Llael and Apollo's Harvest Muffins

Triple batch

Ingredients

Yield:About 7 dozen mini-muffins (or 3 dozen regular muffins)

• 3 1/3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 3 t baking soda
• 1T ground cinnamon
• 3/4 t salt
• 6 eggs
• 1 ½cup olive oil (or slightly less)
• 3 T honey
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 apples, grated (1½ cup)
• 1½cup grated carrots
• 1½cup grated zucchini (or 2 cups? more is better!)
• 1 cup raisins
• 1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini-muffin tins.

2. Step 2

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

3. Step 3

   In a large bowl, combine the eggs, olive oil, honey, brown sugar, grated apple and juices and grated vegetables.

4. Step 4

   Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the raisins and coconut.

5. Step 5

   Fill each muffin cup ¾ of the way up, and bake for 18 minutes for mini-muffins and about 22 minutes for regular muffins.

Nearly flourless chocolate cake

INGREDIENTS
Yield:1 shallow springform cake

1 lb semisweet chocolate (or 50/50 mix of semisweet and bittersweet)

10 T butter (salted or unsalted), softened
1 T all-purpose flour
1 T sugar
4 eggs, separated
Sweetened whipped cream


PREPARATION

1.  Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line the base of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

2.  Melt the chocolate in the microwave.

3.  Stir the butter, flour, and sugar into the melted chocolate. Beat the yolks lightly and whisk into the chocolate mixture gradually.

4.  Beat the egg whites until they hold a definite shape but are not dry and fold into the chocolate mixture. The beaten egg whites should be folded smoothly, quickly and easily into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat; open the oven door, leaving it ajar, and allow the cake to cool completely in the oven.

5.  Serve warm with whipped cream.

Adapted from NY Times