Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes With Ganache Filling Food

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.

MOIST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH GANACHE FILLING

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• p id="instruction-step-2″ class="p2″>2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
• p id="instruction-step-3″ class="p2″>3. Add butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl and cream together on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. You should be able to see a noticeable change in color and texture.
• p id="instruction-step-4″ class="p2″>4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until combined.
• p id="instruction-step-5″ class="p2″>5. Combine the cocoa powder, vanilla and water and stir until combined. Add the mixture to the cake batter and mix until well combined.
• p id="instruction-step-6″ class="p2″>6. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the batter. Begin by adding half of the dry mix, then mix until combined. Add the milk and mix until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until well combined. 7. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs. 8. Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool. 9. To make the ganache filling, add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract to a medium sized bowl. 10. Heat the heavy whipping cream until it just begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. 11. Allow the chocolate and cream and to sit for 3-5 minutes, then whisk together until smooth. Set aside to cool until at least room temperature. You could also refrigerate it until cold. 12. When you're ready to build the cupcakes, make the frosting. Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. 13. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined. 14. Add the cocoa powder and mix until well combined and smooth. 15. Add the vanilla extract and 2-3 tablespoons of water or cream and mix until smooth and well combined. 16. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined. 17. Add more water or cream until desired consistency is reached, then add salt. 18. To put the cupcakes together, use a cupcake corer or knife to remove the centers of the cupcakes. 19. Fill the centers of the cupcakes with the ganache filling (about a 1/2 tablespoon of ganache per cupcake), then pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes with the chocolate buttercream. I used Ateco tip 844. I also dusted the tops of the cupcakes with a little cocoa powder, if you'd like to do that. 20. Serve cupcakes at room temperature, but store in the fridge. Cupcakes are best eaten within 2-3 days.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH A CHOCOLATE, ORANGE AND CLOVE INFUSED GANACHE FILLING AND A CHINESE SPICED TEA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.
• Combine the granulated sugar, flour, buttermilk, 8 fluid ounces water, oil, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, salt and eggs in a mixer and whisk on speed 1 until all the ingredients are incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and mix on speed 2 until the batter is lump free.
• Fill the cupcake liners half full with the chocolate batter and bake for 25 minutes, rotating halfway through the bake time. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• To assemble: Place the Chocolate, Orange and Clove Infused Ganache filling into a piping bag and squeeze a small amount of the filling into the centers of the cooled cupcakes. Also pipe a small circle of this ganache around the top edge of the cupcake (so you can see the filling even after it is frosted). Generously pipe the Chinese Spiced Tea Buttercream on top. Garnish with chocolate curls and orange sugar crystals.
• In a large pot, whisk together the granulated sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and fine salt. Once mixed together, add 10 ounces water and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue whisking for 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and add the dark chocolate, butter, orange liqueur, orange oil, ground cloves and orange oil. Allow the mixture to cool.
• In a medium pot, combine the granulated sugar with enough water to make the mixture resemble wet sand. Place this pot over medium-high heat and cook to 235 degrees F.
• While the sugar cooks, begin whipping the egg whites in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment to full volume.
• Once the temperature of the sugar reaches 235 degrees F (soft ball stage), pour the sugar into the egg whites. Continue whipping until the mixture cools to just above body temperature, about 4 minutes.
• Slowly add in 1 pound butter (about 4 ounce pieces at a time). After each addition, allow the butter to mix in almost completely before adding more. The mixture should separate and come back together.
• In a small saucepan, heat 8 ounces water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the loose tea (not the ground tea). Steep for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, strain into a separate bowl.
• Once the butter mixture has come back together, remove the whisk attachment and replace with a paddle. Add in the remaining 1 pound butter, confectioners' sugar, steeped tea and ground tea. Paddle this mixture until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients. Whisk buttermilk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla until blended; add to the dry ingredients until combined. (Batter will be very thin.) Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. , Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, cream peanut butter, butter, confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve piping consistency. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry bag; insert a small round tip. Fill with peanut butter filling. Insert tip into the top center of each cupcake; pipe about 1 tablespoon filling into each., Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Dip the top of each cupcake into ganache; place on wire racks to set., In a large heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, egg whites, salt and cream of tartar over low heat. With a hand mixer, beat on low speed 1 minute. Continue beating on low over low heat until frosting reaches 160°, 8-10 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add vanilla. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. , Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. If mixture begins to look curdled, place frosting bowl in another bowl filled with hot water for a few seconds. Continue adding butter and beating until smooth. Beat in peanut butter 1-2 minutes or until smooth. , Place frosting in a pastry bag with large star tip; pipe onto each cupcake. If desired, top with chocolate curls. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature before serving.

GANACHE-FILLED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH SEVEN-MINUTE MERINGE FROSTING

Steps:

• For cupcakes:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup standard muffin pans with paper liners. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla, half of flour mixture, then 1 cup hot water. Add remaining flour mixture; beat just until blended. Let batter stand until cooled and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter among muffin papers (about 1/4 cup batter each).
• Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely in pans.
• For filling and frosting:
• Bring cream just to boil in heavy small saucepan. Place chocolate chips in medium bowl; pour hot cream over. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until melted and smooth. Let stand at room temperature until cool and firm, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, chill ganache until cool and firm, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.) DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Whisk 1/3 cup water, sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and coarse salt to blend in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from over water and continue beating until frosting is cool to touch, stiff, and billowy, about 2 minutes. Beat vanilla into frosting.
• Using thumb, press down center of each cupcake from top to bottom, forming deep pocket. Spoon or pipe ganache into pocket of each cupcake.
• Frost cupcakes, forming tall peaks. DO AHEAD: Cupcakes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.