Baci Kiss Cupcake

After a long gestation period, I decided to finally give birth to the Baci Kiss Cupcake.

I made them for the lovely Miss Viv who is moving on to greener pastures. Lucky woman.

To be honest, they are not my best. I will work on them a little more so they are perfect. But here is the recipe for the first Baci Kiss Cupcake.





Baci Kiss Cupcake

Double Chocolate Cupcake

125g / 1/2 cup butter
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup boiling water
60g / 2 oz dark chocolate
1/3 cup cocoa
1 2/3 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 180 (350). Line a 12 capacity muffin tray with cupcake liners.
2. Combine dark chocolate, cocoa and boiling water. Stir until chocolate has melted. Cool.
3. Cream butter and sugar for 2 -3 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Combine cool chocolate and water mixture with milk.
5. Alternately beat in chocolate mixture and flour, starting and ending with flour mixture in 3 lots.
6. Divide cupcake batter evenly into cupcake liners.
7. Bake in oven for 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool cupcakes completely.

Fill cupcakes with giandua using the cone method and then frost with espresso ganache.



Giandua filling

2 tbs hazelnut spread
1 tbs cream
60g / 2 oz milk chocolate
100g / 3.5 oz hazelnuts

1. Toast hazelnuts in oven for 10 minutes at 200 (375).
2. Crush hazelnuts when cool. (I wanted small chunks of hazelnut so I crushed using pestle and mortar).
3. Melt chocolate, cream and hazelnut spread.
4. Add crushed hazelnuts and cool before filling cupcakes.


Espresso Ganache

500g / 1/2 lb dark chocolate (I used couverture chocolate)
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup icing [powdered] sugar
a shot of espresso

1. Boil cream and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate has melted. If chocolate has not completely melted put in microwave for 20 seconds. Allow to cool a little.
2. Add shot of espresso.
3. Beat on low speed until ganache starts to thicken up.
4. Add icing sugar and continue to beat until ganache has completely cooled and thick enough to either pipe or spread onto cupcakes.




The Verdict? This is a really rich and heavy cupcake. There aren't any little messages of love - well I didn't put in any messages in my cupcakes.

Like I said, not my best work. I can do better.

I will develop it more. But the flavours are there.

And apologies for my crappy post. I am a little flat tonight. But I'll get over it.

Have a kiss from me.