Mini Watermelon Cake Cups Food

MILK CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE CUPS

Steps:

• Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Put 2 1/4 cups of the dark cocoa melting wafers and 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted, about 1 minute. Stir until smooth; if any lumps remain, microwave again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
• Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the melted wafers into a paper liner and use a small pastry brush to brush the chocolate up the sides to the top of the paper. Make sure the paper is completely covered; if you can see paper through the coating it is too thin and needs to be spread more. Repeat with the remaining cupcake liners, reheating the melting wafers as necessary. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• Put the remaining 1 cup dark cocoa melting wafers and 2 teaspoons of the coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted, about 1 minute total. Stir until smooth. If there are any lumps, microwave again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
• Put the white melting wafers and remaining 2 teaspoons coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted, about 1 minute total. Stir until smooth. If there are any lumps, microwave again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
• Pour the melted dark cocoa melting wafers onto the prepared baking sheet and spread with a small offset spatula until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Dollop the white melting wafers on top and use the spatula to swirl the white into the dark, creating a wave-like pattern. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• To make the filling, put the milk chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Stir until smooth. If there are any lumps, microwave again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth. Allow to sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until just warm.
• While the chocolate cools, remove the chocolate shells from the cupcake liners. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
• Stir the mascarpone and the slightly warm chocolate together in a medium bowl until no streaks remain. Combine the cream and the espresso powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed just until the cream holds firm peaks, about 3 minutes. Stir about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream, folding just until combined.
• Fill a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip with the mascarpone mixture. Pipe the mixture into each chocolate shell so that the filling comes above the edge of the cup. Break the chocolate bark into shards and stick a shard into the filling in each cup. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Reserve the extra bark for another use.

NO-CHURN WATERMELON ICE CREAM SLICES

Steps:

• Cut a thin slice off the top of the watermelon, just enough to show the pink of the inside flesh. Stand the watermelon upright vertically in a large bowl. Place an immersion blender into the cut part at the top of the watermelon and puree the flesh, moving the blender in and around, following the shape of the inside of the watermelon. Be careful not to cut through the sides or bottom of the watermelon rind.
• Pour out the juice and reserve 1 1/2 cups for the ice cream; save the rest for another use. Using a spoon, scoop out any remaining red watermelon flesh so you have a smooth white interior (this is important so the melon freezes properly). Make sure there is no juice remaining inside and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Freeze the watermelon while you make the ice cream.
• Whisk together the condensed milk, salt and reserved watermelon juice in a large bowl and set aside.
• Whip the heavy cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold about one-half of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture with a rubber spatula until combined, then fold the lightened mixture into the remaining whipped cream until well blended. Pour the mixture into the frozen watermelon, filling it all the way to the top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid, 3 hours and up to overnight.
• If frozen overnight, let the watermelon thaw for about 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving. Place the watermelon cut-side down on a cutting board and halve lengthwise with a long chef's knife. Cut each half lengthwise into 3 wedges.

WATERMELON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, soda, egg whites, canola oil, gelatin and if desired, watermelon oil; beat on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-21 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, gelatin, soda and food coloring; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Store in the refrigerator.

WATERMELON PULL-APART CUPCAKE CAKE

Steps:

• Reserve about 3/4 cup white buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Color about 1 1/2 cups buttercream deep green. Color about 3 cups buttercream deep pink, with a few drops of red added to make the color of ripe watermelon.
• Arrange 19 cupcakes in a triangle shape, starting with 1 at the top and ending with 6 at the bottom, sloping the bottom sides up to resemble the curved rind of a watermelon wedge.
• Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to dollop about 1/4 cup green buttercream on each of the 6 cupcakes in the bottom row. Smooth with a small offset spatula, covering the tops and sides (but not the paper liners), to make a solid line of green for the rind.
• Wash and dry the ice cream scoop and offset spatula. Dollop about 1/4 cup pink buttercream on each of the remaining cupcakes and smooth the tops and sides with the offset spatula. Shape the frosting on the top cupcake into a point to resemble the tip of a watermelon wedge.
• Wash the offset spatula again. Pipe a curved line of white buttercream along where the pink and green buttercream meet. Smooth with the tip of the offset spatula to make the inner white part of the watermelon rind.
• Press jelly beans in a random pattern to make watermelon seeds.