Update, oct 2016 (3 variations on the original recipe, that I'm too lazy at this time to redact down):

Overnight prep: get out frozen cherries to thaw; chop dried cherries & soak in rum:

WET (blenderize):

• 1-1/2 C frozen cherries (thaw the night before if poss)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 – 1/2 t (half a capful) of almond extract
• 2-3 T oil
• adequate milk (1/4–1/2 C)

SOAK (preferably the night before):

• (soak) 3/4 C dried cherries, montmorency preferred, chopped
• (in) 1/3 C rum (approx) —soak cherries

MEASURE:

• 3/4 C choco chips
• 1 C nuts, chopped

MIX in large bowl:

• 2 (heaping) T cocoa
• 1/4 t baking soda (counterbalance acid from cherries)
• 1-1/4 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 T sugar (mebbe 3?) (grind out any lumps with bottom of measuring cup); then add:
• 2 T flaxseed, ground
• 1/2 C white whole wheat flour
• 1 C rolled oats (I use old fashioned)

Method.

• do night before prep
• thaw frozen cherries,
• chop & soak dried cherries in the rum
• Or, day of, they'll still work, just probably need to add more milk...then, day of
• i.e. set oven to convect & preheat to 355
• start cherries thawing if not already—add egg, oil, extract, milk as needed to blenderize into slurry
• measure out choco chips
• lightly toast if using almonds (they will be easier to chop)
• chop nuts (almonds, walnuts or pecans)
• measure out dry ingredients, grinding lumps out of sugar & leavening; mix;
• add wet; then dried fruit&rum; then choco chips & nuts, adding more milk if necessary
• pam 12 cup muffin tin; distribute batter evenly.
• bake approx 21 minutes or till done.

N.b., batter is somewhat wetter, more like cake batter than typical muffin ‘paste’ ...it doesn't seem to be a problem with longer, lower bake time:)

update, april 2016 v.

The night before:

• place adequate (heaping) cherries in liquid 1C measure to thaw
• place 3/4 C dried (sweetened) cherries in booze (optional) —and chop first!

Liquid–blenderize:

• 1 C thawed cherries
• 2T (approx) canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1 capful (approx 1/2 – 3/4 t) almond extract

Chop:

• 3/4 - 1 C walnuts
• 3/4 C dried cherries^[1]
• add: 1/2 C choco chips
• also, preheat oven to 355

Dry ingredients:

• 1.25 t baking powder
• 1/8 t baking soda (approx)
• 3 T sugar (4 was too much)
• 2 T dutch process cocoa
• 2 T ground flaxseed
• 1/2 C soft whole wheat flour
• 1 C rolled oats

method...

• blenderize liquid ingredients, except milk
• measure and chop dried fruit and nuts. Note: mixing some of the flour over the fruit would make it easier to chop, if it hasn't been soaked in alchohol.
• measure dry ingredients, grind out lumps, stir
• add wet ingredients to dry, then lumpy stuff
• add milk as needed for batter—this lot was pretty wet, hence the long baking time.
• bake 21 minutes.

This lot had excellent texture and flavour. Tad on a the sweet side, reduce sugar to 3T as shown above.

Last time I wasn't too happy with the texture. Here's another iteration.

Let thaw somewhat, then mix in blender:

• 1.5 C frozen cherries
• 1 egg
• 1 T oil
• 1 capful (roughly 3/4t) almond extract
• 1/3?–1/2 C milk

Measure onto cutting board, chopping coarsely 1st 2:

• 3/4 C dried montmorency cherries
• 1 C almonds
• 3/4 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 390 F & then place in large mixing bowl:

• 1 C white mystery flour (probably pastry)
• 1/2 C whole wheat pastry flour
• 1-1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t (or less) baking soda
• 2 T dutch process cocoa
• 2 T ground flax
• 1 T white granulated sugar

Mix together dry ingredients, grinding any lumps out of cocoa, baking powder etc. Use rubber spatula to scape contents of blenderized frozen cherry mixture into dry, adding cutting board ingredients and stirring till just wetted.

Spray muffin tin generously with pam, spoon batter & bake for 19 minutes.

Notes. Add enough milk to make batter ‘proper’ consistency. Almond extract level seems about right.

Suggested adjustments: increase sugar to 2 T; muffins tasted pretty good, but were kind of dry. That kind of silky richness (associated with chocolate cake) can only be achieved by increasing oil—suggest at least 1/4 C. With adequate time, one could perhaps up frozen cherries even more, eliminating or reducing milk. Cherry flavor definitely balances the chocolate better in this version, but a bit more wouldn't hurt.

vegan update, 23sep20: with sweet cherries, add lime juice from half a lime—I put some milk into the mix, but with adequate cherries, don't think it's really necessary. Mix cherries, lime juice, flax seed, 1/4 C? water, the 1/s capful of almond extract; along with oil & rum (from dried cherries) should be adequate. Used 3 T white sugar plus choco chips & sweet cherries, 2T is probably enough.

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.

Sylvus Tarn