tbsp Granulated cane sugar

2 Large eggs

250 g (2 cups) Cake flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Salt

Optional: Walnuts for topping

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Grease muffin pans. Set aside.

2. Combine the dried longan and rum in a bowl. Heat it in the microwave for 40 sec. Let longan soak and plump for 20 min.

3. Chop soaked longan into smaller pieces.

4. Combine almond milk, black sugar, and yogurt in a blender.

5. Sift cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.

6. Whisk the margarine/coconut oil and granulated sugar for 5 min in a separate bowl.

7. Add eggs one at a time to the margarine mixture.

8. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix for 5 sec. Then add 1/2 of the almond milk mixture and mix for another 5 sec. Then another 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by the last 1/2 of the milk mixture, and finally the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix for 5 sec in between.

9. Add the chopped soaked longan and rum, mix until just combined.

10. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins.

11. Optional: Top with walnuts.

12. Bake for 35 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

13. Cool on wire rack for 15 min before removing from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

NOTE: If preferred, soak dried longans in dark rum overnight and skip step #2.

ALLERGENS: Contains wheat and egg. May contain almond or walnut.