Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C) / 380 F (190 C) fan-assisted/Gas mark 6
• Line a 12-hole muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda, cocoa powder and coffee powder if using
• Add sugar and combine well with a wooden spoon.
• You now need to melt the butter,
• This can be done in two ways, using a microwave, checking every 15 seconds until melted, or over a bain-marie (a bowl over a pan of simmering water)
• Either way, when the butter is melted, leave to cool back to room temperature before…….
• Adding the vanilla, eggs, oil and buttermilk to the cooled butter and whisk gently until combined.
• Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, add the butter mix and gently fold the batter until combined. Having some flour still showing is not a problem
• Using a cerated edge bread knife break up the dark chocolate bar into small chunks and mix with the choc chips
• Add ¾ of the chocolate to the mix and gently fold in using a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. This will also mix in any surplus flour
• You need to be very gentle here and take care not to over mix the batter
• Fill your muffin cases, almost to the top of the cases
• Sprinkle the remaining chocolate evenly over the tops of the muffins
• Place in the hot oven and bake for 5 minutes and without opening the oven door turn the heat down to 350 F (180 C) / 320 F (160 C) fan-assisted/ Gas Mark 4.5. and bake for a further 10-15 minutes
• Test with a cocktail stick or thin skewer inserted into the middle to see if it comes out clean.
• Allow the muffins to stand for 10 minutes then remove them from the muffing tray and cool completely on a cooling rack.