Double Chocolate Muffins

For the muffins

• 250g sugar
• 110g neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola oil)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp espresso powder (optional, but enhances the chocolate flavor)
• 240g all-purpose flour
• 70g cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 250ml buttermilk
• 100g dark chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

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For the ganache

• 50gr dark chocolate chips
• 50gr heavy cream

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1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a muffin tin with paper liners. If you don’t have muffin liners you can create your own by using 14cm / 5.5" squares of baking paper
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugarr and oil. Add in the eggs 1 by 1 mix until well combined. The mixture should be smooth and slightly thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract and espresso powder, if using. The espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavour
3. To the same bowl, sift in the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Sifting helps remove any lumps in the cocoa powder and ensures that all the dry ingredients are evenly mixed, which is key for the texture of your muffins.
4. Gradually add the buttermilk to the bowl, mixing until the batter is smooth and well combined.
5. Gently fold in the dark chocolate chips. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; you want the batter to remain light and airy.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, using about 2 ice cream scoops per muffin. If you’re feeling extra indulgent, sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top of each muffin.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. The tops should be set and slightly domed.
8. While the muffins are baking, gently heat together the chocolate and cream until the chocolate has fully melted and has created a smooth and silky ganache. Let the ganache cool to room temperature to thicken slightly
9. Once the muffins are baked, let them cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. 
10. Once the muffins are cooled, poke the middle with a knife to create room for the ganache. Fill a piping bag with ganache and insert and top the cooled muffins
11. Enjoy!

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