CHOCOLATE ORANGE MUFFINS ...

CHOCOLATE ORANGE MUFFINS

adapted from :    anncoojournal.com

Ingredients :

175  gm  butter,  room temperature

175  gm  dark chocolate,  chopped to pieces

140  gm  brown sugar

1  tsp.  vanilla extract

3  large  eggs,  lightly beaten

1  orange zest,  use large orange

140  gm  self-raising flour  OR  cake flour + 1.5 tsp. baking powder

2  tbsp.  cocoa powder

6  orange slices  (halved)

Instructions :

1.  Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth.  Add vanilla extract and sugar, stir until dissolved.  Remove from heat.

2.  Add beaten eggs and zest, stir well.

3.  Sift flour and cocoa powder and fold into mixture with a spatula until just combined.  Pour chocolate batter into 6 cupcake liners (or smaller 12 cupcake liners) and top each with a slice of orange.

4.  Bake in preheated oven at 160'C for about 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

NOTE :   For smaller muffins, bake about 25 minutes.  Do not overmix the batter, the gluten in the flour can form elastic gluten strands---resulting in a more dense texture.