2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup milk, scalded and cooled
3/4 cup sugar 2 1/2 - 3 tsp. baking powder
1-2 Tbs. espresso coffee powder 1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini-chips
1/2 cup lightly salted butter or margarine, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease twelve 3 x 11/4 inch (31/2-4 oz) muffin cups. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso coffee powder, salt, and cinnamon.

In another bowl, stir together milk, butter, egg, and vanilla until blended. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add milk mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in chips.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups; bake 15-20 mins. or until a cake tester inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean. Remove muffin tin or tins to wire rack. Cool 5 mins. before removing muffins from cups; finish cooling on rack. Serve warm or cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature. These muffins freeze well. (Delicious served with Espresso Spread

Espresso Spread:
4 ozs. cream cheese softened 1tbls. sugar
1 square semisweet chocolate, grated 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder

Place cheese, chocolate, sugar, vanilla and espresso in container of food process or fitted with steel blade; process 30 seconds, or until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of container with rubber scraper, if necessary.

Remove spread to small bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. To serve, let stand 10 mins. at room temperature to soften. Makes approx.12 muffins.