If you've been following the Olympics and the Paralympics, you might have heard about the Olympic Village's famous Chocolate Muffins. These oversized, stuffed muffins have become the subject of many social media posts by the athletes. They've captured hearts with their rich chocolate flavor, leaving many with the desire to take a muffin or two home to various parts of the world.
Chris, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef and baker, has perfected the recipe, and it's nothing short of spectacular. Dutch cocoa powder, heavy cream, and espresso are just some of the ingredients that are sure to leave your taste buds craving more. As the Prince Charmings of Podcasting wrap up their official coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, they couldn't sign off without sharing a taste of the Olympics with their fans through an unofficial recipe for the grand muffins themselves. Enjoy, and happy baking!
Ingredients
Muffins:
3/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1/3 Cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon instant espresso/coffee powder (if you’d like to skip adding instant coffee, you can sub for cold coffee instead)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/8 Cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon milk powder
1/2 Cup whole milk
2/3 Cups vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
2 large eggs (100 grams)
3/4 Cups sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 Cup semisweet or dark chocolate chunks (plus extra for the tops)
1/2 Cup milk chocolate chips or chunks (plus extra for the tops)
Fudge filling:
1/2 Cup water
1/3 Cup granulated sugar
1/8 Cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/16 Cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup heavy cream
2/3 Cup dark chocolate chips, preferably 70% and above for a really rich filling; use semisweet if you don’t like it as rich
Preparation
For the muffins:
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients; whisk them together. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients; whisk them as well. Pour the wet ingredients into the center of the dry ingredients; whisk until just combined, ensuring no dry spots remain — be careful not to overmix. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chunks. Allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes to an hour before baking. As the batter rests, preheat your oven to 420°F and prepare the filling.
For the fudge filling:
In a saucepot, combine water, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and corn syrup. Heat this mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the cocoa from burning. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring often, until it has reduced by about one-third of its original volume, which should take 5 to 8 minutes. Then, stir in the heavy cream and let it boil for an additional 2 minutes. Next, pour this hot mixture over the dark chocolate chips and let it sit for a moment to warm the chips, then whisk until smooth. For an even smoother texture, you can use an immersion blender. Let the mixture cool before using it to fill the muffins.
To bake the muffins:
After the batter has rested, insert muffin liners into every alternate cavity of the muffin tray. Spoon the batter into the liners. For jumbo muffins, fill each cup just over three-quarters full, using 2/3 Cup of batter. Bake for six minutes. At the sound of the timer, keep the oven door closed! Lower the temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for another 15 to 18 minutes. The muffins are ready when the center is firm, a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs, or the internal temperature reaches 200-205°F. Take the muffins out of the pan and let them cool completely before adding any filling.
To fill the muffins:
Once the muffins have cooled, you have a few options on how to fill:
Fill a piping bag with the cooled fudge filling, snip off the tip, insert it into the center of the muffin, and squeeze to fill. Carve a small crater in the center of the muffin with a paring knife, then use a spoon to fill the cavity with the sauce. If you have a squeeze bottle available, it can be used in place of the piping bag to fill the muffin similarly.
For the full Olympic muffin experience (aside from flying to Paris and competing):
To preserve leftover muffins, place them in the freezer. First, wrap them in plastic wrap, then put them in an airtight container. When you're ready to enjoy one, let it thaw at room temperature for an hour and a half. The freezer really makes a difference. The filling won't turn molten again; instead, it remains slightly creamier and fudgier. This is likely because these muffins lack the extensive emulsifiers found in mass-produced varieties.
