“Areuuu… areuuuu*…aaaaaa…ooooooo….” Lulu was repeating happily.
She’s becoming so vocal these days, talking to herself when she lies in her bed, or when she plays with her hands that she holds tight together, her arms stretched out above her eyes. Each sound, in fact, is more charming than the other; they all 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 I was holding in my right hand. She was obviously intrigued by the steady circular movement of the spoon inside the chocolate bowl. The rich smell of melted chocolate and butter diffused throughout the kitchen, despite the window I had cracked open to let the lovely spring air filter through. That put me in an even better mood for the upcoming activities of the day.
“Un jour, you will be like papa et maman,” I added as I squeezed her tighter in her sling by my right hip. “Tu seras fan de chocolat noir. (you’ll be fan of dark chocolate.)”
We surely hope so.
I was preparing for an early afternoon work meeting and felt happy that between Lulu’s naps and play times, I was able to pull together a small treat we would enjoy while working.
“What did you bake today?” S., my editor, asked a few minutes after she walked into the kitchen. Lulu gave S. an open frank smile when she picked her up from her yellow play mat, to hold her close. I sensed that she was in fact more interested in Lulu than what I had baked, and I was not blaming 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 deep inside, smiling.
I call the cakes muffins but I am actually not sure that they are muffins, technically speaking. But muffins or cakes, whatever the name, these chocolate treats were really simple to prepare.
“Do you like chocolate?” I asked H., the art director, also present. I loved the wide smile that lit her pretty face. And her response.
“Of course, I am normal!”
“Right! How can someone not like chocolate, n’est ce pas ?”
Ok, I know that it happens. And this is totally fine. In fact, you might well be one of the people who does not care at all about chocolate. Like my brother B., for example.
But if you like chocolate, like David for example, you might easily fall for this recipe: it uses buckwheat and hazelnut flours — making the recipe gluten free, if that matters to you — 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!”
A recipe that I am glad to share with you just in time for Easter, non?
Because I don’t know about your family, but in mine, chocolate is always on the menu for Easter, no matter what.
So, if you celebrate this holiday, I hope you have a wonderful time. And hopefully the weather will be nice so that we will all be able to go out for a walk, and feel the wonders of Spring.
I cannot wait.
You need:
For the muffin batter:
- 3.5 oz dark chocolate, 65 % cocoa contents
- 7 tablespoons lightly salted butter
- 2/3 cup hazelnut flour
- 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup blond cane sugar
- Chopped green unsalted pistachios and hazelnuts, to decorate
For the icing:
- 2 oz dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Steps:
- Preheat the oven at 350 F, and prepare a muffin pan by placing paper cases in each hole.
- Using a double boiler (or a bowl placed above a pot full of simmering water, bowl not touching the water), melt the chocolate with the butter.
- In the meantime, place the sugar and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk until light in color and the volume has almost doubled.
- Add the melted chocolate while whisking slowly.
- Then, use a wooden spoon to mix in the flours. Combine until just homogeneous.
- Fill the paper cases 3/4 full and bake for about 15 minutes. Let the muffins cool.
- To make the icing, use the double boiler again and melt the chocolate with the cream. Take a knife and spread a little icing on each muffin. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and hazelnuts, and let cool completely for the icing to set.
Ingrédients :
Pour la pâte à muffins :
- 100 g de chocolat noir à 65 %
- 100 g de beurre légèrement salé
- 70 g de farine de noisettes
- 40 g de farine de sarrasin
- 3 oeufs
- 100 g de sucre de canne blond
- Pistaches non salées et noisettes hachées en poudre assez fine, pour décorer
Pour le glaçage :
- 60 g de chocolat noir
- 2 càs de crème
Etapes :
- Préchauffez le four à 180 C et remplissez un moule à muffins avec des caissettes en papier.
- Faites fondre le chocolat avec le beurre au bain-marie.
- Pendant ce temps, battez les oeufs avec le sucre jusqu’à ce que le mélange double de volume et blanchisse.
- Ajoutez le chocolat et le beurre fondus, et mélangez doucement.
- Ajoutez les farines et mélangez avec une cuiller en bois jusqu’à ce que la pâte soit homogène.
- Remplissez les caissettes aux 3/4 et enfournez pendant environ 15 minutes. Sortez du four et laissez refroidir.
- Pour préparer le glaçage, faites fondre le chocolat avec la crème au bain-marie. Etalez ce glaçage sur chaque muffin à l’aide d’un couteau. Saupoudrez de poudre de pistaches et de noisettes, et laissez complètement refroidir pour que le glaçage durcisse.
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Thanks Bea, amazing and appetizing as usual. You always give us sweet emotions. Joyeuses Pâques
Wonderful Muffins. Your images are divine.
My husband always points out your Blog to me.
This time he was excited about the hazelnut flour, since his mother always uses it to bake her cakes back in Austria.
Happy Easter from us at GF Patisserie.
Victoria
these look amazing. as always. i bet lulu can hardly wait for you to let her start tasting things…
Lulu’s first Easter! Have a happy one. Thanks for yet another gluten free recipe/
Hazelnut flour is something I have to try.
I often used chestnut flour which is pretty typical in the zone of Italy where I live.
The pistachios are a genial touch, if not just colorwise.
I also love the flower shot in the introduction, it’s hard to be creative with so common subjects. Keep up the good work, I can’t wait to find your book on Amazon! 😉
these sound divine!
i love that photo of the runuculus in the window
and your vivid description of your day.
These look absolutely marvelous, the sprinkle of pistachios on top is a perfect touch
I love Dark Chocolate..stronger the better!
The way you write always makes me want to read more..so imaginative.
Love the photo of flowers and you muffins..Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely love dark chocolate 🙂 And your fantastic photos always makes me hungry, despite the fact I have just eaten, he he.
Maybe I’m going to try to “veganize” that recipe 😉
Happy Easter Bea! I love dark chocolate too and these muffins look divine! ; )
i’ll take 2 please 🙂
Superbes! Comme d’habitude 🙂
Joyeuses Pâques!
i’m sure lulu will grow up to love dark chocolate. how could she not! just like j. always tells me “ama, coco please”. so lovely.
Wonderful recipe Bea, I will try this one day when I live in a place with oven again 😉 Few days ago, my friend told me that baby registers voices also when they are still inside the tummy, so naturally she speaks French like her mother 🙂 Happy easter for all of you!
looks delicious! happy easter!
delicious. is that a ranunculus or rose?
This is borderline orgasmic… I think you most certainly took cupcakes to a whole new level.
These look like the perfect Spring/Easter treat…lovely…
They look divine! I am so glad they are gluten free, I am trying to watch my intake.
Merci
Happy Easter Béa, P and Lulu, scrumptious looking cakes, mmm dark chocolate!
So cute ….yummy yummy
Lovely! And I cannot stand how beautiful those ranunculas are (are they ranunculas?)
J’adore le sarrasin and chocolate. Joyeuse pâques!
Bonjour Bea,
I absolutely love you website, and the colors are especially fresh for spring. You’ve outdone yourself with the hazelnut chocolate muffins!
One question- how do you get your side by side pictures?
I’ve been looking for a cupcake/muffin recipe that would actually have some flavor so thank you, I’ll try these! As gluten is not a problem for me, do you think white or wheat flour would work just as well?
Zoomie, of course, you can use other flours if you like, but I specifically created this recipe because the flours I used give body and flavor to the muffins. In fact, most of the time now, when I bake, it happens that the flours I choose are gluten free, but I choose them so because of the flavors first. Buckwheat and hazelnut flours really work wonderfully, so you might want to try and see what you think. And be surprised!
Thank you also, to everyone else. And your sweet comments. I wish you have a happy Easter. We are away and for the first time, Lulu slept somewhere else. Tight and happy!
Gorgeous, and the perfect flavor combo. Yet another luscious gluten-free recipe to offer to my friend (and make for myself!).
such a playful and lovely spring story..and of course the recipe sounds gorgeous, as always!
happy easter to you and your sweet family, bea!
xo
Ce blog est toujours aussi accueillant: belles photos, bonnes recettes… bref une visite indispensable dès que j’allume mon ordi!
Ohhhhh these look so beautiful. Happy, happy easter 🙂
They look wonderful!!! I think I might try the recipe soon 😉
Hope you have a wonderful Easter!!! Lots of love and happiness for you and your little daughter 🙂
YUMMY!!!
Happy Easter! That is some wonderful muffins there…I wish we had as extensive a selections of flours sold here!
Thank you for the prompt answer to my question – and I think you’re right, I should try new things just for the taste!
Your images are divine!!! So beautiful… they aways touch my heard. Thank you!
Thanks for the new recipe. I love your use of alternative flours! I’m addicted to your chocolate cake with quinoa and amaranth flours, and I can’t wait to try this one out:)
The muffins sound wonderful, and perfect for an Easter lunch. I hope your day went well!
Hope Lulu had a great first Easter! …and you both also!
Lovely muffins…anytime of the day!
Vous avez une style uncomparable! J’aime les mots de Lulu, merci!
Gorgeous muffins and amazing pictures!
joyeuses pâques à toi aussi !
It is the most amazing thing to see a baby develop. My little 10-months-old nephew now imitates the sounds he hears while just a few weeks ago, he just tried out the different sounds he could make. It won’t be long before he speaks!
You sound very happy! All the best once again!
Mmmm. Hazelnut flour–can’t wait to use it!
waouhh! tes photos sont magnifiques! et tes muffins très appétissants!
Oh lulu sounds so cute Bea! by the way, my husband call me lulu too since we’re dating, back 20 yrs ago. I like that name very much!
I like chocolate, but not addicted to it. I especially like it when combine with hazelnut. Your muffin certainly look delicious.
Cheers,
elra
Beautiful photography and that sounds like a lovely recipe! (I am definitely one of those people who loves chocolate 🙂
That’s so sweet. Get ready for even more fun as she grows…my 15-month-old loves to watch me cook, and always demands a bite of “bread” (i.e. muffins, cake, any carb).
Chocolate and hazelnut is a sublime combination. Chocolate has always featured heavily for me at Easter. Oh, and practically every other day of the year. My absolute weakness. I am intrigued by the addition of buckwheat flour. The extra nuttiness would be delicious. I will have to try these out…..
As always. Gorgeous.
La gourmandise se transmet de génération en génération… 😉 Ces muffins doivent être délicieux!
I have been sitting here for hours by the computer and looked at many of your posts. They are all so inspirational. You make me want to work harder at my own food photography! And I will. Thank you for sharing your food and life.
Divine photography and food! I am like you…..love to bake/cook and enjoy my precious daughters. They grow up too quickly! Enjoy your sweet little baby girl.
Best wishes,
Laurie
PS….I bake gluten free, too!
Absolutely love your site and all your delicious recipes. I’ve been a follower of food blogs for quite some time and just recently started my own. I look forward to more recipes from you.
OK, now that’s heaven
Oh, I love chocolate and hazelnut together! I haven’t tried hazelnut flour yet either, but I did make some peanut butter chocolate hazelnut sandwich cookies that were a huge hit. Love, love, love hearing about Lulu! I love all your photos, but that one of the roses is especially lovely and, of course, I feel I could reach through the screen and grab one of your little cakes. Oh, if only …
Shirley
Cute story 🙂 They look delicious… more like a cupcake, right?
Une petite tuerie en chocolat comme on aime…Bon week-end Béa
Bea- how are you?! Oh I hope you’ve posted cute pics of your baby. I’ve got to read your archives to catch up on what’s been happening!
jaden
The most beautiful photo – how could you NOT want to eat it?!!
How lovely! I will keep everything but the sugar and make these low carb. They look so lovely. Thank you for sharing these gluten free low starch recipes. 🙂
Lovely! I usually eat my cupcakes sans icing but on the few occasions that i do, I leave little more than a smear, just like yours.
Já ouviu falar em Brigadeiro, o doce mais amado no Brasil?
Festa de aniversário tem que ter brigadeiro.
1 lata de leite condensado Nestlé
1 colher de manteiga
1 xícara de chocolate em pó
Misture tudo em uma panela e leve para cozinhar em fogo brando até que desgrude do fundo. Retire do fogo e deixe esfriar.
Faça bolinhas e passe no chocolate granulado ou se quiser comer de colher, acrescente 200 ml de creme de leite e misture bem.
É de lamber os lábios.
Cette recette est bien appétissante ! Mais je n’ai pas de farine de noisettes sous la main et j’aimerais bien éviter le beurre. Crois-tu que je peux utiliser de la farine de châtaignes sans trop altérer le goût et combien de matière grasse végétale (comme de la purée d’amandes, par exemple) crois-tu qu’il faut que je mette à la place des 100g de beurre ?
Merci d’avance pour ta réponse et Happy Spring ! En France, c’est plutôt pluvieux ces jours.
Looks delicious. I have to admit I am a chocoholic, so this is definitely something to try in the near future. Merci beaucoup.
Anne-Liesse, merci! 😉 Tu peux en effet essayer avec de la farine de chataigne. Le gout sera un peu plus prononce, je pense, mais tout aussi bon. Et oui, la puree d’amandes peut remplacer le beurre, ou de l’huile vegetale. Mais c’est vrai que le beurre adoucit toujours 😉
Thank you everyone, as usual, for stopping by.
je ne sais pas vraiment cuisiner plutot on va dire que je n’en ai point le temps ! mais que les images nous font saliver !! et ces fleurs (des renoncules non ? ) de toutes beautés !!! quel plaisir !
Ca y est, Béa, je viens de poster ta recette revisitée (grâce aux règles de Cléa) pour être non seulement sans gluten mais aussi sans beurre. Le résultat est succulent !
Je te donne le lien si ça t’intéresse : http://bulleetblog.canalblog.com/archives/2009/05/17/13756773.html
Merci à toi !
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Yes. I would eat these in a heart beat. The best part is that as long as you are careful with the chocolate, you can share these with gluten free friends, and as a holistic health counselor that is VERY important! I will certainly send these along to my clients. Thank you!
Bea, Made half the recipe- yields about 6 smallish muffins. Used whole wheat and millet flours in place of hazelnut and buckwheat (both unavailable here) respectively. Scrumptious even without the icing!!
This is the first recipe I’ve tried from you and I am impressed! Awesome chocolate-ness (I used 70%), a little sugar and loads of hazelnuts. Fantastic. Thank you so much.
I came to this blog via Smitten Kitchen, and she was right – what a beautiful site!
I’m curious about the texture and crumb of the muffin. Is it still very light and fluffy, or a little dense?
Made these today. More like mini-cakes then muffins but I’m not complaining! Delicious. I subsituted millet flower for buckwheat flour and it worked fine – had to cook for a few minutes longer than the recipe called for. I didn’t bother frost them and they were lovely unadorned.
….have done for a third time, and always liked by my friends and also in office, full of chocolate. helped to have nice day.
.. doing them already for a third time, in a long tough winter, the smell of chocolate is needed,
liked by my friends and also in office.. helped to get the energy back