Stuffed Chocolate Cloud Cupcakes Food

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the convection oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners.
• In a mixing bowl, add the sugar, vanilla and eggs, and mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the milk and oil, and mix until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and mix together. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix on medium speed until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and add the hot coffee. Mix on low for 2 minutes more.
• Fill the lines three-quarters full with batter and bake for 14 minutes. Once completely cooled, use a paring knife to cut out the center of the cupcake.
• To assemble: Using a small ice cream scoop, fill the cupcakes with 1 scoop of the cooled Chocolate Truffle Ganache. Using a piping bag with a 1M tip, generously frost the cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Buttercream, making sure to cover the filled area.
• Add the boiling cream to the chips and stir together until chips are completely melted. Add liqueur, mix well and set aside to cool.
• In an electric mixer, beat the butter on high for 2 minutes. Once the butter is whipped, add the powdered sugar 1 cup a time until well blended. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add the cocoa powder and blend on medium speed until well incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the heavy cream. Once the heavy cream is incorporated, turn the mixer on high and whip for 3 to 4 minutes.

CREAM CHEESE STUFFED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the Fudgy Frosting: Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the sugar, cocoa, and salt. (It may look grainy or sandy.) In a bowl combine the cream, sour cream and coffee. Whisk into the cocoa mixture and continue heating on low while stirring to dissolve the sugar grains. The mixture should get hot to the touch but never simmer or boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let cool until it thickens and becomes spreadable, about 3 hours. If too thin, stir in some confectioners' sugar.
• Make the Filling: In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla and blend. Add the chips and mix a few seconds on low to just fold in.
• Make the Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large measuring cup combine the water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee, and vanilla. Whisk it into the dry ingredients until just combined and don't worry if there are a few lumps.
• Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake papers and fill each 2/3 full of batter. Drop a heaping teaspoon of the filling into the center of each. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely. Frost the cupcakes with the frosting.

STUFFED CHOCOLATE PUFFS

Steps:

• For the mousse: Chill a bowl and the beater of an electric mixer in the freezer for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a double broiler, melt the semisweet and bitter chocolate over simmering water until hot. Stir in the cinnamon. Remove the double boiler insert, holding the melted chocolate, from the saucepan. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes.
• In the frozen mixing bowl, whip the cream to firm peaks. (Do not overbeat.)
• With a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate. Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate, 1/4 at a time. (Mix just enough to get the chocolate incorporated into the whipped cream.) Set aside in the refrigerator.
• For the cream puffs: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a medium size heavy saucepan, combine the milk, butter and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the flour all at once. Mix quickly with a wooden spoon until a ball forms on the spoon and the flour is evenly moistened. Transfer to a bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Place the cream puff dough in a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe out 6 round puffs on a parchment lined baking sheet. With a finger dipped in cold water, flatten the point on top of each puff. Drop the pan on the counter to set the puffs. Bake the puffs until puffed and golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer, or until puffed, golden, and done. Set aside to cool on a rack.
• For the assembly: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with the Chocolate Mousse. Split the puffs in half lengthwise and fill them with the mousse. Using the tips of your fingers, drizzle melted chocolate (about 3 ounces melted over hot water) across the tops of the filled cream puffs.

CHOCOLATE CLOUD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with a round of wax paper; do not butter the pan.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl set over hot water.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted; set aside.
• In a bowl, whisk the two whole eggs and the 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar just until blended.
• Whisk in the warm chocolate mixture.
• Whisk in the optional cognac or Grand Marnier and the optional orange zest.
• In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the 4 egg whites until foamy.
• Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until the whites form soft mounds that hold their shape, but are not quite stiff.
• Stir about 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it; gently fold in the remaining whites.
• Pour the batter into the pan; smooth the top.
• Bake until the top of the cake is puffed and cracked and the center is no longer wobbly, usually 35 to 40 minutes.
• Do not overbake.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack; the cake will sink as it cools, forming a crater with high sides.
• FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING: At serving time, whip the cream with the confectioner's sugar and vanilla until not quite stiff.
• With a spatula, carefully fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, pushing it gently to the edges.
• Dust the top lightly with cocoa powder.
• Run the tip of a knife around the edges of the cake; carefully remove the sides of the pan and serve.