Chocolate Date Muffins

I found this recipe on the back of the package of dried dates that I had been munching on. Seemed easy and tasty enough, so I scaled it down for 6 muffins, made a bit more changes, and went to town.
Prepare:
-Chop up ~1/2 cup of dates
-Ready 1/2 cup of water for boiling
-Chop 50g (a little less than half a cup) of butter or margarine
-1/4 cup castor sugar
-1 tbsp chopped almonds
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-1/4 tsp baking soda mixed in 1/4 cup of milk
-1 cup self-raising flour (I didn't have self raising so used this convenient substitution: 1 cup self raising = 7/8 cup regular + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt) mixed with 1/4 cup cocoa
-1/2 cup or less chocolate chips
Cook:
-Preheat oven to 210C or 410F (I know, it's hot, but it worked)
-Pour boiling water over dates in a bowl, mix and crush till melted
-Slowly add butter-Wait till butter melts, then add everything else except for the chocolate chips and mix very well
-Fold in chocolate chips-Pour batter into greased muffin tray-Put try in oven, baking for about 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick test works outTips:
-These were great, I don't know if I'd change anything... maybe substitute pecans for the almonds and also use chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips
-Eat them warm - they're great that way