- Jenny
So as it turns out, the incipient, who at this point I may need to refer to as bacon girl the elder, has informed me that I will be making all the cupcakes for her bat mitzvah party. Yes, I see the problem with bacon and bat mitzvah in the same sentence. These are the weaknesses and failures of parental character that I share with all of you each week. We don’t judge here. Except about the garlic press.
So anyway you should expect to see some cupcake recipe testing here and there for the next few months, except where is everyone? There just are not enough cupcake options that do not involve carrots on the site. Step it up people, Jenny has to make cupcakes for 70 unruly teenagers in inappropriate evening wear. She doesn’t have all year!
Up first: Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes with Mint Cream was a pick by bacon girl the original. She loves the mix of mint and chocolate, and I was deeply intrigued by the idea of a flourless cupcake, which I confess I had never seen before; so we’ve got the gluten free-ers covered here. This is multiple step but all of them are fast, so I do consider this a weeknight treat, one you can start before work.
You’re starting of course with very good chocolate, because it is the Ginger of this show, matched by some nice fatty butter, the Maryann of all cakes.
Long before you need these cupcakes, melt your white chocolate down as instructed (I pause to absorb the scorn some of you feel for white chocolate, which of course contains no cocoa solids, but it is not the central flavor here and it’s kind of fun so hang in here with me) and drop your mint in. In my case, that is peppermint oil and remember a little of that goes a loooong way.
Fridge as instructed and go to work or watch a movie or go for a run. Or do what you want. Why am I bossing you? The point is, you can’t frost for a few hours.
Move on to the chocolate stage, which is another melting process, while you whip up your egg yolk mixture and remove to a bowl, so you can whip the whites. (Unless you are using a hand mixer, which means you simply move to yet the next bowl.) Fold your whites in – don’t you love that part – and then fill your muffin tins, taking care not to overfill them.
Ours did collapse. No problem, because you are next whipping up your frosting and applying as instructed. Bacon girl (the original) and I decided these taste like giant Junior Mints. They are a serious crowd pleaser, rich and complex, a total adult treat. Take the leftovers to work, and watch as people start doing you favors.
Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes with Mint Cream from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 9-10
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon espresso or instant coffee powder
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
3 ounces heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract (or more to taste)
See the full recipe on Smitten Kitchen.
By day, Jennifer Steinhauer, aka Jenny, covers Congress for The New York Times. By night, she is an obsessive cook.
Photo by Jennifer Causey
-
Jestei
I don't eat tripe.
Some past articles from this author you'll love:
New Mother's Magic Elixir (Lamb Stew)
Lemon Tart with Olive Oil
Maloreddus with Anchovies, Orange, and Malvasia
14 Comments on Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes with Mint Cream:
I have made three batches of cook's illustrated Ultimate Chocolate cupcakes in the past 3 weeks (tis the season for birthdays and extra treats, my son is allergic to peanuts so we tote our own) delicious, even the third time when baking with the kids we got distracted and forgot the oil..I'll send the recipe if you don't subscribe. They have a ganache center thatvis amazing and easy as can be. totally worth putting in the running for the bat mitzvah. My mom baked all the bread for my wedding reception--it made the day.
This is so funny, but I especially lurve your piece in today's Times about store-bought vs. homemade cupcakes and other goodies. You really hit it, tone perfect -- I will take potluck with you!
As I have already made abundantly clear elsewhere on this site, I am a Joanne Chang worshiper when it comes to pastry baking. If you can get your hands on a copy of her cookbook (it's called Flour: A baker's collection of spectacular recipes; I don't know why I don't yet own it. If I did, I'd send it to you so you could use it!), her cupcakes are phenomenal.
Answering your call for cupcake recipes, I just uploaded one for Homemade Hostess Cupcakes. If the chocolate mint cupcakes are a rich, adult treat, the homemade hostess cupcakes are completely designed for kids (and the inner child in us all.)
http://www.food52.com/recipes/15365_homemade_hostess_cupcakes
These are indeed DIVINE! I made the recipe from Smitten Kitchen a couple years ago for Valentine's day. Except instead of the mint I wanted something red to suit the holiday, so I skipped the peppermint extract, and spooned a little black cherry jam into the collapsed centers before topping with the whipped cream.
So the thing is my 8 year old daughter now wants to know what incipient means. So a vocabulary class in addition to the regular baking classes - thanks Jenny! And this white chocolate mint cream is 'to-live-for'. My plan though is to use it as the side to accompany Amanda's chocolate dump-it cake for Thursday. For my food52 Cook Naija party. Peace and Love to you and the 'incipient'
Started to try these, when lo-and-behold the kitchen sink started leaking. Ugh. Postponing till tomorrow! On the plus side, the mint cream is made.
Chapter Two....Sink is sorta fixed. As for these lovely little souffles, I had a serious issue with the 9 cupcake yield from 3 eggs, so went with mini cupcakes, to trick myself. I used the foil mini muffin papers that you don't need a muffin tin for, and filled 21 minis. They spread a lot, so use a muffin tin and go for 24. I *did* beat the hell out of my batter, so maybe it was just extra voluminous or something. Verdict: 2 out of 4 Larkins (the younger ones) loved these, especially with the minty cream. The older ones liked these, but it's definitely NOT a cupcake. P.S. They taste pretty darn good chilled!
Chapter Two....Sink is sorta fixed. As for these lovely little souffles, I had a serious issue with the 9 cupcake yield from 3 eggs, so went with mini cupcakes, to trick myself. I used the foil mini muffin papers that you don't need a muffin tin for, and filled 21 minis. They spread a lot, so use a muffin tin and go for 24. I *did* beat the hell out of my batter, so maybe it was just extra voluminous or something. Verdict: 2 out of 4 Larkins (the younger ones) loved these, especially with the minty cream. The older ones liked these, but it's definitely NOT a cupcake. P.S. They taste pretty darn good chilled!
Sara Moulton's yellow cake recipe makes wonderful cupcakes - reduce cooking time to about 12 minutes: http://www.recipeslib.com/cook-books/saras-cookbook-1/68095-classic-white-cake.html
Gale Gand's easy buttercream frosting is to die for: http://www.food.com/recipe/gale-gands-quick-vanilla-buttercream-frosting-396314
Yum! Cupcakes! One of my favorite cupcake recipes if from Ina Garten. The frosting is fantastic and also works really well on chocolate cupcakes. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/coconut-cupcakes-recipe/index.html
Thanks for bringing this one to our attention! Sounds delicious!
I can envision that cupcake tree. I have seen some maple bacon cupcakes out there, and then you would be hosting the Bat Mitzvah that is talked about for generations to come.
Such a coincidence! I was just looking at a strikingly similar recipe over at Smitten Kitchen.
http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/chocolate-souffle-cupcakes-with-mint-cream/
Please Sign up (or log in) to add a comment!