Zucchini cheese muffin slab
Adapted from my Zucchini Cheese Loaf, this is a recipe that came into existence when I was shamelessly baking for the staff at the animal hospital when Dozer was in for surgery. Who me, bribing the doctors and nurses with baked goods to ensure Dozer got extra care and attention?? Never! š Truthfully though, after 3 batches of muffins I lost the will to clean yet another muffin tin (paper liners just seem out of place with savoury muffins?) and flipped over to what I christened a zucchini slab-muffin. So much easier to make one big slab then cut it into pieces than using muffin tin after muffin tin!! Though the initial versions were just fine, over the past few weeks Iāve been tweaking the recipe to make it even better (thank you team RTM for your brutally honest feedback!) to make the crumb softer and fluffier, and extend the shelf life to 5 whole days. Iām so happy with the end result, and I hope you love it too!
Ingredients in Cheesy Zucchini Muffin Slab
Zucchini is the key ingredient in this muffin slab. Itās not just about sneaking in extra veggies or the lovely little green bits inside. Itās also keeps this muffin-slab fresh for up to 5 days, thanks to the moisture in the zucchini!
Zucchini
I use 3 zucchinis in this recipe. Two are grated and stirred into the batter, after sweating out excess water using a little salt. Zucchinis are over 90% water! The third is used to decorate the top. I havenāt tried other vegetables in this recipe because my gut tells me the crumb will be a little drier than ideal. Even after squeezing out the excess water in the zucchini, there is still plenty of water in it which gets leeched out into the batter as it bakes. In fact, youāll notice that the batter is a bit thicker than typical muffin batters ā thatās to allow for residual zucchini moisture!
Dry ingredients
Plain flour (all-purpose flour)Ā ā Not self raising flour which already has baking powder built in. Generally speaking, cakes and muffins donāt rise as nicely and the crumb is not as soft. Better to add your own rising agent, like baking powder. Baking powder and baking soda (bi-carb)Ā ā This recipe specifically uses both because it makes the softest crumb with an even rise (rather than a big dome). I know itās irritating to have to use both, but it really does give the best result. I tried all sorts of combinations! However, if youāve only got baking powder, you can substitute the baking soda with an extra 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, though the crumb will be a touch less tender (it will rise almost as well though).
Plain white vinegarĀ ā Acidity that gives the baking soda a kick start on the rising! You canāt taste it at all, itās just to activate the baking soda. Either vinegar or something else with acidity in it (like yogurt or sour cream) is fairly standard in most of my baking recipes that use baking soda. I use regular white vinegar but any clear(ish) vinegar will work just as well. Donāt use balsamic vinegar!!! š Cheese ā Use your favourite melting cheese like cheddar, tasty, colby (this is my everyday cheese), Monterey jack (this was, but difficult to find in Australia these days), gruyere (if your wallet stretches to this) etc. PS Pre-shredded is fine for this recipe!Mozzarella is not recommended because it does not have much flavour. If I were to use mozzarella, Iād probably use 150g / 5 oz mozzarella plus 75g / 2 1/2 oz parmesan. MilkĀ ā Full fat cow milk is best, though low fat works too. Large eggs, at room temperature āĀ 55-60g/2oz eggs from a carton labelled ālarge eggsā. Make sure they are at room temperature not fridge cold. More on eggs for bakingĀ here (including a quick way to de-chill them). Oil and butter ā Oil keeps cakes and muffins moist whereas butter adds flavour. Muffins that dry out the next day really bother me, so I was adamant that I wanted to use a bit. However, I missed the flavour of butter when just using oil. So I landed on a combination of both! Use any neutral flavoured oil. Garlic ā I love the hint of garlic flavour in this muffin-slab! Use fresh garlic cloves (not dried), crushed using a garlic crusher or finely grated using a microplane. If using a knife, finely mince it then use the side of the knife to smear it into a paste.
How to make Zucchini Cheese Muffin Slab
I know itās tempting to skip the zucchini sweating. I tried. And regretted it. The batter just got too soggy and didnāt cook through! Mozzarella is not recommended because it does not have much flavour. If I were to use mozzarella, Iād probably use 150g / 5 oz mozzarella plus 75g / 2 1/2 oz parmesan. If you really short on time, you can reduce it to 10 minutes sweating time but use a tea towel to wring out the excess water (youāll get more out than using hands).
Serving and storage matters
This is one of those foods that has a place from morning to night, whether itās a breakfast on the run, a filler for your lunch box, after school snack or taking into the office to share with co-workers. I also particularly like that itās āgrab and goā without the need to fuss with plates for serving. Just a napkin, if youāre feeling civilised! How much you need ā We need 2 very tightly packed cups of squeezed out zucchini. A little more of less is fine, the recipe is pretty flexible. But if you have, say, 3 cups, that will weigh down the batter a little too much. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge, though if itās not too warm where you are then you can even just leave it in the pantry. The crumb stays moist thanks to the moisture in the zucchini as well as the oil in the recipe. And even at the tail end of its shelf life, a quick little toast in the oven is all it will take to rejuvenate. Love to know what you think if you try this! In particular, Iād love to know what people use it for. Feeding hungry teenagers? Morning tea in the office? Book club?? Tell me, I want to know! ā Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Life of Dozer
His first visit back to Bayview dog beach after his surgery. Look at that smile. ā¤ļø I know that photo is wonderfully upbeat. And it truly does capture a moment that made me so happy! But the reality is, he didnāt swim. He just broke out into a trot for a brief moment and I happened to snap a photo. š The truth is, he is still very much on a path to recovery. Iām learning to be patient and to lower my expectations for the pace and how much fitness/strength etc he will manage to regain. He is still a shadow of what he was 3 months ago before his laryngeal paralysis came on so swiftly. But Iāve taken him in to see a canine physiotherapist who has given me exercises to help strengthen his muscles (itās amazing how much muscle mass he has lost in 3 months) which will help let him enjoy being out and about more. He gets out and up more than did pre surgery, but still spends the vast majority of each day resting. In good news though, high-value food does pique his interest enough to get up and get in the way once again, like he used to! Here he is at a photoshoot yesterday ā thatās Rob Palmer (professional photographer) on the left and our Chef JB on the right. And here are a few more snaps of Dozer over the Easter break. Babysitting the slow roasted lamb: Ah yes, and his worried face at the sight of the Easter hatsā¦. š And Iām not quite sure if this is his tolerating face (from the bear hug) or relaxing face (from the belly scratches)! Thank you once again for all the wonderful messages of support, cheering on Dozerās recovery! I hope to be able to continue to bring positive news, and I promise to remain completely dedicated to his rehab! ā Nagi x
