Praline-Cinnamon Muffins - praline

Method

• Preheat oven (360F, 180C).
• Grease muffin cups and place the in the freezer until use.
• Cut from the praline paste (nougat) 12 cubes of about 1 inch.
• If there is praline paste (nougat) left, cut it into very small pieces.
• Put the 12 cubes into the fridge.
• Chop hazelnuts and roast them in preheated oven for about 5 to 10 minutes or until desired roasting is achieved.
• In a bowl mix flour, baking powder and baking soda.
• Set aside.
• Open the cardamom pods and put the cardamom seeds into a mortar.
• Add peppercorns, cloves and salt.
• Crush them very finely using a pestle.
• Add cinnamon and set aside.
• In a bowl mix butter and brown sugar until creamy.
• Add egg and mix well.
• Add milk and mix well.
• The sugar must be dissolved completely.
• Add the finely cut nougat and mix well.
• Add the roasted almonds and the cinnamon mixture and mix again.
• Add the flour mixture and mix only until blended.
• Do not overmix it.
• Divide batter equally among the prepared muffin cups.
• Place a nougat cube on each muffin.
• Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
• The nougat cube will sink into the batter during baking.
• Take muffins out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the muffin cups.
• Then remove muffins from the cups and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
• After the muffins are cooled out completely dust them with caster sugar.
• NOTE on spices: You can omit the black pepper, if you don't like the pepperiness in here.
• NOTE on praline paste: In Germany this is called nougat or nut nougat.
• At room temperature this is firm and can be cut.
• It is very difficult to make this on your own.
• If you can't get it, you could replace it by chocolate or some other nut/almond bars.
• The consistency should be that of chocolate at room temperature.