Chocolate Stuffed Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

While grocery shopping my cart somehow turned down the snack food isle (maybe because it was my husband at the helm?).  While browsing, I saw these snack cakes that were chocolate muffins that had a gooey chocolate center.  They looked good.  Of course I've been craving chocolate the past few days (oh the joys of being a woman, right?).  Then I saw the price.  I think they were around $3.50 for 6 small muffins.  Forget that!  I'm a cheapskate.  So what do you think I did?  Yup, came home and looked up recipes, took a little from this recipes, a few from this recipe, and some tips here and there and made my own recipe.  I have been wanting to make some chocolate muffins for awhile anyway, these just gave me the push I needed.
Do you think I put enough chocolate?  Me neither, but there's always next time ;)

4 1 oz.squares bittersweet baking chocolate squares (if you don't have any cocoa, feel free to use 6 squares)
1/3 c. butter
7 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. shortening

3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. sugar
1 2/3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips
Rolos, or Hershey's bar ( I used dark chocolate)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Melt baking squares and butter.  Stir in cocoa, 6 tbsp. sugar, and shortening until all the chocolate is combined.  In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 c. sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.  Stir in chocolate and mix until well combined.  Stir in flour, salt and baking soda.  Add in chocolate chips.

Line a muffin tin with muffin/cupcake liners.  Lightly spray with non stick spray (it helps the muffins to come out of the liners better).  Spoon about 2 tbsp. of batter into each cup.  Press an unwrapped Rolo or break off 2 squares of the Hershey's bar.  Spoon another couple teaspoons over the candy. 

Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let them cool for a few minutes before removing them from the tin.  Serve with a big glass of milk and enjoy!  (believe me, you will enjoy these!)

Here's a tip on chocolate chips:  in order to keep them from sinking in the batter, place them in a sandwich bag, spoon in a bit of flour and shake until they are well covered.  Then when you add them to the batter, fold them in.

This recipe makes approximately 2 dozen.  They freeze great too.  With school starting, these would be a great quick breakfast, great treat in the lunchbox, or a yummy after school snack.

This is how they turn out if you don't put the extra batter on top....so if you want it to show through you don't have to cover =)

My disclaimer:  I know the title said chocolate stuffed, but I forgot to take a picture of the chocolate ones, so you get pictures of the Rolo stuffed ones =)  Both are good =)  But the original idea was with the Hershey's and I did the Rolos as a "I wonder how these would be" side notes.

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