Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
From Cook's Illustrated, March 1, 2005.
NOTES
Use standard muffin tins (1/2 cup each) and baking-cup liners.
Use double-boiler or improvised bowl over saucepan.
Have a sifter or fine-mesh strainer available.
Cook's Illustrated specifically says NOT to double this recipe, but instead to make two separate recipes. (The rise of the cupcakes is "compromised.")
Look for other recipes in Yummyliciousness for icing:
Quick and rich vanilla frosting from Cook's Illustrated (May 9, 2006) is one.
Cream Cheese icing, also from Cook's Illustrated, is another.
INGREDIENTS
8 Tbl (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (eg Ghiradelli, very dark)
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa (1-1/2 oz)
3/4 cup flour (3-3/4 oz)
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar (5-1/4 oz)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 cup sour cream (4 oz)
PREPARATION
1. Prep the muffin tin by lining it with baking-cup liners.
2. Cut the butter into 4 pieces; chop the chocolate.
3. In the upper portion of a double boiler, or in a medium heat-proof bowl, combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa.
4. Heat butter-chocolate mixture over a bit of water in the bottom of the double boiler until "barely simmering."
5. Heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted; whisk until smooth and combined.
6. Set mixture aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
7. Oven to 350; rack in the lower-middle position.
8. In a small bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
9. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs.
10. To eggs, add sugar, vanilla, and salt, whisking until fully incorporated.
11. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.
12. Sift about 1/3 of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.
13. Whisk in sour cream.
14. Sift remaining flour mixture into mixture and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.
15. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
16. Bake about 18-20 min, until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean.
17. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack, about 15 min.
18. Before frosting, finish cooling the muffins by placing the individual cupcakes in their liners on the wire rack for about 30 min.
19. To frost, mound about 2 Tbl icing on center of each cupcake and use small offset spatula to spread icing to edge of cupcake, with slight mound in the center.
NOTES
Use standard muffin tins (1/2 cup each) and baking-cup liners.
Use double-boiler or improvised bowl over saucepan.
Have a sifter or fine-mesh strainer available.
Cook's Illustrated specifically says NOT to double this recipe, but instead to make two separate recipes. (The rise of the cupcakes is "compromised.")
Look for other recipes in Yummyliciousness for icing:
Quick and rich vanilla frosting from Cook's Illustrated (May 9, 2006) is one.
Cream Cheese icing, also from Cook's Illustrated, is another.
INGREDIENTS
8 Tbl (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (eg Ghiradelli, very dark)
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa (1-1/2 oz)
3/4 cup flour (3-3/4 oz)
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar (5-1/4 oz)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 cup sour cream (4 oz)
PREPARATION
1. Prep the muffin tin by lining it with baking-cup liners.
2. Cut the butter into 4 pieces; chop the chocolate.
3. In the upper portion of a double boiler, or in a medium heat-proof bowl, combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa.
4. Heat butter-chocolate mixture over a bit of water in the bottom of the double boiler until "barely simmering."
5. Heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted; whisk until smooth and combined.
6. Set mixture aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
7. Oven to 350; rack in the lower-middle position.
8. In a small bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
9. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs.
10. To eggs, add sugar, vanilla, and salt, whisking until fully incorporated.
11. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.
12. Sift about 1/3 of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.
13. Whisk in sour cream.
14. Sift remaining flour mixture into mixture and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.
15. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
16. Bake about 18-20 min, until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean.
17. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack, about 15 min.
18. Before frosting, finish cooling the muffins by placing the individual cupcakes in their liners on the wire rack for about 30 min.
19. To frost, mound about 2 Tbl icing on center of each cupcake and use small offset spatula to spread icing to edge of cupcake, with slight mound in the center.
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