The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Chocolate Cherry Raisin Nut Volcanoes

andychrist's picture
andychrist

Chocolate Cherry Raisin Nut Volcanoes

Don't tell anyone but those cherries had been in my freezer for years... And there's plenty more where they came from.

 

 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Ok so what are these evil looking things!  Please share.

PaddyL's picture
PaddyL

Did you add the cherries to the batter or did you spoon them over the top after baking?  They look spectacular, but like isand66, I wouldn't mind knowing what they are.

andychrist's picture
andychrist

Okay you guys wheedled it out of me.  They are just fluted muffins, aka mini Bundt cakes.  Bake them like muffins then turn over and fill the voids where the shafts in the pan ran through. I've made them with both yeast and baking powder and either method works.  Prefer yeast for the cinnamon volcanoes, powder for the chocolate ones.  They can be filled with sweetened Riccotta too just like cannoli, I call those Volcannoli. 

The secret to the transparent fruit glaze is to use either potato or rice starch to thicken the juice, rather than corn starch, which turns cloudy. Mixing it with the sugar beforehand allows you to blend it in with the cherries gradually until you reach the desired consistency, no muss no fuss. Throw in your butter and take off the flame, spoon into the muffins liberally. Glaze should gel as it runs down the sides.