What Really Matters Strawberry Chocolate Muffins

Yes, it is really true, today I have some muffins for you, which I like to call "What Really Matters Strawberry Chocolate Muffins". Indeed, this is quite a long name, but in a minute or so I will tell you why it had to be.
It's time to go adventuring again. However (some might be disappointed), this time we have to do without hat and whip. Now I have the chance again to particpate in a lovely blog hop: Sweet Adventures Blog Hop (short SABH). It is run by 84th & 3rd, Dining with a Stud, The Capers of the Kitchen Crusader and occasional guest hostesses (hm?). The latter one is the case now in July, where Swah from the blog "Love Swah" is hosting.
Here comes the theme: Sweet Surprise. Right away, then, here is my sweet surprise: What Really Matters Strawberry Chocolate Muffins (short WRMSCM, but ... eh ... who cares).

Where is the surprise? 

 
Well, after all it's a surprise and  it's not obvious right away, it's unseen on the first glance ... and maybe on the second glance as well. It is inside the muffin.
That is how it should be in real life with people. The important part is on the inside, what you don't see right away, the inner person, the character, how someone is, not what he/she possesses or looks like (no, it's not an excuse for the photos, nor is it because I'm poor and ugly). You will see (if you allow it) that some people are full of surprises (in a good way, I hope).
To say it once more: What really matters is what is on the inside of a person. Besides that for this month's SABH it matters what is inside, too. That's the surprise. Therefore: What Really Matters Strawberry Chocolate Muffins ...

Ingredients (Makes 12):
200 g strawberries
1 tbs fruit sugar
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
250 g flour (I had: 200 g spelt and 50 g whole wheat ... leftovers)
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 tbs cocoa powder
250 ml milk with a splash of lemon juice (or buttermilk?)
1 egg
60 g brown sugar
2 tbs olive oil
100 g dark chocolate

Method:
Reserve 6 strawberries and cut them in half. Cut the remaining strawberries into smaller pieces and cook them together with the vinegar and the fruit sugar on low heat while you prepare the batter for the muffins.
For that you mix the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder in a large bowl. The milk, egg, brown sugar and olive oil you mix in a separate bowl before you add it to the ingredients in the larger bowl.
Once all the ingredients (apart from the strawberries and the dark chocolate of course) have reached the large bowl, you have the task to mix it all well to finalise the muffin batter.
I guess, now you can heat up the oven to 180 °C. Have a final look at the strawberries with the vinegar. Are they looking good (whatever that is supposed to mean?)?
Get whatever moulds you like to use for your muffins ready. If you do everything right (I did) you will need 12. Give one spoonful of the batter to each mould. Divide the balsamic strawberries among the muffins and cover them up with the remaining batter.
Off they go to the oven for about 25 minutes. Think about some good qualities you appreciate in your friends. You should be able to state at least three for everyone, although this is no general rule. Depending on the number of friends you have, the muffins will be ready to removed from the oven. Otherwise you have to include acquaintances.
If you know to many people and don't pay attention, your muffins will get burned and there will be no use of the precious inside of them. Therefore make sure, you remove the muffins after 25 minutes and then allow time for them to cool down.
Then you have more time to dwell on positive thoughts until you devote your attention to melting the chocolate. The melted chocolate you have to divide among the cooled (not necessarily cool, but ... hey ... why not) muffins.
I also see the chocolate as kind of a glue, for with it you "glue" the strawberry halves onto the muffins respectively.

Now, that would be it. Have them with a cup of tea or coffee or - even better - enjoy them together with some of your good friends. Remember, though, the more you invite, the less ...
Before we are totally finished let us have yet a closer look.

Remember: What really matters is on the inside. Due to that, we yet have to go a step further and look inside ...

... for here is where the surprise is. Do you see it? Ah, maybe not so much, but at least a tiny bit of it. I didn't want to focus on cutting all of them open to find the best one. Anyway, they tasted lovely. You didn't even notice so much the balsamic vinegar.
As to people: give others a chance to surprise you, too.

It really has been a delight to join this sweet adventure.

You still might consider to join, too, while it lasts ...