Orange Choc Cupcakes W Nutella Ganache Filling And Hazelnut Food

GANACHE, SOFT FILLING FOR CHOCOLATES ETC...

Steps:

• To make chocolate cases: melt 200g ( 7 oz) chocolate over a pan of warm water, do not overheat, when three quarters of it is melted, remove from heat and stir vigorously, this should distribute the heat and melt the remaining chocolate without it getting too hot and going "grainy".
• Take a small teaspoon of melted chocolate and " paint" the inside of your mini muffin paper or the insides of your silicone ice block forms. If coverage is a bit skimpy don't panic. these set in the fridge in minutes and a second coat is easier and works better than trying to get one very thick coat. Put them in the fridge to harden. Reserve enough of your chocolate to cover the bottom of your forms once they have been filled with the ganache filling.
• Put butter and cream in a saucepan and bring to boil, stirring all the time.
• Remove from heat and add chocolate and liqueur.
• Stir well until smooth (heat of mixture will melt chocolate) leave to cool a little, then let cool.
• Use as soft filling for chocolates and tartes.
• This does thicken up over time, and good chocolate is never refrigerated, just kept in a cool dry place. If these are refrigerated the filling gets very firm over time.
• By now your ganache filling mixture should be cool enough to put into the chocolate cases, using a piping bag or a teaspoon, fill them with the ganache, (but not quite to the very top of the chocolate case) Then put them back into the fridge for a while, and once set a little solid, put a "top" of melted chocolate on them to seal them closed and refrigerate until the top too is solid. I like to keep these in the fridge for a least a few hours or somewhere nice and cool overnight before I try and get them out of the forms.
• If using mini muffin papers, peel away the papers from the chocolates (this can be fiddly, don't press too hard as you peel them or your chocolate will break), If using the silicone ice cube forms, GENTLY easy the chocolates out of the forms, they will just pop out -- plate up and amaze your guests with these divine triumphs !

ORANGE-CHOC CUPCAKES W/ NUTELLA GANACHE FILLING AND HAZELNUT

Steps:

• For the cupcake:.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.
• Sift together 3 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla.
• Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Melt the chocolate and add into the orange batter.
• Pour 2/3 full into the cupcake wrappers, smooth the top, and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• For the Hazlenut Buttercream Frosting:.
• Cream butter and shortening with mixer for 3 minutes on high speed.
• Add Frangelico.
• Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.
• Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.
• Mix on high speed for 5 minutes.
• For the Nutella Ganache:.
• Melt the Nutella and heavy cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• After the cupcakes have had a chance to cool, scoop out the tops of the cupcakes with a melon baller and cut off the "cone" part of the middle.
• Drizzle in the Nutella ganache and replace the top of the cupcake.
• Spread with the hazelnut frosting.
• You can decorate them with leftover orange rind, but that's optional.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour cream over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add butter, then whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Mix flour, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and baking powder together in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until combined.
• Whisk milk, melted dark chocolate, and egg together in a measuring cup. Stir chocolate mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
• Heat orange juice and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar together over low heat until sugar has dissolved, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully spoon orange juice mixture over warm cupcakes and set aside to cool completely, 15 to 30 minutes more.
• Beat 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Carefully stir in confectioners' sugar and continue to beat for 5 minutes. Beat in milk, melted white chocolate, and orange zest.
• Decorate cooled cupcakes with icing.
• Cut orange-flavored chocolate into shavings using a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler and use to decorate cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the sugar, flour, cocoa, pinch of salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil and milk. Gradually whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until you have a smooth mixture. Fold in the dark chocolate and orange zest. Put 12 cupcake cases in a 12-hole tin. Divide the mixture between the cases, then bake for 20 mins until risen. Leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the icing sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy. Whisk in 2 tbsp hot water to loosen and fold in the orange zest. Divide the icing evenly between two bowls. Add a few drops of orange food colouring to one bowl and stir until the icing turns bright orange. In the other bowl, add the cocoa powder and 2 tbsp milk, then beat until combined.
• Fill one side of a piping bag (use one with a large round nozzle) with the orange icing, then fill the other side with the chocolate buttercream. Pipe on top of each cupcake. Decorate with some extra orange zest and a grating of dark chocolate.

ORANGE-CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Zest orange with a microplane, add to heavy cream and place it into the sauce pan.
• Heat the cream in a sauce pan over medium heat stirring constantly untill it comes to a boil. take off heat.
• add hot cream to chocolate in a medium bowl, stirring untill all chocolate has melted, add butter at once, and stir untill melted.
• chill untill thickened to spread on cakes, brownies, or cupcakes. pour over cakes or dip cupcakes while still liquid. chill untill firm.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size nonstick muffin cups. In small bowl, stir together flour and salt; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat 1/4 cup softened butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the almond extract; beat until light and fluffy. Add hazelnut spread; beat until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Add half of the flour mixture; beat on low speed just until blended. Add milk; beat until blended. Gently stir in remaining flour until batter is smooth. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, filling each half full.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons butter and the corn syrup on High 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Top cooled cupcakes with ganache topping. Sprinkle with hazelnuts.