Mochi Mini-Muffin with Chocolate Hazelnut Filling (Gluten Free)

I don't bake much, because we only have two people in the house and none of us are big eaters. When I do bake, it has to be something that I can't find in the bakery and is really really good.

I love Japanese Mochi cakes, and some other Asian desserts that are made out of glutinous rice. They are light, soft, slightly chewy and are often combined with adzuki bean paste, or tropical fruits like coconut or mango. But they are never baked. Mochi muffins are definitely a rather novel idea. Unlike traditional glutinous rice cake, the dough is puffed up and tastes fluffier. The look and weight of it reminds me of cream puff but the texture is more substantial than that. It's like eating clouds in a waffle cone with a consistency of french macarons. Can you imagine how good these muffins taste when there is chocolate hazelnut in the center?

The house smells incredible when these little jewels are in the oven. The only problem? They don't last long! So pop them in your mouth and enjoy with a crowd!

24 mini muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups glutinous rice flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 extra large eggs
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (original coconut flavor or the unflavored kind, depending on if you like hints of coconut in your muffins)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon stevia
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• about 8 teaspoons chocolate hazelnut spread (my favorite is Rigoni Di Asiago)

Directions:

1. Set oven at 375 degrees.
2. Put all the wet ingredients together. Mix well using a electric mixer.
3. Put baking powder, stevia, salt into the flour. Mix well.
4. Combine the dry and wet mixtures and mix well.
5. Line the muffin tin with parchment paper strips. Add one tablespoon of the batter into each muffin tin first. Drop 1/4 - 1/3 teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread in each center. Add another teaspoonful of batter on top of the chocolate hazelnut spread.
6. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes in the oven. Mine took 16 minutes.
7. Remove the muffins from the tin and remove the parchment paper strips. Let them cook on a rack.