Ganache Filled Chocolate Cupcakes With Seven Minute Meringe Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Place rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake papers.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and set aside. Using a mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until pale yellow, about 1 minute. Add the egg and stir until just combined. Gently add half of the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Mix in the milk. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
• Fill prepared cupcake liners with enough chocolate batter to just cover the bottom. Add a dollop of the cream cheese filling to each, then top with remaining batter (cream cheese filling should not be visible).
• Bake for 20 minutes. Let cupcakes stand in the pan for 3 minutes and then remove and allow to cool completely on a rack.
• Dip each cupcake into the ganache, forming an even layer of frosting. Place in the refrigerator to set, about 15 minutes.
• Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk together the chocolate, cream, and espresso powder (if using). Continue whisking until chocolate is melted and the mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Yield: 1 cup
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 minutes
• Inactive Prep Time: 5 minutes

Steps:

• For cupcakes:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup standard muffin pans with paper liners. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla, half of flour mixture, then 1 cup hot water. Add remaining flour mixture; beat just until blended. Let batter stand until cooled and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter among muffin papers (about 1/4 cup batter each).
• Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely in pans.
• For filling and frosting:
• Bring cream just to boil in heavy small saucepan. Place chocolate chips in medium bowl; pour hot cream over. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until melted and smooth. Let stand at room temperature until cool and firm, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, chill ganache until cool and firm, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.) DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Whisk 1/3 cup water, sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and coarse salt to blend in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from over water and continue beating until frosting is cool to touch, stiff, and billowy, about 2 minutes. Beat vanilla into frosting.
• Using thumb, press down center of each cupcake from top to bottom, forming deep pocket. Spoon or pipe ganache into pocket of each cupcake.
• Frost cupcakes, forming tall peaks. DO AHEAD: Cupcakes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.

Steps:

• FOR GANACHE FILLING: Place chocolate, cream, and confectioners' sugar in medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high power until mixture is warm to touch, 20 to 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth; transfer bowl to refrigerator and let stand until just chilled, no longer than 30 minutes.
• FOR CUPCAKES: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-size muffin pan (cups have ½-cup capacity) with baking-cup liners. Place chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl. Pour hot coffee over mixture and whisk until smooth. Set in refrigerator to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
• Whisk oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla into cooled chocolate-cocoa mixture until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Place one slightly rounded teaspoon ganache filling on top of each cupcake. Bake until cupcakes are set and just firm to touch, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before frosting, about 1 hour.
• TO FROST: Mound 2 to 3 tablespoons frosting on center of each cupcake. Using small icing spatula or butter knife, spread frosting to edge of cupcake, leaving slight mound in center.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 to 20 cups of 2 standard (12-cup) muffin pans with baking cups. Sift cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined.
• Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Divide batter among baking cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until tops spring back when touched with a finger, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely in pans set on wire racks.
• Place a mound of whipped ganache (about 3 tablespoons) on top of each cupcake, and frost each using a small spoon or a small offset spatula to create swoops.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating briefly after each addition. Mix in chocolate syrup and vanilla extract. Add flour; mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 30 minutes; do not overbake. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• While cupcakes are cooling, combine chocolate chips, heavy cream, and instant coffee granules for the ganache in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between, until melted.
• Dip the top of each cupcake in the ganache. Do not refrigerate.