Dark Chocolate Black Cherry Muffins (adapted from Dorie Greenspan: Baking - From My Home To Yours)
6 Tb unsalted butter
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 Tb baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
black cherry preserves
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease/line a 12-cup muffins pan. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
Melt the butter and half the chopped chocolate together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; or do this in a microwave. (30 seconds, stir well, 15 seconds, stir well, 15 more seconds) When melted together smoothly, remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, sifted cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted butter and chocolate over the dry ingredients and, with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don't over-mix, lumps are good! Stir in the remaining chopped chocolate and additional chocolate chips (if desired)
Place a heaping tablespoon of batter in the bottom of each muffin cup. Add about a tablespoon-sized dollop of preserves on top. Cover preserves with another heaping tablespoon of batter, gently pushing the batter down around the sides, making sure it meets the bottom layer of batter, completely enclosing the preserves. (Raspberry would work well too!)
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin. Serve warm!