Aztec Chile Chocolate Cupcakes Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Put all of the mix ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
• To make the hot chocolate, put 1/4 cup of the mix into a mug and add 3/4 cup boiling hot water or coffee, stir in a couple of drops of vanilla extract; stir until well mixed. Enjoy.