Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting/Chocolate Ganache

So it's that time of the year again. The time when the whole lot of my family gets together for our family reunion. My father's side of the family always gets together on the first Saturday in August to catch up, eat delicious food and be, well, us. There are always at least 30 to 40 people there, several pounds of food and we do a raffle every year to raise money for Paul Newman's charity, Hole in the Wall Gang. Visit the website, www.holeinthewall.org. It's a wonderful organization and we have been donating to them for the past 10 years or so. They're always kind enough to send us baskets to raffle off and we consistently raise a minimum of $600 every summer for them. We previously raised money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, another wonderful organization. Both are aimed to help children who are coping with serious illnesses and their families.

This year's reunion was a little bittersweet. One of my great uncles is passed away last night. [I'm not religious, but to whoever is out there in the Internet, a prayer for my family is always appreciated.]

Not to say on a happier note, but I usually get the pull out my family baking status again.I usually just make my reunion staple, but this year I decided to split from that. They take so long to make that it's just a pain in the butt, especially in the middle of the summer. I also thought this was the perfect opportunity to bake something new and add to my repertoire. I decided I would make cupcakes with two different kinds of frosting. I decided on chocolate cupcakes, one with marshmallow frosting and graham cracker crumbles for the children and one with chocolate ganache and pearl sprinkles for the adults. But who are we kidding? Children pretty much eat whatever is in front of them. The recipe for the marshmallow frosting was supposed to yield 10 cups which is way too much. I cut the recipe because I sure as heck did not need that much frosting.

They were a hit [as is everything I make! I'm conceited? Why ever would you think that? ;)] and I'm glad everyone enjoyed them! They definitely looked very delicious. As usual, you can see what works of art they are.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting/Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

[cupcakes]

3 ounces dark [semi-sweet] chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup light cream

2/3 cup self-rising flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar, superfine

2 large eggs

[chocolate ganache]

2 ounces bittersweet [dark] chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup light cream

[marshmallow frosting]

4 large egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
crumbled graham crackers

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper baking cups.

Melt the chocolate with the cream in a double boiler over barely simmering water. Set aside and let cool slightly. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and salt.

Beat the butter and sugar in the stand mixer at a high speed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients and the melted chocolate mixture.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, filling each one three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on the top and firm to the touch. Let them cool completely.

For the chocolate ganache, melt the chocolate with the cream over a double boiler over barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and refrigerate for 20 minutes until thickened. Spread frosting on the cupcakes and decorate with the pearl sprinkles.

For the marshmallow frosting, fill a medium sauce pan with one inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tarter and salt the clean bowl of a stand mixer and whisk by hand to combine. Nest the bowl over the sauce pan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.

Heat the egg white mixture, whisking constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mix is hot to the touch [about six minutes].

Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn mixer to a medium speed and mix for one minute. Increase the speed until stiff, glossy peaks form [about 5 minutes]. Add the vanilla and whisk until just incorporated [one minute].

Transfer frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch star tip and ice the cupcakes. Using a kitchen blow torch or oven broiler, carefully brown the marshmallow frosting. Sprinkle the cupcakes with the crushed graham crackers. [I didn't do this because I don't have a kitchen blow torch.]

 

Marshmallow frosting

Chocolate ganache