Chocolate Lava Muffins Filled With Ganache: Soft, Rich and Hiding a Molten Chocolate Heart

You pick up a muffin. It looks like any other chocolate muffin: tall, domed, with a soft crackled top.

Then you break it open.

And a river of warm, glossy chocolate ganache comes pouring out of the center.

That is the magic of these muffins, and once you make them, you will understand why my grandchildren call them "surprise muffins."

A Muffin With a Secret

There are chocolate muffins, and then there are these.

The muffin itself is soft, moist and deeply chocolatey, made with cocoa powder and a touch of coffee to bring out the flavor. It has that tall, bakery-style dome everyone loves, the kind you usually only find behind a coffee shop counter.

But the real star is hidden inside. Before baking, we tuck a spoonful of rich chocolate ganache into the center of each muffin. As it bakes, the ganache stays soft and melty, so every muffin has a warm chocolate heart waiting to be discovered.

They are perfect for birthday mornings, school bake sales, a special weekend breakfast or an evening treat with a glass of cold milk.

And here is the best news: you do not need a mixer. Just two bowls, a whisk and a muffin pan. The ganache takes five minutes and can even be made the day before.

If you love chocolate, this recipe is going to make you very happy.