Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes with Mint Cream
Where did time go?! Seems like just a few days ago we were busying ourselves in D’s kitchen and all of a sudden I realize 4 weeks have gone by..
I can’t believe it has been this long since I last sank my teeth into these gorgeous little cupcakes!
Warning: this recipe requires the washing of many dishes
and they taste heavenly too!
Chocolate and mint is always a sure win combination. What makes this so special is the lightness of it. Watching my trusty mixers whipping up the yolks and whites to more than double the size — oh what fun! Doubling the size means halving the calories. Right? Right?
The thing about souffles is that you can’t just dump it all in a bowl and watch TV while the mixer does all the work (yes, I do that). There is always the sincerity of the human touch in the folding.
After sitting in the oven, these precious cups of chocolate rise to form crisp domes. If you’re starting to panic, thinking “HOW IS MY BLOB OF CREAM SUPPOSED TO NESTLE DEMURELY ON TOP OF MY CUPCAKE NOW”, just take them out of the oven and two seconds later..
Bam! Like magic!
A word about the White Chocolate Mint Cream: Amazing.
Sweetened by the white chocolate, beaten until light; you can’t help but lick it — just to find the subtle yet refreshing mint rounding off the whole transfusion of flavors. Beware though, the cream has to be VERY VERY cold before it’s whipped! And it takes FOREVER to whip!
taadaa!!
Now all that’s left to do is enjoy! And trust me you will!
Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mint Cream
Smitten Kitchen
Makes 9 cupcakes, or about 20 mini ones.
Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes
6 ounces (170 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) (86 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) espresso or instant coffee powder
3 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons (97 grams) sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
White Chocolate Mint Cream
2 ounces (56 grams) white chocolate, finely chopped
3 ounces heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
Get the white chocolate mint cream ready for later: Place the white chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute to melt the chocolate. Whisk well. Add the peppermint extract and whisk again. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the cream. Chill until very cold, about two hours.
Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9 standard-size (3-ounce) muffin cups with paper liners. Stir chocolate, butter and espresso powder together in heavy medium saucepan over low heat mostly melted, then remove from the heat and whisk until it is fully melted and smooth. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
Using an electric mixer beat egg yolks and 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until mixture is very thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Briefly beat lukewarm chocolate mixture, then vanilla extract, into yolk mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and all of the salt, beating until medium-firm peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Divide batter among prepared cups, filling each three-fourths of the way.
Bake cakes until tops are puffed and dry to the touch and a tester inserted into the centers comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a cooling rack.
Finish your masterpiece: Beat mint white chocolate cream with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Remove cupcakes from pan, and fill each sunken top with a healthy dollop of white chocolate mint cream. Top with shaved dark chocolate, if you’re feeling fancy.
