Spider Web Chocolate Fudge Muffins Food

SPIDER WEB CHOCOLATE FUDGE MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 170C/ conventional 190C/gas 5 and line a muffin tin with 10 paper muffin cases. Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, add the butter and liquid. Melt in the microwave on Medium for 30-45 seconds (or set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water). Stir and leave the mixture to cool.
• Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and both sugars in a bowl. Beat the egg in another bowl and stir in the soured cream, then pour this on the flour mixture and add the cooled chocolate. Stir just to combine - don't overmix or it will get tough.
• Spoon the mixture into the cases to about three quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen. Loosen the edges with a round-bladed knife, let them sit in the tins for a few minutes, then lift out and cool on a wire rack.
• For the topping, make two piping bags out of greaseproof paper (or cut the ends off two clean plastic bags). Break the dark and white chocolate into separate bowls and melt in the microwave on Medium for 2 minutes (or over a pan as in step 1). Put 2 spoonfuls of dark chocolate in one bag and the same of white chocolate in the other.
• Working with one muffin at a time, spread with dark chocolate from the bowl, letting it run down a bit, then pipe four concentric circles of white chocolate on top. Using a small skewer, drag through the circles at regular intervals, from the centre to the edge, to create a cobweb effect. Repeat with four more muffins. On the remaining five, spread over the white chocolate and decorate with the dark. Best eaten the day they're made - even better while the chocolate's soft.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C and line 12 cup muffin tin with papers.
• In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate and salt.
• In another bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended.
• In a third bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together the melted butter and oil until just blended then beat in the water (yes this really works).
• Add the dry ingredients to the oil mixture all at once and mix on low speed.
• Add the egg mixture and beat until everything is blended well.
• Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
• Cool on wire rack while making icing.
• -- To make the icing --
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave (2-3 mins on medium) and let in cool slightly.
• In a large bowl beat the butter until it is soft and creamy and then add the sifted icing sugar and beat again until everything is light and fluffy.
• Gently add the vanilla and chocolate and beat until smooth.
• Ice the cupcakes with a spatula or piping bag.