Chocolate And Red Wine Cupcakes Food

RED WINE AND CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Place cocoa and chocolate in a small bowl; whisk in boiling water until chocolate is melted and mixture is blended., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with wine and chocolate mixture beating well after each addition. Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full., Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Frost cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE RED-WINE CUPCAKES WITH MASCARPONE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Line 2 muffin pans with muffin cups or coat with nonstick spray.
• In a medium, heatproof bowl, combine cocoa powder with chocolate pieces. Whisk in the boiling water until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time, until fully blended. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until just combined.
• Alternating, add the chocolate mixture and wine in batches, mixing well between each addition. Repeat this until batter is smooth. Divide mixture among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan.
• Lightly beat the mascarpone, then add the confectioners' sugar and beat until creamy. Remove the cooled cupcakes from the pan, spread each with icing, and top with a grape half, if desired.

RED WINE-CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
• For the cupcakes: Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until hot, but not boiling, and pour the milk over the cocoa powder in a large bowl. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth and cools slightly. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla and egg to the milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture, and stir, with a rubber spatula, until well combined (take care not to overmix).
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops spring back when pressed lightly, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to the rack to cool a bit more, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the wine syrup: Bring the wine and sugar to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Reduce the wine to 1/2 cup, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the wine syrup to a small bowl.
• While the cupcakes are still slightly warm, poke the top of each 2 times with a fork and slowly drizzle in a generous teaspoon of the wine syrup. Set aside the remaining wine syrup.
• For the ganache: Pour the cream into the saucepan used for the wine syrup and bring it to a simmer. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the cream over it and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining wine syrup and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thickened slightly and the consistency of heavy cream, about 3 minutes.
• Spoon a tablespoon of ganache on each cupcake and use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly. Place the cupcakes on a rack and allow the ganache to set, about 15 minutes.