Orange Choc Cupcakes W Nutella Ganache Filling And Hazelnut Recipes

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk cocoa powder, chocolate chips, espresso powder, and boiling water until smooth and combined (the chocolate chips should be completely melted). Add sour cream, oil, eggs, sugar, extracts, and orange zest and whisk until well combined. Add the flour mixture and whisk until combined. If necessary, use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Fill the prepared muffin cups about two-thirds to three-quarters full. Depending on the size of your muffin cups you might have a few tablespoons of batter leftover.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, but no raw batter. Be careful not to overbake. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and place them directly on the rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, proceed with the frosting.
• Place the chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl, set aside.
• Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat (not a rolling boil), bubbles should be forming around the outside of the pan. Immediately pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips and allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 2 minutes.
• After two minutes, use a whisk to stir the mixture until smooth and glossy. Whisk in orange extract. Place the bowl of ganache in your refrigerator for 1-2 hours, until thickened to a consistency similar to a thin nut butter or Nutella.
• Transfer the ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip until fluffy and lightened in color - this happens fairly quickly. The frosting will be thick. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with sprinkles.

ORANGE-CHOC CUPCAKES W/ NUTELLA GANACHE FILLING AND HAZELNUT

Steps:

• For the cupcake:.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.
• Sift together 3 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla.
• Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Melt the chocolate and add into the orange batter.
• Pour 2/3 full into the cupcake wrappers, smooth the top, and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• For the Hazlenut Buttercream Frosting:.
• Cream butter and shortening with mixer for 3 minutes on high speed.
• Add Frangelico.
• Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.
• Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.
• Mix on high speed for 5 minutes.
• For the Nutella Ganache:.
• Melt the Nutella and heavy cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• After the cupcakes have had a chance to cool, scoop out the tops of the cupcakes with a melon baller and cut off the "cone" part of the middle.
• Drizzle in the Nutella ganache and replace the top of the cupcake.
• Spread with the hazelnut frosting.
• You can decorate them with leftover orange rind, but that's optional.

ORANGE-FILLED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH FONDANT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Bake cupcakes as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large microwavable bowl, place marshmallows and 1 tablespoon of the water. Microwave uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer; stir until smooth. Fold in 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla.
• Generously grease hands and counter with some of the shortening. Turn marshmallow mixture onto counter. Sprinkle 1 cup of the powdered sugar over marshmallow mixture and knead as you would dough. Continue to add the remaining 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, greasing hands and counter often to prevent sticking. If fondant begins to tear, it is too dry; add remaining water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, and knead until fondant forms a firm, smooth, elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes. Wrap fondant in a double thickness of plastic wrap, squeezing out any air; set aside.
• In small microwavable bowl, place 2/3 cup of the frosting; set aside. To the remaining frosting, add 4 drops of the yellow food color, 2 drops of the red food color and the orange extract; stir until uniformly tinted. Fit round tip in decorating bag (opening about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter). Spoon frosting into decorating bag. Insert tip in center of 1 cupcake, about halfway down. Gently squeeze decorating bag, pulling upwards until cupcake swells slightly and frosting comes to the top (filling cupcake with about 1 tablespoon frosting). Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
• Microwave reserved 2/3 cup frosting uncovered on High 10 seconds or just until melted. Spoon 1 scant teaspoon frosting on top of each cupcake; spread evenly, using back of spoon.
• Cut fondant in half; rewrap other half. (When not working with fondant, keep it covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.) On surface dusted with powdered sugar, roll fondant until 1/8 inch thick. Using 3-inch round biscuit or scalloped cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds, rerolling if necessary. Wrap remaining scraps of fondant in plastic wrap; set aside for decorating. Drape 1 fondant round over each of 12 cupcakes, gently shaping over top. Repeat with remaining fondant and cupcakes.
• Tint a walnut-size piece of reserved fondant with green food color; wrap in plastic wrap. Tint remaining fondant scraps orange with remaining 6 drops of the yellow food color and remaining 3 drops of the red food color; roll until 1/8 inch thick. Using 1-inch pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, cut out pumpkin shapes. Moisten fondant on each cupcake and arrange cutouts on top.
• Pinch small pieces of green-tinted fondant and shape into small oblong stems; moisten tops of orange fondant pumpkins and arrange green stems on top.