Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcake Surprise

Yields 12 Cupcakes

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in muffin pan wells.

Ingredients:

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• ½ cup sour cream

Chocolate Swiss Meringue:

• 5 large egg whites
• 11/2 cup sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Chocolate Pouring Sauce:

• 2/3 cups dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
• 4-5 tablespoons water, warm

Instructions:

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:
1. Place butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan with two inches of simmering water. Gently stir butter and chocolate until melted and combined. Set aside until mixture is warm to touch.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

3. Whisk eggs in second bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.

4. Fill cupcake line ¼ full. Add a Reeses peanut butter cup to each well and finish pouring cupcake batter on top of it until the wells are two-thirds full. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

5. Cool cupcakes to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Chocolate Swiss Meringue:

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.
2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixture cools and doubles in volume.
3. Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add cooled chocolate and mix to combine.

Chocolate Pouring Sauce:
1. Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

Assembly:
1. Frost cooled cupcakes. Freeze frosted cupcakes for ten minutes. Drizzle chocolate pour over chocolate frosting (reheat chocolate pour in microwave as needed to keep pouring consistency). Shake sprinkles on chocolate sauce. Place peanut butter cup on top and add a more frosting. Finish with a maraschino cherry.

Source: http://www.bakersroyale.com/cupcakes/peanut-butter-and-chocolate-cupcake/

Double Chocolate Mocha Crunch Cupcake Recipe!

Makes 12 Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcake recipe adapted from Alice Medrich for Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker

Makes 12 cupcakes | Preparation: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

Cupcake:

• 1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon instant coffee (recommended: Starbucks Via)
• 1/2 cup hot coffee
• 1/2 cup crushed Whoppers

Chocolate Swiss Meringue:

• 5 large egg whites
• 11/2 cup sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Chocolate Pouring Sauce

• 2/3 cups dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
• 4-5 tablespoons water, warm

Instructions:
Cupcake:
1. Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a blow and mix thoroughly to combine. Add the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute. Add the butter and egg mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the hot coffee. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. Fold in crushed Whoppers. The batter will be thin enough to pour. Divide it evenly among the lined cups. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool. Store and serve at room temperature.

TIP: For light tender cupcakes, spoon flour and cocoa lightly into measuring cups (instead of dipping the cups into the flour or cocoa) and then sweep the measures level without tapping or shaking them.

Chocolate Swiss Meringue:
1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 160 degrees F while whisking constantly.

2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium  high speed (speed 8 on a KitchenAid stand mixer)until mixture cools and doubles in volume and forms stiff peaks; about 10-12 minutes.

3. Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add cooled chocolate and mix to combine.

Chocolate Pouring Sauce:
1. Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

Assembly:
1. Frost cooled cupcakes. Freeze frosted cupcakes for ten minutes. Drizzle chocolate pour over chocolate frosting (reheat chocolate pour in microwave as needed to keep pouring consistency). Sprinkle crushed Whoppers on chocolate sauce. Finish with a small swirl of frosting and a Whopper.

Source: http://www.bakersroyale.com/cupcakes/double-chocolate-mocha-crunch-cupcake/