The Viral Olympic Village Chocolate Muffin
Oh-So Ooey Gooey!
One day, I was scrolling on TikTok, wondering why chocolate muffins were trending—very random. Then I came across Henrik Christiansen’s video, where he was eating the notorious muffin. I still wasn’t convinced because it seemed like your average chocolate muffin.
It wasn’t until I saw one of my TikTok mutuals, Olympic Medalist Erik Shoji, who made a food review of the muffin to see what the hype was about. He broke the muffin in half, revealing a beautiful chocolate lava-like center. I was stunned at how enticing it looked. I knew then that I needed to recreate these delectable muffins!
I did so much research about the filling because it looked too loose to be regular chocolate ganache; it looked more like a thick chocolate sauce or syrup. That’s when it clicked—the filling reminded me of a looser version of brigadeiros. And what’s in brigadeiros? Sweetened condensed milk!
So, I quickly came up with a fudge icing type of filling made with sweetened condensed milk for the center of these fudgy muffins! I already had a base muffin recipe that needed to be adjusted for chocolate muffins, and ding, ding, ding—we have a winner!
The muffins were fluffy, fudgy, and gorgeous to boot! I hope you guys enjoy this copycat recipe as much as I do!
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Yield: 12 jumbo-sized muffins
Equipment Needed:
• Jumbo muffin pan
• Muffin liners or non-stick spray
• Large mixing bowls (2)
• Whisk
• Electric mixer (stand or hand mixer)
• Heatproof bowl for melting chocolate
• Saucepan (for fudge filling)
• Spatula
• Cooling rack
• Measuring cups and spoons
Muffin Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
4 oz. dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
Fudge Filling Ingredients:
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate (chopped)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Muffin Instructions:
Step 1: Bloom the Cocoa and Coffee
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the hot water, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, and instant coffee granules until smooth. This process is called blooming and enhances the flavors of the cocoa and coffee.
2. Add the dark chocolate and softened butter to the hot mixture and stir until both have melted completely. Set aside to cool completely (about 15-20 minutes).
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar
1. Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the chocolate mixture with sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until combined.
Step 3: Prepare the Dry Ingredients
1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
1. Add half of the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
2. Gradually add the buttermilk, mixing gently.
3. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix, as it will result in dense muffins.
4. Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chunks using a spatula.
Step 5: Portion and Bake
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line the jumbo muffin pan with muffin liners or lightly grease each cup.
2. Use a large ice cream scoop or spoon to fill each muffin cup with 1/2 cup of batter (almost to the top of the liner).
3. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
4. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Fudge Filling Instructions:
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the unsweetened baking chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, water, and salt.
2. Stir constantly until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
3. Once melted, add the butter and vanilla extract. Continue stirring for an additional 3-5 minutes until the fudge filling thickens slightly.
4. Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool slightly before using.
Assembly:
1. Once the muffins have cooled completely, you can either:
• Option 1: Use a small paring knife to cut out a small circle from the top of each muffin, then fill the cavity with the fudge filling. Replace the muffin tops and drizzle with any extra filling.
• Option 2: Drizzle the fudge filling over the tops of the muffins for an indulgent finish.
Baking Tips:
• Bloom the cocoa powder: Blooming the cocoa with hot water intensifies the chocolate flavor. Don’t skip this step for the best results.
• Use room temperature ingredients: Eggs and buttermilk should be at room temperature to ensure the batter blends smoothly and rises well.
• Don’t overmix the batter: Overmixing will result in tough muffins. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
• Bake at high heat first: Starting with a high oven temperature helps the muffins rise quickly, giving them that classic bakery-style domed top.
• Fudge filling consistency: Stir the fudge filling constantly to avoid scorching. It should be thick but pourable when ready to use.