Chocolate Chocolate-Chunk Muffins

With Superman gone, I'm not baking as much. Firstly, he's not here to take Friday Delight to work with him every Friday morning, so I'm not scrambling to come up with yummy office treats for his oh-so-willing Guinea pigs. Secondly, he's just not here, which leaves only the 3 of us to eat anything I make. While the kids would be more than willing to eat any treat I whip up, I am trying to keep their diet somewhat sane, so my baking has been cut way back.
This recipe from Brown-Eyed Baker has been sitting on my recipe stand since I first saw it on February 10. (She posted it in January, but I was a bit behind in my blog reading.) Anyway, I've been waiting for an opportunity to make it. An impromptu gathering last evening gave me the perfect opportunity. As I anticipated, these muffins were good...seriously good. I didn't change a thing...the recipe was terrific just the way it is.

Chocolate Chocolate-Chunk Muffins
from Brown-Eyed Baker
(makes 12)

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

Directions:
1. 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.

2. Melt the butter and half the chopped chocolate together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from the heat. (Um, yeah, about this step: I just used my microwave and melted the chocolate on the low power setting...it worked just fine.)

3. 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.

4. 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. (Mine stayed in the oven too long and were a bit dry. Certain unnamed children forgot they were the ones tasked with pulling them out of the oven because I was stepping out...oops!)

Note: The bittersweet chocolate was difficult to find in my area and while I did find it, I think you could easily substitute semi-sweet for it. You'll end up with a sweeter muffin, but my neighbor Mr. R doesn't care for dark chocolate and wanted these muffins to be sweeter. His wife, who loves dark chocolate, thought they were very chocolate-y and wouldn't change a thing.