Recipe of the day:My Dark Chocolate Orange Rosemary Muffins

Hello my fellow foodies and Happy New Year!  I hope 2010 is a better year all around, and that I am fortunate enough to taste many many more delicious treats!  Sorry about my absence, I have been in Miami on Holiday, and yes, I did go to many delish (and one completely forgettable) places, but truth be told, I was just so relaxed, and so gosh darn hungry most of the time that I would take the picture of the place when we sat down.  Then after I was with a very very very full stomach, I would realize, huh.....I forgot to take a picture of the foods I ate.  Oh well, I go to Miami often, so don't worry, you'll get yours yet.

So, on to 2010!  This year I have made a few resolutions.  One, was to quit smoking, which this year, I am 13 days in and 13 days sans smoke!  The other was to exercise more, which I have been doing as well (because if I didn't, I would probably have to sign up for the Biggest Loser next year) and the third kind of stumped me for a while.  But, I figured it out, and I am pretty excited about it!  I'll let you know later on.  So anyhow, since before I got back to Barcelona, I've been toying around with this idea for a Muffin.  I know people love the combination of Chocolate and Orange, I'm not so keen myself, but everyone else seems to love it.  So, Monday morning bright and early, I decided to tackle it. 
Bought the oranges, the chocolate, all the basics........and started cooking.  The first batch turned out, well, let's say less than stellar.  The taste was there, but it was kind of dry.  So, the second batch I decided to just use egg whites.  Disaster.  They just tasted like eggs.  Then, I tried a combo of egg whites and yolks, more liquids and fats......and VOILA!  I DID IT!!!  It helps to have a very very picky audience on what Moist and Tender and Fluffy should look and feel like.  So my fellow readers, I will share my recipe with you, and hope that you will try these at home.  You will make quite a few people happy, of that I am sure!

 Makes approx 12 muffins.

2 cups cake flour
1/8 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg + 1 egg white
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice
Zest of 1/2 an orange
1 cup milk
1/2 stalk fresh rosemary, leaves chopped and 12 leaves reserved
3/4 cups good dark chocolate, at least 60% Cacao, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks




For the orange garnishes:
12 orange triangles, thinly sliced
1/4 cup orange juice
 1/4 cup sugar
 1 Tbsp. Butter
 1/4 cup marsala wine, or port wine

For the chocolate ganache topping:

1/2 cup dark chocolate, at least 70% cacao, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line your muffin tin with paper holders, or butter the tin.  Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powderand salt, set aside.  Chop the chocolate into chunks, set aside.  In a non-reactive bowl, mix your eggs with the oil until emulsified.  Add the orange juice, zest, milk and rosemary.  Fold carefully the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, you don't want to overmix and it will be lumpy, stir in the chocolate chunks.  Spoon into the muffin tin, and set on the bottom rack for 20 minutes, approx.  When done, place a knife or toothpick into the center and make sure it comes out clean.  Place on a rack to cool.

Meanwhile, for the caramelized orange slices, place all ingredients in a deep saute pan over high heat.  When it starts to boil, reduce heat to med high, and swirl sometimes just to make sure your orange slices don't stick to the bottom of the pan.  When the liquid is almost all evaporated, turn off heat and place slices on paper towels to drain some of the liquid.

Now, over a double boiler, melt your chocolate and butter.  Mix thorougly.  When the muffins are cool enough to handle, with a spatula, coat the top with the melted dark chocolate, add a reserved rosemary leaf and and orange slice.  Continue for all of them.  Don't coat too much, you want a thin coating of the chocolate.  Now, ENJOY!!!!!