Method (muffins)

1. Preheat oven to 205ºC fan and line a cupcake / muffin tin with muffin liners. If you don’t have muffin liners, use large cupcake cakes. 
2. Use an oil spray to lightly grease the insides of the cases. This will help the muffins release easier from the cases when baked. 
3. In a small bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined and set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan buttermilk.
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift in the sugar, flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Mix to combine with a hand held whisk or wooden spoon.
5. Place the dairy-free butter into a saucepan, place on the hob over low / medium heat and allow to melt.
6. Pour the melted dairy-free butter into the dry ingredients along with the vanilla and ‘buttermilk’. Stir to combine, making sure not to over-mix.
7. Sprinkle in the chocolate chips and fold to combine. Don’t over mix the batter.
8. Allow the batter to stand at room temperature for 1 hour. This will create lovely domed muffins. If you don’t let them stand, the muffins could over flow out of the cases and won’t result in the same texture.
9. When ready, spoon the muffin mixture into the lined cases, almost all the way to the top. Sprinkle with some more chocolate chips and sugar (optional). This helps the muffins have a crispy top.
10. Place the muffins into the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Check they are ready by inserting a tooth pick or skewer down the middle, if it comes out clean, they’re ready, if not, they need a few more minutes to bake. Just don’t over bake or burn them. They will become dry if you do.
11. Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool down in the tin. 
12. When cool, transfer the muffins into a sealed container and allow to rest for 4-6 hours. This will help them release easier from the cases and they will become softer in texture.