Ingredients

1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 C. buttermilk
1/2 C. orange juice
1/4 lb. unsalted butter, melted, or 1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
2 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 C. bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line six 4-oz. muffin tin C. with paper muffin liners. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, orange juice, melted butter or vegetable oil, vanilla extract and grated orange zest. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. With a fork or a whisk, stir them together just until they are combined, forming a uniformly moist batter. Do not over stir; it is OK if a few streaks of flour remain. Pour or spoon half the batter into another bowl. Stir all of the cocoa powder and half of the chocolate chips into one bowl of batter. Stir the remaining chocolate chips into the batter in the other bowl. A tablespoonful at a time, alternating spoonfuls between the two bowls to produce a swirled effect, transfer the batters to the prepared muffin C., filling each about two-thirds full. Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Then, open the oven door and rotate the tin so the muffins at the back of the oven are now toward the front, for more even baking. Close the oven and continue baking until a long wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 5 to 8 minutes more. Remove the muffin tin and place it on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes before unmolding and serving the muffins. Makes 6 muffins.

(Chef Wolfgang Puck's new TV series, "Wolfgang Puck's Cooking Class," airs Sundays and Wednesdays on the Food Network. Write Wolfgang Puck in care of Tribune Media Services Inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY. 14207.)
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