Treat yourself to these irresistibly rich double chocolate Valrhona muffins, with a subtle hint of olive oil. Customise them with your favourite nuts or fruits, and be prepared to watch them disappear quickly!
Makes 12
2 cups Girolomoni double '00' flour, spooned and levelled
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup Valrhona cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Sal de Añana spring salt
250g Valrhona satilla lactee milk chocolate fèves
2 Large Eggs
3/4 cup Mahoe farmhouse greek yoghurt
1/2 cup Pons traditional extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 tsp Heilala vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 215°C. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by lining it with cupcake liners or lightly greasing it with oil. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Roughly chop the fèves into chunks.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, yogurt, oil, milk, and vanilla extract until well combined. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a wooden spoon. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix; the batter will be thick and sticky.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each to the brim. Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 215°C. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 175°C and continue baking for 15-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The total baking time should be around 20 minutes.
Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Additions/substitutes
- For a nutty crunch, add 100g of chopped Hazels hazelnuts when mixing in the chopped chocolate, and sprinkle some on top of the muffins before baking.
- For a fruity touch, mix in 1/3 cup of currants along with the chocolate.
- To add a citrus flavour, substitute a portion of the Pons traditional oil with Pons clementine oil to taste.
- For a deeper, richer flavour, replace or add chopped Valrhona Manjari fèves to the muffins.
