Henrik Christiansen may be one of Norway’s best swimmers, but over the course of the Paris Olympics, he has now come to hold another title—the muffin man of the Olympic Village.
While this instalment of the games has seen Simone Biles take home the gold, our very own Lee Zii Jia win a bronze medal, and athletes adopt laidback approaches to publicity by taking to social media to document their daily regimens and training schedules, Christiansen, a three-time Olympian, has decided to showcase the food served in Paris, becoming infatuated with a decadent bake.
Read more: Paris Olympics 2024: What goes on inside the Olympic Village
Enter: the Olympic Village chocolate muffin.
Henrik Christiansen at the Paris Olympics (Photo: Instagram / @henrikchristians1)
Muffins inspired by the Olympic Village chocolate muffins (Photo: Instagram / @partybusbakeshop)
If you’ve scrolled through TikTok recently, chances are you’ve seen videos featuring this now-famous treat. It all began when Christiansen took to the app to profess his newfound love for these chocolate muffins when competing athletes moved into the Olympic Village.
At the end of July, the swimmer reviewed a few catered meals, rated a chocolate muffin an 11/10, and began his journey of becoming the muffin man.
Christiansen with the famed chocolate muffins (Photo: TikTok / @henrikchristians1)
The Olympic Village chocolate muffin (Photo: TikTok / @henrikchristians1)
Following his initial review, his videos became increasingly focused on chocolate muffins. He filled his bedside table drawers with the baked goods and insisted that these specific muffins were superior to pain au chocolat.
He’s certainly made a name for himself in the Village, with other athletes refraining from indulging in the sweets to reserve portions for Christiansen. People watching the games at home have even tuned into swimming to catch a glimpse of the muffin man competing in the sport.
Upon closer inspection of the muffin in question, it seems to be a double chocolate muffin dotted with chocolate chunks and filled with a ganache or lava centre. It is not hard to dissect the makings of this muffin now that every second video on Christiansen’s account showcases one.
Dedicated followers of the rise of the Olympic Village chocolate muffin have done just this, recreating the treat in their kitchens.
See also: Olympic feasts: 9 French dishes to celebrate the Paris Games
Extreme Chocolate Muffins from Coup de Pates (Photo: Coup de Pates)
Some have even located the possible source of these treats, claiming that a French food supplier Coup de Pates could be the minds behind this bake. While Coup de Pates’ muffins are devoid of a ganache filling, the chocolate chunks and wrappers used look eerily similar.
Olympic Village chocolate muffins recreated by a bakery in North Carolina (Photo: Instagram / @onyourbike_nc)
If you’ve been curious about what exactly sets this muffin apart from those you can find in local bakeries and coffeehouses, the internet is in no shortage of makeshift recipes.
The most common list of ingredients seems to be:
- Flour
- White sugar
- Eggs
- Milk
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Semi-sweet chocolate chunks
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream or greek yoghurt
- Vegetable oil
- Chocolate ganache
The process doesn’t differ to that of other baked goods, requiring dry ingredients to be combined in one bowl and wet ingredients in another. The batter should be mixed till just combined and baked in muffin trays for around 20 minutes. To achieve the signature gooey centre, chocolate ganache needs to be piped into the centre of each muffin once cooled.
While we won’t be able to try the exact muffins Christiansen continues to praise, following this brief recipe (with a bit of trial and error) may be the closest we’ll get to eating like a bona fide Olympian.
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