Chocolate Orange Muffins

These are perfect after school snack. This recipe makes 12 regular muffins or 36 miniature muffins. I love to make the miniature muffins because they are so dang cute.

2 medium-size oranges -- cleaned
3 oz semisweet chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter at room temp.
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I have used sour cream)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour

Heat oven to 375. Grease muffin cups or use baking cups.


Finely zest the oranges and chop the chocolate into small bits with a knife

Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add orange zest.

Stir in the yogurt, orange juice, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well, the batter will be quite liquid.


Sprinkle flour, then chocolate, over batter. Fold gently, just enough to blend in flour.

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups. Bake 15 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and springy to the touch. For the mini muffins bake about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

************

Here is an alternative method to make these yummy muffins. It saves me time.

Use the pulse lever of the food processor to coarsely chop the chocolate. Tip out onto waxed paper.

Remove orange peel and place in the food processor with the sugar. Process for about 40 seconds or until finely chopped. Add butter and process a few seconds until creamy. Add eggs one at a time processing after each addition. Add yogurt, oj, baking powder and baking soda. Process a few seconds to blend. Fold in flour & chocolate. Continue as above.