Usually, when I bake something chocolate, I want something really chocolate. I want something deep and rich and gooey enough to cause artery-hardening and weight gain in mere spectators.

Every now and then, though, even I like something a little more delicate. I came up with these muffins for afternoons when I'd like a cup of tea and a pick-me-up with just a hint of chocolate.

Muffins are so agreeable -- they're quick and easy, and endlessly adaptable. These are especially so. You can leave out the spices, if you want something a little quieter, or add more than I recommend here, to really punch it up; you can substitute 2% or whole milk for some of the cream; you can bake this as a loaf of quick bread; and of course you can inundate this recipe with chocolate, if the gentle sprinkling of mini chips I suggest just doesn't seem like quite enough.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease a standard muffin tin (or loaf pan, if you'd rather).

In a large bowl, stir together with a fork or whisk the following ingredients:

2 cups flour
2/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace

In a smaller bowl or, ideally, a one-quart glass measuring cup, whisk together:

1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

As the cream is the base of this recipe, use the thickest, best-quality you can find. You'll really taste the difference. I use Organic Valley brand, which I love but have to be careful bringing home because any jostling moves it quickly down the path to butter. This is cream you can eat with a fork, and it tastes like a dream of dairy heaven.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are almost all damp and incorporated.

Now gently stir in at least half a cup of mini chocolate chips. Up to a cup is fine; you can also use standard-sized ones, or chunks.

Spoon this thick batter into the prepared pan, and put it into the oven. For muffins, start checking at twenty minutes, and take them out when they're deep golden-brown and feel firm with just a touch of give -- they'll continue to "bake" a bit even after you take them out. For a loaf, start checking at half an hour, and look for the same signs of doneness.

Put the pan on a rack and let the muffins cool for five or ten minutes; then turn them out carefully and let them finish cooling completely on the rack.

These muffins have an unbelievably delicate texture. They're really something halfway between a muffin and a scone.

With the minimal amount of mini chips, these could be a delightful accompaniment to a special breakfast, or a deeply gratifying afternoon break. Any heavier on the chocolate, and you'll have to admit that what you have on your hands can only be called dessert.