Espresso-Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

• 1 stick softened butter, plus extra for buttering muffin pans
• 1-3/4 cups loosely packed dark brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup (preferably triple-strength) brewed espresso
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Confectioners' (powdered) sugar, for dusting Yields 12 muffins.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter the top surface of muffin pans and put in muffin liners.
2. Beat stick of butter in food processor until it is white. Add brown sugar and beat it into butter.
3. Beat eggs in a measuring cup, then combine with the vanilla, sour cream and espresso in a bowl or your measuring cup, if it is large enough.
   In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.
4. Combine dry and liquid ingredients with the sugar-butter mixture in food processor by thirds (dry) and halves: Add one-third dry (pulse, stop, scrape down sides of processor), one-half liquid (pulse, stop, scrape down), and so son, until completely mixed. Remember to stop the processor before scraping down and adding the fractional amounts.
5. Add chocolate chips, pulsing just enough to distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
6. Pour the batter into muffin pans, filling to just a smidge under the edge of the liners and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, turning pans once after 15 minutes. Use a fork to check to see if they’re done—dry tines mean done muffins.
7. Let the muffins cool completely before removing them from the pans and dusting with confectioners’ sugar.