“Areuuu… areuuuu*…aaaaaa…ooooooo….” Lulu repeated happily, her tiny voice filling the kitchen.
She’s becoming so vocal these days—babbling to herself when she lies in bed, or when she plays with her hands held up over her eyes. Each new sound is more charming than the last; they make me melt. Things change so quickly!
“Regarde ce que maman fait (look at what mummy is making),” I told her as she stared at the wooden spoon in my right hand. She was clearly intrigued by the steady circular motion of the spoon in the chocolate bowl. The rich scent of melted chocolate and butter filled the kitchen, even with the window cracked open to let in the fresh spring air. That brightened my mood for the rest of the day.
“Un jour, you will be like papa et maman,” I added, tightening the sling as I tucked her closer to my right hip. “Tu seras fan de chocolat noir. (you’ll be a fan of dark chocolate.)”
We certainly hope so.
I was preparing for an early afternoon work meeting and was happy that between Lulu’s naps and playtimes I could pull together a small treat we’d enjoy while working.
“What did you bake today?” S., my editor, asked a few minutes after she stepped into the kitchen. Lulu gave S. an open, frank smile as S. scooped her up from the yellow play mat. I sensed S. was more interested in Lulu than in the muffins, and I didn’t blame her.
“Something with chocolate. You’ll tell me what you think—I want you to guess what’s in it.”
“That should get her gourmande attention,” I thought, smiling to myself.
I call these cakes muffins, though I’m not sure they’re technically muffins. Whatever the name, these chocolate treats are simple to prepare and delicious.
“Do you like chocolate?” I asked H., the art director, who was also present. I loved the wide smile that lit her face and her quick reply.
“Of course, I am normal!”
“Right! How can someone not like chocolate, n’est ce pas?”
Of course, some people don’t care for chocolate—like my brother B.—and that’s perfectly fine. But if you do love chocolate, this recipe may win you over: it uses buckwheat and hazelnut flours, making it naturally gluten-free; good-quality dark chocolate; blond cane sugar; fresh eggs; and lightly salted butter. Straightforward, simple, and genuine.
“Approved?” I asked S. and H. as they were getting ready to leave.
“YES!”
I’m glad to share this recipe with you—just in time for Easter, perhaps?
In my family, chocolate is always part of the Easter table. If you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful time and that the weather is kind so you can enjoy a spring walk and all the small wonders of the season.
I can’t wait.
You need:
For the muffin batter:
- 3.5 oz dark chocolate, 65% cocoa
- 7 tablespoons lightly salted butter
- 2/3 cup hazelnut flour
- 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup blond cane sugar
- Chopped unsalted pistachios and hazelnuts, to decorate
For the icing:
- 2 oz dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a muffin pan with paper cases.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.
- Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer until pale and the volume has nearly doubled.
- Slowly pour in the melted chocolate while whisking gently.
- Fold in the hazelnut and buckwheat flours with a wooden spoon until just combined.
- Fill the paper cases three-quarters full and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool.
- For the icing, melt the chocolate with the cream in the double boiler. Spread a little icing over each muffin with a knife, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and hazelnuts, and let cool completely so the icing sets.
Ingrédients :
Pour la pâte à muffins :
- 100 g de chocolat noir (65 %)
- 100 g de beurre légèrement salé
- 70 g de farine de noisettes
- 40 g de farine de sarrasin
- 3 œufs
- 100 g de sucre de canne blond
- Pistaches non salées et noisettes hachées, pour décorer
Pour le glaçage :
- 60 g de chocolat noir
- 2 c. à soupe de crème
Étapes :
- Préchauffez le four à 180°C et placez des caissettes en papier dans un moule à muffins.
- Faites fondre le chocolat et le beurre au bain-marie.
- Pendant ce temps, battez les œufs et le sucre jusqu’à ce que le mélange blanchisse et double de volume.
- Ajoutez le chocolat fondu et mélangez doucement.
- Incorporez les farines avec une cuillère en bois jusqu’à obtention d’une pâte homogène.
- Remplissez les caissettes aux trois quarts et enfournez environ 15 minutes. Laissez refroidir.
- Pour le glaçage, faites fondre le chocolat avec la crème au bain-marie. Étalez le glaçage sur chaque muffin, saupoudrez de pistaches et de noisettes, et laissez durcir complètement.