Double Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250g)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10g)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda (3g)
• 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
• 1/2 cup water, warm (120g)
• 1/2 cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder (50g)
• 2 tsp instant espresso or coffee - optional
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature (180g)
• 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil (75g)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (56g)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
• 1 cup chopped milk chocolate or milk chocolate chips (175g)
• 1/2 cup coarse sugar - optional

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Double Chocolate Muffins ---

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 425°F / 218°C. We need the oven to be nice and hot when we pop the muffins in to give them that fluffy, signature muffin top. Line a muffin pan with 16 paper liners and set aside.

3. 3

   In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar, 2 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp of fine salt. Set aside.

4. 4

   In a separate bowl, whisk 1/2 cup warm water (about 120F - this helps activate the cocoa powder and gives you a more intense chocolate flavor) with 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder, and 2 tsp instant espresso or coffee (optional) together until smooth.

5. 5

   Then mix in 3/4 cup of buttermilk, 1/3 cup of oil, 1/4 cup of melted and cooled butter, 2 large eggs, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract into the cocoa mixture until combined.

6. 6

   Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined (DO NOT OVER-MIX THE BATTER!) and you no longer see streaks of flour. The batter should not be all the way smooth, and it's ok if there are still some small chunks in it.

7. 7

   Then fold 1 cup of chopped chocolate chips into the batter until they're evenly distributed. Divide the muffin batter evenly between 16 muffin cups, filling them about 5/6 full. If desired, add a sprinkle of coarse sugar and a few extra pieces of chocolate on the top of each muffin.

8. 8

   Bake one tray at a time. Bake the muffins for 3 minutes at 425°F/ 218°C to give them a nice rise and a domed top, then (keeping the muffins in the oven) reduce the oven temperature to 350°F / 175°C. Continue to bake for an additional 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (but don't get confused by any melted chocolate chips!). Then remove them from the oven.

9. 9

   Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.