Sacher muffins with the Thermomix, apricot-filled

Riccardo's chocolate muffins, in the same spirit as the Sacher cake but in single-serving form: no layers to cut, no glaze to pour, just an apricot jam heart that sinks in on its own during baking.

Why the egg whites aren't whipped here

In the full cake, the structure comes almost entirely from the air whipped into the egg whites, done separately. Here the method is simpler: whole eggs, a splash of milk for the right moisture, and the baking powder doing the work of lifting the batter. The result is a muffin that's less "light" than the cake but much quicker to make, exactly the right trade-off for a version you can put together on the fly.

Why the chocolate melts at a low temperature

Melting chocolate and butter together at 50°C, no higher, keeps the chocolate from seizing or scorching at the bottom of the bowl: at higher temperatures it loses its shine and can turn grainy instead of smooth. Five minutes at speed 2 is enough for the heat to spread evenly, with no rush.

The jam heart: why cover it instead of leaving it exposed

Filling the liner only halfway, adding the jam, then covering it with more batter up to 3/4 keeps the heart enclosed as the muffin rises, but during baking it still finds its way to the surface, creating that shiny golden crack you see in the photo. It's an effect that happens on its own, no help needed by opening up or stirring the top of the batter.

Warming the jam for a few seconds before using it (a few seconds in the microwave is enough) makes it more fluid: it melts better during baking and is easier to portion with a teaspoon.

How to check doneness without getting it wrong

Insert the toothpick away from the center, where the jam is: dip it there and it will always come out moist even once the muffin around it is fully baked, and you risk leaving them in the oven too long. Test toward the side, near the edge of the muffin.

Variations

• With ganache instead of powdered sugar: melt 80 g of dark chocolate with 80 g of warm fresh cream and drizzle a spoonful over each cooled muffin, the same way as the glaze on the Sacher cake. We haven't tried this on this particular recipe yet, but it's a pairing that would work well with the rest.
• Mini muffins: same batter in small liners, yielding up to 20-24 pieces; cut the baking time to 12-14 minutes.
• Without the jam heart: if you don't have any at home, they're still excellent chocolate muffins, just without the surprise in the middle.

Storage

They keep for 3-4 days at room temperature, under a cake dome or in a closed container. If you've already dusted them with powdered sugar, keep them in a single layer: they get damp if stacked on top of each other.