Espresso Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Ganache and White Chocolate Frosting
Book Description
Beloved pastry chef and best-selling author Emily Luchetti lives by the simplest truth: There's always room for dessert. Why try to resist creamy chocolate cheesecake, fresh berries layered with honey cream, or homemade sorbet? Besides, with Emily's insider secrets, whipping up delicious treats for family and friends is fun! A longtime dessert lover, Luchetti shares an impressive - yet deceptively easy - array of recipes that regale the fruits and pure flavors of each season. From frequently used basics like melt-in-the-mouth tart shells, luxe crème fraîche, and chocolate sauce, to creative twists on old favorites such as Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches and Espresso Cupcakes, each of these pleasures will leave home cooks wanting to try the next.
I am frequently asked how I can be a pastry chef and not have to widen my front door to fit through it. I explain that desserts are like finances: I know when I can splurge and spend and when I must be frugal. I may save up for a pair of expensive designer shoes or buy a couple of pairs at once that are on sale. As I have a budget for shoes, I have a budget for desserts. I know how much and how often I can eat desserts and still fit into my favorite jeans. If I am having friends over for dinner, in the days preceding the party and the day after, I will forgo desserts and eat lightly. The day of the party, I will enjoy myself and not feel guilty or pay the price later on. If I overindulge over a period of time, I cut back on desserts until! am back on track. Some people feel that desserts are an all-or-nothing enterprise. They either eat them every day or never eat them. I say, we know we cannot afford every pair of shoes at the department store, but that doesn't mean we go barefoot! I make these cupcakes (with two kinds of chocolate plus coffee) when I am in the mood for something decadent. They are worth the wait.
TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the espresso powder.
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter with the granulated sugar until light, 1 minute with a stand mixer or 2 minutes with a handheld mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat the mixture for 1 minute with a stand mixer or 2 minutes with a handheld mixer.
On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk in 2 additions, stirring until incorporated after each addition.
Pour the batter into the paper-lined cupcake wells. Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then remove from the pans.
TO MAKE THE GANACHE: Place the cream in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and warm over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove, add the chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and place plastic wrap directly over the ganache. Refrigerate until cold.
TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Add the butter and salt and beat until smooth. Stir in the cooled white chocolate. Refrigerate until firm enough to frost the cupcakes, about 30 minutes.
Cut out about one quarter of the inside of each cupcake with a small paring knife. Fill the indent with the milk chocolate ganache. Frost each cupcake with the white chocolate frosting.
PLANNING AHEAD: The cupcakes may be made a day in advance; wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. The ganache can be made several days ahead and kept refrigerated. The frosting can be made a day ahead and stored at room temperature. For maximum flavor and moistness, fill and frost the cupcakes the day you plan to serve them.
