Triple Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe 455

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners; set aside. Whisk the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the cocoa powder and espresso powder in a large bowl. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot but not simmering; whisk into the cocoa mixture until smooth. Whisk in the granulated sugar until dissolved, then the vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture until just combined.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Put 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until fluffy again, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the cocoa powder, milk and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate until very fluffy and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Frost the cupcakes, using an offset spatula to mound the frosting into smooth rounded domes. Refrigerate until the frosting is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the white chocolate and 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Combine the remaining 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate and 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave each chocolate separately in 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Stir the orange gel food coloring into the white chocolate, then transfer to a shallow bowl or liquid measuring cup; let cool slightly. Let the bittersweet chocolate mixture cool until it's thick enough to pipe, then transfer to a resealable plastic bag and snip a small corner.
• One at a time, turn each cupcake upside down and dip the top in the orange chocolate mixture; rotate to coat and let the excess drip off. Turn right-side up and pipe lines of bittersweet chocolate to look like the seams of a basketball. Let set at room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Tip the caster sugar into the jar, followed by the flour, then finally the cocoa, so the ingredients sit in layers. Seal the jar.
• Wrap the chocolate drops and bar up in cellophane. Tie the spatula or spoon onto the jar with ribbon and pack in a gift bag or box with the chocolates, sprinkles and cupcake cases.
• Hand-write a label with the following instructions and attach it to the gift: 'Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put 100g very soft butter in a bowl with 2 eggs, add the contents of the jar and beat well. Add a drop of milk to the mix if it is too stiff. Stir in the white chocolate drops. Divide between the cake cases. Bake for 15 mins. Cool. Melt the milk chocolate, spoon a little over each cake and then decorate with sprinkles.'

Steps:

• CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CUPCAKES: Sift flour, sugars, baking soda and salt through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside. Place chocolate, butter and cocoa into a large bowl. Pour boiling water over. Let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Whisk in vanilla, sour cream, buttermilk and eggs until well combined. Add dry ingredients, whisking until smooth. Spoon ¼ cup batter into regular-sized muffin tins prepared with cupcake liners (about 15). Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting. GANACHE: Place chocolate in a bowl. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. CHOCOLATE FROSTING: Place butter, cream and salt in the bowl of a mixer. Sift cocoa through a fine-mesh sieve set over the mixing bowl. Mix on medium-speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Sift confectioners sugar into mixing bowl through a fine-mesh sieve. Beat on low to combine; turn speed to medium and beat for 6 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Icing will be quite stiff. ASSEMBLY: Cut out a small cone in the centre of each cupcake. Discard scraps. Spoon ganache into each cupcake and spread a small amount over the top to smooth it out. Pipe on frosting in desired fashion (I used an Ateco 808 tip). Drizzle with remaining ganache, heating up if necessary. Garnish with chopped chocolate.