Orange and Chocolate Chip Muffins

March 25, 2010



The final birthday of March and my dessert offerings have bottle necked their way down to muffins. Sorry M. I really wanted to make a Somoa themed brownie but the sketchy Girl Scouts are in stealth mode this year. These however, are not your ordinary dry underachieving, layer cake to Tobias Fünke's Blue Man Group, muffins. They are rather happy with their lot in life. In fact, I think they could take on a fancy layer cake and end up being the heroic underdog. People take an odd comfort in eating a muffin instead of a slice of cake while blissfully ignore the amount of butter, cream, and chocolate. Don't let their unfrostedness fool you. They're incredibly rich and moist.



I know it seems as though I would eat twigs and moss if you covered them with enough dark chocolate, but orange and chocolate are really an incredible combination. Orange takes on a wordly je ne sais quoi when it merges with dark chocolate. It leaves you with a sophisticated, bittersweet aftertaste and asks that you please savour each morsel after proving that this is not just another boring muffin. These are best enjoyed while they are still warm from the oven. The chocolate is much more seductive when it's melted into the tender, zest-infused crumb. If these do survive long enough to see a second day, warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds.



Orange and Chocolate Chip Muffins
(adapted from Bake or Break)
* printer friendly recipe *

Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon of fresh orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled
1/2 cup of half & half cream
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
1 & 1/4 cups of dark chocolate chips

Method:
Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease or line 12 muffins cups.

In a large bowl, rub the orange zest into the granulated sugar until it becomes fragrant and coloured. Mix in the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in melted butter, cream, and almond extract. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Try not to over bake them or else they will be a bit dry. Serve warm.

20 comments:

  1. Valerie, this is probably one of the most delicious things I've seen you post yet. I love a good muffin, and that top photo just really shows the texture and deliciousness of this recipe. Oh, and you're right-muffin makes you feel like it's not cake or something (smile)!

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  2. Yum! Orange and chocolate together? This sounds great! Cute photos.

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  3. Wow it looks great! So tasty! Best, Mihaela

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  4. You're so right, muffins are somehow guilt-free!! The first picture if pure food porn!! Did you bake in those cups?

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  5. Avanika, No. I didn't bake them in the cups, I just really like to put food in them because it makes my point & click camera look like it's in the big leagues.

    Melted chocolate should have it's own line of magazines.

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  6. Oh, I can taste those gooey chocolate chips! Mmm, looks fabulous!

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  7. Whoa. I'm bookmarking this recipe, this is exactly what I need to do for my boyfriend. Thanks!

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  8. Oh man, I love orange chocolate chip muffins! My dad used to make them sometimes when I was a kid. Those look wicked good.

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  9. Chocolate and orange sounds like an interesting combination, I'm sure I'd like it as I too would eat chocolate covered twigs. Love the muffin in a cup, very cute!

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  10. I love the orange and chocolate combination. They look so moist and chocolaty, perfect with a cup of coffee.
    Mimi

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  11. I love that there are loads of choc chips! you can never have enough if you ask me!

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  12. This look so yummy! i am totally adding it to my "to try" list.

    Check out my blog at:
    http://annasvirtualkitchen.blogspot.com/

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  13. These are delicious! I tried one while warm like you suggested, and it was sublime. What a great mix of flavors! For comparison, I'll try one when they cool down -- unless I've eaten all twelve before that happens.

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  14. Thank you, Beth! I'm so glad you liked them. :)

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  15. I couldn't resist posting again. I've now made this recipe three times (in three weeks) and it's my current Favorite Recipe in the World. Fruit desserts are my favorites, and I sometimes find too much chocolate overwhelming, but this is the perfect mix. I must confess that my family thinks this recipe makes ten muffins, as I always eat two before anyone else gets home!

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  16. Beth, that's awesome! I'll have to remember that 'trick' the next time I make these. :D

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  17. It is certainly interesting for me to read the article. Thanx for it. I like such topics and anything that is connected to them. I definitely want to read a bit more soon.

    Bella Benedict

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  18. I have these in the oven right now. Thanks for sharing!

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  19. Hi, Ashley
    I hope you love them as much as I did! :-)

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  20. i have a batch of these baking as i type. the only thing i changed was i used a quarter cup heavy cream and a quarter cup half n' half (i need the half n' half for my tea!). they've been in there about five minutes and my house already smells so, so nice.

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Thanks for visiting, and for taking the time to read through my ramblings!
If you have a recipe comment or question, I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Baking!
♥ Valerie

 

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