Aztec Chile Chocolate Cupcakes Recipes

AZTEC CHILE-CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, chile pepper powder, baking soda, salt, baking powder and red pepper; set aside. In small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about one-third at a time, and cocoa mixture, about half at a time, beating just until blended.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each with about 3 tablespoons batter or until about two-thirds full.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, line cookie sheet with foil. In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat. Spread chocolate to 1/8-inch thickness on cookie sheet. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Break into pieces; reserve.
• In large bowl, mix butter and melted unsweetened chocolate. Stir in powdered sugar and cinnamon. Stir coffee powder into 2 tablespoons milk until dissolved. With spoon, beat coffee mixture into powdered sugar mixture. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Frost cupcakes. Garnish with chocolate shards.

AZTEC HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• For the hot chocolate: Bring the milk to a simmer in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chocolate, guajillo chile, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking constantly to develop some froth and completely melt the chocolate. Remove the chile, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick from the hot mixture.
• For the whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a large glass mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and beat to stiff peaks.
• Pour the hot chocolate into a mug. Dollop with the whipped cream and dust with cinnamon and chili powder. Serve immediately.

XOCOLATL (AZTEC CHOCOLATE)

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/2 cup water to a boil in a pot; add the chili pepper, seeds included, to the boiling water and cook at a boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain the chili pepper and seeds from the water; return the water to the pot. Add 4 cups water to the chili pepper-infused water, reduce heat to medium-low, and bring to a slow boil. Stir the cocoa powder and vanilla extract into the boiling water; cook and stir until the powder dissolves completely, 5 to 10 minutes.

CINCO DE CHILI CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CHILI CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
• Empty the boxed cake mix into a mixing bowl, and whisk in 1 1/2 teaspoon of ground ancho chile and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat in the water, vegetable oil, and eggs; beat for 2 minutes. Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling them 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove and cool completely before frosting.
• In a bowl, sift 1 teaspoon of ground ancho chile, 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and the cinnamon with the confectioners' sugar. Beat in the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until the frosting is smooth; mix in the vanilla extract. Spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes in attractive swirls, and poke a small dried chile, stem-side up, into the frosting as a garnish.

CHOCOLATE AZTEC CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Combine the butter, cocoa, coffee and 1/3 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until the butter melts, about 1 minute. Whisk to combine.
• Meanwhile, whisk the flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, ancho powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne in a large bowl. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk the hot cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir in the sour cream mixture just to combine; don't overmix.
• Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds of the way full with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Cool the cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, and then remove from the tin. Cool on the rack completely.
• For the glaze: Combine the butter, chocolate, honey, ancho powder and salt in a small microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until the butter and most of the chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Whisk until smooth and let sit to cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Dip the top of each cupcake in the glaze. Garnish with chiles and dragees if desired.

AZTEC CHILI HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Simmer milk in a saucepan with vanilla bean, cinnamon and chili. Heat through for about a minute.
• Whisk in grated chocolate, and continue to simmer until melted.
• Remove from heat and let 'steep' for another 2 minutes.
• Strain out the spices and serve.

CHILI CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Boil water in a kettle then measure out 1-1/4 cup.
• Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium sized bowl, add boiling water, whisk until smooth, set aside.
• Sift flours, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Add the ground pepper, set aside.
• In a standing mixer, beat butter until creamy.
• Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• At medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beat well between each.
• Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined.
• Add about a third of the flour mixture, beat briefly until combined.
• Add about half of the chocolate mixture, beat briefly until combined.
• Repeat, adding flour, chocolate, then flour. Beat until just combined. Scrape down bowl if needed.
• Fill cupcake papers about 3/4s full. Bake at 350 degree oven for 22-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

AZTEC HOT CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 8-cup pudding or soufflé dish. Set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, chili, superfine sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. In small bowl, mix milk, vanilla and oil. Pour into flour mixture. Mix by hand for thick smooth batter.
• Spoon batter into pudding dish, and smooth the top. Pour 3/4 cup water into a small pan. Set over high heat, and bring to boil. In small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup cocoa with brown sugar, making sure there are no lumps. Spread evenly across the batter. Pour boiling water over it, and top with rum.
• Bake pudding until top is a bubbling sponge and center is wobbly and liquid, about 30 minutes. To serve, spoon out portions that include some of the top and chocolate sauce beneath. If desired, accompany with vanilla ice cream.