Mini Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

I think this will be the last of the cookie recipes for a while as the seasonal nature of preparing multitudes of varieties will be over, for the most part, tomorrow. I will continue to post them, here and there, because my intention is to make them available anytime and anywhere to the whole family so that we can collect them all together in one place and have a definitive volume at some point. At the moment, I have moved onto other types of cooking and I am becoming bored with posting cookies every time I post a new blog here. I am not even sure exactly how many types we make and will have to refer to the photos to jog my memory.

I save the really good chocolate for this recipe, usually Callebaut or Valrhona, which I purchase at Whole Foods. It is becoming more and more difficult to find the foil mini muffin cases that perfectly fit into my mini cupcake pans, which help these keep their shape. This year, I ran out and had to resort to using the paper liners. Hopefully, I will find a new supply by next year. Almost everywhere I checked had either a too-small petit fours size, or a too-large mini muffin size. They used to be called mini biscuit cases.

These puff up a lot during baking and then disappointingly sink back in like a fallen soufflé when cool. Because of this, there is a nice depression, all the better for filling with white chocolate ganache.

Mini Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

• 6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose unbleached flour

Line 4 dozen mini-cupcake pans with paper-lined foil mini muffin cases. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Melt the chocolate slowly with the butter on very low heat or over a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Beat the eggs and sugar and salt until thick and pale. Stir in the vanilla and the cooled chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour until just combined.

Use a 1-1/4-inch ice cream scoop, leveled off, to fill the cases. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until tops have puffed up. Cool them on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and allow them to cool completely.

Use a mini ice cream scoop (1-inch) to scoop a portion of White Chocolate Ganache onto the center of each mini cupcake. Immediately sprinkle with non-pareils before the ganache begins to set. Let the chocolate set completely for 12-24 hours before packing. These freeze very well. Makes 3-4 dozen.

White Chocolate Ganache

• 9 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• Tiny colored non-pareils
  

In a small heavy saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Let stand five minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter until incorporated.

Let stand until set enough that a ribbon of the ganache, dripped across the top of the mixture with a spoon, takes a count of 10 before disappearing back into itself. If it sets too much, rewarm gently on very low heat and cool again until the correct consistency is reached.