Strawberry Chocolate Mini Cupcakes With White Chocolate Ganache Recipes

MINI CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with paper liners. Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder and brown sugar in a large bowl; add the hot coffee and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon a scant tablespoon of batter into each mini-muffin cup. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and whisk until smooth, then let cool to room temperature. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a medium bowl; then carefully place it in the ice water and let sit, stirring every few minutes, until the frosting is thick enough to spread, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe onto the cupcakes.

STRAWBERRY-CHOCOLATE MINI CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line the cups of four 24-cup mini cupcake pans with paper liners. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, all the cocoa powder, 1 package of strawberry drink mix, and salt in a mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter and white sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy; beat the eggs in, one at a time, adding each egg after the previous one has been completely incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract; mix in the flour-cocoa mixture in 4 additions, alternating each time with milk. Reduce mixer speed to low, and beat in the cream. Fill the cupcake cups 1/2 to 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to racks, and allow the cupcakes to cool.
• Bring 2 cups of cream almost to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; dissolve the 2 packets of strawberry drink mix into the cream. Stir in the white chocolate until the chunks melt and the mixture becomes melted, smooth, and shiny. Set aside and allow ganache to cool to warm temperature (about 95 degrees F/ 35 degrees C). Frost each cupcake with ganache.

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.