Whenever I crave something quick with chocolate, I make these muffins. I love preparing them in the morning or when I need something sweet for my coffee. They are made without complicated techniques and you don't need hard-to-find ingredients. I've remade the recipe enough times that I know what to pay attention to and what deserves to be emphasized to turn out well.
Quick Info
Total time: 35-40 minutes
Preparation: 15-20 minutes
Baking: 15-20 minutes
Servings: about 12 muffins
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick dessert, chocolate muffins
Ingredients
180 g dark chocolate (75% cocoa)
180 g flour
120 g brown sugar
120 g butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla sugar)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder quenched with a few drops of lemon juice
a pinch of salt
Preparation method
1. Cut the butter into cubes and place it in a small saucepan over low heat. When completely melted, add the broken chocolate pieces. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes, so it’s not hot when you add it to the eggs.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar and vanilla. You can use a mixer, and 3 minutes at medium speed is enough – the eggs should lighten in color and become fluffier.
3. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the egg mixture in a thin stream, continuously mixing with the mixer at low speed. If the chocolate is too hot, the eggs might partially cook, so let it cool enough.
4. Mix the flour with the salt. Add the baking powder to the flour, quenched directly with a few drops of lemon juice.
5. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the egg and chocolate mixture, using a spatula or the mixer at low speed. Don’t overmix, just enough so you no longer see dry flour.
6. Place muffin liners in the molds or grease the molds with butter and flour if you don't have liners.
7. Put a generous tablespoon of batter in each mold, about two-thirds full.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 15-20 minutes. Do the toothpick test after 15 minutes: if it comes out clean or with a few wet crumbs, they are ready. Don’t leave them too long, or they will dry out.
9. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the molds for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. They are good warm, but the texture stabilizes after they cool completely.
Why I make the recipe often
I love the recipe because it doesn't take long and doesn’t involve complicated steps. The muffins come out fluffy, fairly moist, and the ingredients are always at hand. If I let them cool well, they stay fresh for a day or two. They are perfect in the morning with coffee or as a quick snack.
Tips and variations
Tips
1. Do not use milk chocolate, as the muffins will be too sweet and not as intense.
2. If the chocolate mixture is too hot, wait for it to cool – rushing can "scramble" the eggs.
3. Remove the muffins from the molds after 5-10 minutes so they don’t get too moist at the bottom.
Substitutions
1. Brown sugar can be replaced with white sugar, but the flavor will be less caramelized.
2. If you don’t have vanilla extract, regular vanilla sugar works too.
3. You can use standard fat butter, it doesn’t matter if it’s salted or unsalted, but reduce the salt if you already have salted butter.
Variations
1. You can add chopped nuts or chocolate pieces for texture.
2. A pinch of cinnamon or orange zest changes the flavor profile.
3. If you want more moisture, you can replace part of the butter with a little neutral oil (no more than 30 g).
Serving ideas
1. They are good plain, but also go well with fresh fruits.
2. They can be served with a little whipped cream, but it’s not necessary.
3. For breakfast, they are good alongside coffee or tea.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use less bitter chocolate?
You can, but the muffins will be sweeter and blander in taste. I recommend sticking to 70-75% cocoa chocolate.
2. Can they be made without a mixer?
Yes, you can beat the eggs with a whisk, but it will take a little longer for the sugar to dissolve and the mixture to become fluffy.
3. Can they be made in a loaf instead of muffins?
You can pour the batter into a small loaf pan, but the baking time will increase to 25-30 minutes. Check with a toothpick as well.
4. Can they be frozen?
I do not recommend it. The texture becomes denser when thawed and they are not as good.
5. What kind of muffin pans do I use?
Any standard muffin pan works. If you don’t have special liners, grease the pans with butter and dust them with flour.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one muffin (out of 12):
Calories: ~210 kcal
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 12 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Values are approximate and can vary depending on the type of chocolate and butter used.
Storage and reheating
The muffins store well at room temperature, covered, for 1-2 days. If you want them warm, you can heat them for 5-10 seconds in the microwave, but no longer, or they become rubbery. They are not suitable for long-term freezing. If you don’t finish them in 2 days, the texture starts to change.
Quick Info
Total time: 35-40 minutes
Preparation: 15-20 minutes
Baking: 15-20 minutes
Servings: about 12 muffins
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick dessert, chocolate muffins
Ingredients
180 g dark chocolate (75% cocoa)
180 g flour
120 g brown sugar
120 g butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla sugar)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder quenched with a few drops of lemon juice
a pinch of salt
Preparation method
1. Cut the butter into cubes and place it in a small saucepan over low heat. When completely melted, add the broken chocolate pieces. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes, so it’s not hot when you add it to the eggs.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar and vanilla. You can use a mixer, and 3 minutes at medium speed is enough – the eggs should lighten in color and become fluffier.
3. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the egg mixture in a thin stream, continuously mixing with the mixer at low speed. If the chocolate is too hot, the eggs might partially cook, so let it cool enough.
4. Mix the flour with the salt. Add the baking powder to the flour, quenched directly with a few drops of lemon juice.
5. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the egg and chocolate mixture, using a spatula or the mixer at low speed. Don’t overmix, just enough so you no longer see dry flour.
6. Place muffin liners in the molds or grease the molds with butter and flour if you don't have liners.
7. Put a generous tablespoon of batter in each mold, about two-thirds full.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 15-20 minutes. Do the toothpick test after 15 minutes: if it comes out clean or with a few wet crumbs, they are ready. Don’t leave them too long, or they will dry out.
9. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the molds for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. They are good warm, but the texture stabilizes after they cool completely.
Why I make the recipe often
I love the recipe because it doesn't take long and doesn’t involve complicated steps. The muffins come out fluffy, fairly moist, and the ingredients are always at hand. If I let them cool well, they stay fresh for a day or two. They are perfect in the morning with coffee or as a quick snack.
Tips and variations
Tips
1. Do not use milk chocolate, as the muffins will be too sweet and not as intense.
2. If the chocolate mixture is too hot, wait for it to cool – rushing can "scramble" the eggs.
3. Remove the muffins from the molds after 5-10 minutes so they don’t get too moist at the bottom.
Substitutions
1. Brown sugar can be replaced with white sugar, but the flavor will be less caramelized.
2. If you don’t have vanilla extract, regular vanilla sugar works too.
3. You can use standard fat butter, it doesn’t matter if it’s salted or unsalted, but reduce the salt if you already have salted butter.
Variations
1. You can add chopped nuts or chocolate pieces for texture.
2. A pinch of cinnamon or orange zest changes the flavor profile.
3. If you want more moisture, you can replace part of the butter with a little neutral oil (no more than 30 g).
Serving ideas
1. They are good plain, but also go well with fresh fruits.
2. They can be served with a little whipped cream, but it’s not necessary.
3. For breakfast, they are good alongside coffee or tea.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use less bitter chocolate?
You can, but the muffins will be sweeter and blander in taste. I recommend sticking to 70-75% cocoa chocolate.
2. Can they be made without a mixer?
Yes, you can beat the eggs with a whisk, but it will take a little longer for the sugar to dissolve and the mixture to become fluffy.
3. Can they be made in a loaf instead of muffins?
You can pour the batter into a small loaf pan, but the baking time will increase to 25-30 minutes. Check with a toothpick as well.
4. Can they be frozen?
I do not recommend it. The texture becomes denser when thawed and they are not as good.
5. What kind of muffin pans do I use?
Any standard muffin pan works. If you don’t have special liners, grease the pans with butter and dust them with flour.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one muffin (out of 12):
Calories: ~210 kcal
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 12 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Values are approximate and can vary depending on the type of chocolate and butter used.
Storage and reheating
The muffins store well at room temperature, covered, for 1-2 days. If you want them warm, you can heat them for 5-10 seconds in the microwave, but no longer, or they become rubbery. They are not suitable for long-term freezing. If you don’t finish them in 2 days, the texture starts to change.