Chocolate chip-almond muffins

Some people can never have too many pairs of shoes...for me, I can never have too many muffin recipes!  And when I saw a chocolate chip-almond recipe recently, I knew I had to try it asap.

I've been on the lookout for a good almond muffin recipe - preferably one involving chocolate - for a long time.  I'm thrilled I found a terrific one recently.  This recipe comes from Williams-Sonoma Home Baked Comforts and what I really like about it is the addition of almond meal in the batter.  That, along with buttermilk, creates a wonderfully moist, tender, and flavorful muffin!  Throw some mini chocolate chips into the mix and we're really in business. 

Since I was a little concerned that the muffin batter itself might not be flavorful enough, I debated whether I should add a little almond extract or orange zest into the mix.  I settled on orange zest and I'm really happy I did!  The fresh zest contributes such a burst of flavor.  It brings a freshness and brightness to the muffins.  And the combination of orange with chocolate is always a great marriage because one brings out the best in the other.  The orange seems to heighten the chocolate flavor even more.

The recipe was meant for mini muffins but to be honest, I think regular-size muffins are mini enough as it is so I made them standard size!  

When I eat a good muffin like this, I often wish I could reach for another one immediately.  While I certainly wanted another one after I polished off my first, one of these moist, fluffy muffins was almost surprisingly satisfying.  I think it has a lot to do with the almond meal...it adds a subtle richness.

So if you're like me - that is, if you like making and eating muffins, and enjoy the combination of chocolate and almonds (with orange, at that), do give these a try!

I very often make small batches, or divide recipes in half, for the sake of freshness and for the excuse to bake often for my small family of three.  Starting small is also a good choice for me when trying out a new recipe.  So in this case, I divided the recipe in half.  Making regular-size muffins like I did (rather than mini muffins), the half-recipe yields 7 muffins.  You could probably pack the muffin cups a teeny bit more but I think it'll have to be the odd number.

Going forward, I'll likely make a full batch and gladly enjoy 14 of these muffins at a time.  The small batch I made only lasted two days but the muffins stayed nice and moist on day 2.  I like to pop the muffins in the microwave for a handful of seconds to warm them up...  

The mini chocolate chips get all melty and it just tastes like delicious, sweet, comfort food.

Note: If you have this book, you'll notice that metrics weights are provided in the recipe.  I have omitted it because as I was making this recipe, I noticed the conversion seemed off; the ounce to gram equivalents provided did not equate.  Being as dorky as I am, I reached out to the cookbook author who was good enough to reply. She wrote and tested the recipes with cup measurements.  The ounce/gram equivalents were added during the editing process and, as I said, I think there are errors.

Update (Jan. 2015): I can confirm these are equally good with a splash of almond extract instead of orange zest.  I add a scant 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to the recipe below and omit the orange zest. 

Recipe:

Chocolate Chip-Almond Muffins (with orange zest)

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Home Baked Comforts

- Approximately 14 standard-size muffins - 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons (loosely packed) freshly grated orange zest

1/2 cup almond meal (if you don't have this, you can also grind your own using sliced almonds)

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Scant 1/4 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

Line standard-size muffin pans with paper liners (this recipe yields about 14).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a rack positioned in the middle position.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk the chocolate chips into the dry ingredients.  

Place sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add orange zest and rub it into the sugar with your fingertips until sugar is moist and fragrant.  Stir in almond meal.  Scatter the butter over the top, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, until combined.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the buttermilk and beat on low speed.  Add the dry mixture and stir together using a rubber spatula until just evenly combined.

Scoop batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them nearly to the top.  Sprinkle the chopped almond slices on top of the muffins.  Bake until muffins are lightly browned and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 12-14 minutes. Let muffins cool in the pans on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then remove them from the pans and set onto the rack.  These muffins are very tasty served warm (I like to re-warm them in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds before eating).