Muffin Monday: Coffee Hazelnut Muffins with Nutella Glaze

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am that I don’t have to work today. I don’t need to wake up at 4:45 AM and then sit in traffic for an hour going to and from work. Instead, I will be spending the day with Jason, cooking throughout the day, possibly going to Ikea, and watching the Eastern conference finals game 1 with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. I’m no basketball fan so I pretty much sit next to Jason and ask stupid questions while he’s so focused on the game.

In addition to all my Memorial Day activities, I will also be devouring these muffins. It’s a coffee base muffin paired with a wonderful nutty hazelnut streusel topping, finished off with a Nutella Glaze. Yes, you heard me right. I said Nutella. Glaze. I actually had no idea that you could make a glaze out of this awesome hazelnut spread. It’s seriously amazing as to what you can do with a little bit of powdered sugar and milk. Had I known that this was possible, I would’ve topped off all my muffins with this decadent glaze!

Here’s how you make these awesome coffee-licious, hazelnutty muffins that are a sure way to wake you up in the morning:

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a muffin pan with some cute liners. Cooking spray will also work just fine.

We then make the streusel topping by combining the hazelnut meal, brown sugar and allspice. Now I found that hazelnut meal is super expensive so instead, I bought a bag of hazelnuts and ground them up real nice in the food processor. Easy, simple, fresh, and inexpensive.

Add some cold butter cubes to the bowl, using your fingers or a pastry cutter to work them into the dry ingredients until it gets really crumbly.

I like using my hands for this. Mushing up butter with my fingers is incredibly therapeutic for me.

Now that we made the streusel, go ahead and combine the dry ingredients for the muffins.

Then whisk together the wet ingredients - coffee, butter, egg and vanilla.

Then we combine the wet to dry ingredients. Remember not to overwork the batter.

Scoop up the batter evenly into the muffin tray. I had 11 muffins again! Ugh.

Don’t forget to top these babies off with that hazelnut streusel you made earlier.

Pop them in the oven for about 17 minutes, or until they’re golden brown, puffy, and oh-so-aromatic.

Cool them on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before you glaze them.

Now to make this decadent glaze, combine the Nutella, powdered sugar and milk. When you’re done, be sure to lick off the residual glaze off your whisk. It’d be a crime not to.

Here comes the best part - drizzle this awesomeness onto each muffin top.

You should really let the glaze set before diving into these but I’d be a hypocrite if I said that.

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

One year ago: Tri-Tip and Shrimp with Pancetta Chimichurri

Coffee Hazelnut Muffins with Nutella Glaze (adapted from une Gamine dans la Cuisine and Today’s Nest):

Yields 11 muffins

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup strong coffee, cooled
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the hazelnut streusel:

• 1/2 cup hazelnut meal
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

For the Nutella glaze:

• 1/4 cup Nutella
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

To make the streusel topping, combine the hazelnut meal, brown sugar and allspice in a small bowl.

Add the cold butter and toss to coat, using your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside in the refrigerator.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together the coffee, butter, egg and vanilla.

Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.

Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray. Sprinkle with reserved topping, using your fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter.

Place into oven and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

To make the glaze, combine the Nutella, confectioners’ sugar and milk. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar as needed.

When the muffins are done, cool for 10 minutes and drizzle the glaze on each muffin.

Allow glaze to set before serving.

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