Mini Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes Food

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Combine the cocoa powder and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl until smooth; set aside. Put the unsweetened chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted; set aside and let cool.
• Sift the flour and baking soda into a large bowl; stir in the salt. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a separate large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the cocoa mixture and the melted chocolate; mix until combined. Beat in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk in two batches, until combined. Beat in the liqueur.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling them three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the ganache: Combine the semisweet chocolate, 1 cup heavy cream and the salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted and smooth, about 8 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside until the ganache is cool and thick (but not hard), about 1 hour.
• Beat the remaining 1/3 cup heavy cream and the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until soft peaks form. Fold in 1/4 cup of the cooled ganache until smooth. Cut a small hole (about 1/2 inch deep) into the center of each cupcake with a paring knife; remove the cake. Use a small measuring spoon to fill the hole with the chocolate whipped cream.
• Beat the remaining ganache with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. (Be careful not to overbeat or the ganache will become grainy.) Transfer the whipped ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Top with shaved white chocolate.

STRAWBERRY-CHOCOLATE MINI CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line the cups of four 24-cup mini cupcake pans with paper liners. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, all the cocoa powder, 1 package of strawberry drink mix, and salt in a mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter and white sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy; beat the eggs in, one at a time, adding each egg after the previous one has been completely incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract; mix in the flour-cocoa mixture in 4 additions, alternating each time with milk. Reduce mixer speed to low, and beat in the cream. Fill the cupcake cups 1/2 to 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to racks, and allow the cupcakes to cool.
• Bring 2 cups of cream almost to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; dissolve the 2 packets of strawberry drink mix into the cream. Stir in the white chocolate until the chunks melt and the mixture becomes melted, smooth, and shiny. Set aside and allow ganache to cool to warm temperature (about 95 degrees F/ 35 degrees C). Frost each cupcake with ganache.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder.
• Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Beat flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk on low speed, beating after each addition, just until smooth. Scrape side of bowl occasionally.
• Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 14 to 17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and cream uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds; stir. Continue to microwave in 15-second increments until chips can be stirred smooth. Grasp bottom of each cupcake, tip upside down, and dip into ganache, twisting slightly as pulling away for a smooth finish.
• To make white chocolate curls, pull a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler down the edge of white chocolate bar, using long, thin strokes. Sprinkle each cupcake with about 2 teaspoons white chocolate curls, using toothpick to lift curls. Let stand at room temperature until ganache is set, about 2 hours. Store at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and coffee granules and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cupcakes will be tough.
• Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let cool thoroughly in the muffin pan.
• For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the ganache. Do not refrigerate.

MINI CUPCAKE CHOCOLATE BOX

Steps:

• Bake mini chocolate cupcakes in foil liners, then microwave store-bought frosting (milk and dark chocolate flavors) until runny and spoon the frosting on top of the cupcakes. (Place whole almonds on a few before you frost so they'll look like classic boxed chocolates.) Drizzle melted white or dark chocolate on top. Fill a heart-shaped box with the cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Line muffin pans with 12 paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cupcakes will be tough.
• Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let the cupcakes cool thoroughly in the pan.
• For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Dip the top of each cupcake in the ganache. Decorate with candied violets, if desired. Do not refrigerate.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE MINI-CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place miniature paper baking cup in each of 60 mini muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box. Fill muffin cups three-fourths full (about 1 heaping tablespoon batter each).
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Place chocolate in medium bowl. In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream just to boiling; pour over chocolate. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes until chocolate is melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in liqueur. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture coats a spoon.
• Meanwhile, by slowly spinning end of round handle of wooden spoon back and forth, make deep, 1/2-inch-wide indentation in center of top of each cupcake, not quite to bottom (wiggle end of spoon in cupcake to make opening large enough).
• Spoon jam into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut 3/8-inch tip off 1 corner of bag. Insert tip of bag into opening in each cupcake; squeeze bag to fill opening.
• Spoon about 1 teaspoon ganache onto each mini-cake. Garnish each with raspberry. Store loosely covered.