Chocolate Muffins

Muffins are such a staple for morning breakfast around here. You can find them in any flavors you can imagine. But there are some days that you NEED to have something chocolatey in the morning without gilt. This recipe will help you satisfy those cravings and won't really add too much to your scale!

Ingredients:
¾ stick (6 Tbspn.) unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 Tbspn. baking powder
½ tspn. baking soda
½ tspn. salt
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tspn. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit with paper muffin cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Melt the butter and half the chopped chocolate together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted butter and chocolate over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Do not overmix the batter. Stir in the remaining chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

Source: Recipe Courtesy of "Brown Eyed Baker"