Double Chocolate Coconut Muffins

Today is Conference Sunday for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Ultimately, what that means, is we get to stay home and watch church on TV!  For many families it means extra family time (or perhaps time with friends too) and a wonderful day for special foods!  

For some odd reason I could not sleep last night and so I began to think about what I wanted to make today.  I really felt like having one of those giant Chocolate-Chocolate Chip or Blueberry Streusel Muffins that you can buy at Sam's Club, but I also really wanted to try out my new Coconut Extract that I just bought.  Then I had starter coming out my ears, because I had not used it all week and it was due for its 2nd feeding; I had to get rid of it.  SO then I thought maybe I would do a chocolate twist on my Amish Friendship Bread, because that is a sweet bread...(But most recently I have removed the started from this recipe and I think it is about perfect.)

As I was working I had more ideas coming.  Coconut extract instead of Vanilla. . . Perhaps a Streusel topping like the giant Blueberry muffins had. . .My usual streusel topping has oatmeal in it.  I did not want to use Oatmeal, because the most recent allergy tests show a separate allergy to Oatmeal for 3 kids.  Since it has coconut in it, I decided I would use coconut in place of the oatmeal and in order to make the streusel and muffin seem more connected, I used some chocolate in it. After making them I thought I should have also traded Macadamia Nuts for the pecans, not that I had some.  I will definitely try it next time, that would really finish up these beauties!!   If you want a simplified version of these muffins, I do have one (here) that bundles a Betty Crocker brownie mix in place of many of these ingredients.

Double Chocolate Coconut Muffins 

Topping

2 TBSP Tapioca Starch
2 TBSP Nestle's Chocolate Milk Powder (it is Gluten and Dairy Free)
1/4 cup Brown Sugar (Coconut sugar works well here too)
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped
1/2 cup Coconut
2 TBSP Melted Butter or Coconut Oil

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, add melted butter, mix until coated evenly, then set aside. Be sure to do this step first, so it is ready to use once you have your dough made.

Muffins

3/4 cup Pumpkin
1/2 cup Melted Butter or Coconut oil
1 cup Warm Milk (I use rice milk)
3 Eggs, room temp 
*  *  *  *  
1 Large box of Jell-O brand Fat and Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding 
1/3 cup Wild Rice Flour
1/3 cup Tapioca Starch
1/3 cup Unsweetened Coco Powder

3 TBSP ground Flax
1 1/2 cup Sugar (I don't recommend using coconut sugar here, it really has a               
                              bad contrast with chocolate flavors)
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 1/2 tsp Guar Gum (or 1 3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum)
1/2 tsp Salt
2/3 cup Coconut
3/4 cups Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
1 cup Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips  

1) Mix all wet ingredients (1st list) in medium bowl
2) Mix all dry ingredients (2nd list) in a larger bowl
3) Form a well in the dry ingredients and pour all of the wet ingredients in it. mix sufficiently to just moisten the dry ingredients and then stop; do not over mix.
4) Fill cups of pre-greased muffin tins with dough (level with the cup rim) and top with about 2 tsp of the topping.  Be sure to lightly press the topping into the muffin dough.
6) Bake 350 for 26-30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Makes about 18