makes
12
prep
40 minutes
cook
25 minutes
difficulty
Mid
makes
12
serves
preparation
40
minutes
cooking
25
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
Chocolate cupcakes
- 75 g unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 whole egg, room temperature and lightly beaten
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 120 g self-raising flour
- 20 g Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 100 ml full cream milk, lukewarm
- 20 g good-quality milk chocolate chips
Chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream
- 2 egg whites
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- 120 g caster sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, cut and scraped
- 190 g unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g good-quality dark chocolate
Chocolate topping
- 400 g good-quality dark chocolate
- 40 g grapeseed oil
- 200 g good-quality white chocolate
- 10 g pink or red oil-soluble colouring powder
Cooling time: about 1 hour.
Chilling time: 30 minutes.
Instructions
- For the cupcakes: Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan forced). Line 12 muffin tin cavities with patty paper cases.
- Cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, sieve the flour and cocoa powder and mix to combine.
- Alternate folding the sieved dry ingredients and the lukewarm milk through the flour-cocoa mix. Lastly, add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed in the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared paper cases and bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until a skewer is inserted and comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
- For the buttercream: Place the egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar and vanilla into a heat-proof glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is approximately 60°C.
- Transfer the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip until it cools to room temperature.
- Add the softened butter and whisk to incorporate, then swap the whisk for a paddle attachment.
- Gently melt the dark chocolate, then pour it over the buttercream and beat to incorporate.
- Transfer the chocolate buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a 20mm round nozzle and pipe on top of the cooled cupcakes. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- For the topping: Place the dark chocolate into a saucepan over an induction cooktop on setting 4. Stir continuously until you have 50% solids and 50% liquid. Transfer the chocolate into a heat-proof plastic bowl and stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted. Alternatively, temper the chocolate by placing it into a microwave-safe plastic bowl. Heat in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between each addition of heat. Once the chocolate reaches 50% solids and 50% liquid, stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted.
- Add the grapeseed oil and mix to incorporate.
- Holding each cupcake from the base, dip the piped buttercream into the dark chocolate then set aside.
- Place the white chocolate into a saucepan over an induction cooktop on setting 4. Stir continuously until you have 50% solids and 50% liquid. Transfer the chocolate into a heat-proof plastic bowl and stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted. (Alternatively, temper in a microwave as above.)
- Sieve the oil-soluble colour powder over the tempered white chocolate and stir to incorporate. Transfer the coloured chocolate into a paper piping cone, piping bag, or ziplock bag, cut a small tip off the end and pipe lines across the dark chocolate coating.
Note
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Best enjoyed at room temperature.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.