Slightly Decadent Chocolate All Bran Muffins

If you want to have All Bran muffins in a way you have never before had them, then these are for you. The muffins are moist, with a soft, gooey chocolate center with a bonus walnut half. You can make these even more decadent  by using both dark and white chocolate for the center. That will definitely give you your chocolate high for the day. You can also kid yourself into believing that they are healthy for you since they have All Bran and dark chocolate! They are very good with morning coffee....you do get your cereal in.....and also a sweet, gooey reward at the center! Other ideas for the filling include, chocolate, blueberries and walnuts, 1 teaspoon of "Dulce de Leche", Raspberries and white chocolate, candied orange peel and dark chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon of crunchy peanut butter and half of a Medjool date!

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup Brown sugar or Panela Redonda

1 tablespoon molasses

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 cup Kellogg's® All-Bran® Original cereal

1/2 cup Scottish oatmeal

¼ cup dried, shredded,unsweetened coconut

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 cup Greek style yogurt, plain

¼ cup oil

1 teaspoon orange extract

12 dark chocolate chunks (I used Ghiradelli Semi sweet dark chocolate bar with 60% Cacao. Cut each square into 4 pieces)

To make this even more decadent, buy a bar of the White chocolate as well and prepare it the same way.

24 chocolate chips (approximately)

12 walnut halves (If you don't like walnuts or are allergic to them, use 2 whole Raspberries in each "sandwich" instead!)
1/2 a Granny Smith apple, peeled and shredded. This is optional but it does make the muffins quite moist.

Directions

1.In large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, oatmeal, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. In saucepan combine half and half, molasses, orange extract, and the brown sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer but do not boil. Allow to cool to lukewarm then this to the all-bran cereal, and dried coconut. Let stand about 2 minutes.

3. Have ready in a small bowl, the walnut halves, chocolate chips and cut up chocolate squares.

4. Lightly whisk the egg, oil and yogurt till thick and creamy. Add this and the lukewarm half and half mixture to the dry ingredients, and quickly mix. Be careful not to over mix the batter, stirring until just combined. Portion out mixture into 12 muffin cups (I use Reynolds foil Jumbo sized cups). Place in the center of each muffin, one walnut half, and one chocolate chunk (or two if you are using the white chocolate square as well, sandwiching the walnut half between the two pieces of chocolate).

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Quickly cover this with batter so that is fully covered, and the muffin liner is about 2/3 full. Dot the top with the chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester at the edge of the muffin (not the center) comes out clean (you may see melted chocolate on the tester but there shouldn’t be any uncooked batter clinging to it). Cool on rack.