Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes/Lemon Crunch Parfait

I made both of these today for an event that turned out to be cancelled. C'est la vie. I get to keep all my sugar. ^^

The first one is a coffee chocolate cupcake. I found the recipe here. I decided I wanted to make them in coffee cups, and I searched high and low - everywhere I went the cups were plastic, too big, made for water... whatever. Dollar store to the rescue! I found these cute little coffee cups, about espresso-shot sized, 20 for a buck. I bought 100. I plan to keep doing this.

Untrue to form, I'll give you the pictures first.

Now that that's out of the way, here's the recipe:

Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup instant coffee powder
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter -- at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup coffee beans -- crushed
8 ounces milk chocolate -- finely chopped
2 cups mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar -- sifted

To make the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 30 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

Combine the milk, cocoa, coffee and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, constantly whisking, until the cocoa and coffee have dissolved. Let cool and pour into a liquid measure.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk mixture in three batches, ending with the liquid. Fill each muffin cup halfway with the batter. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the mocha ganache and mascarpone cream:

Combine 1 cup of the heavy cream and coffee beans in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and let infuse for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean sauce-pan and bring back to a boil. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream over it, stirring slowly, until the ganache is smooth. Spoon enough ganache over each cupcake to fill the liners to the rim.

Using a whisk or in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the remaining 2 cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone and confectioners sugar and whisk until smooth. Spoon the mascarpone cream into a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip and pipe the cream on top of the ganache in a circle.

Notes:

1. This says it makes 30 cupcakes, in my cups it made 20.
2. I didn't have marscapone cheese, I substituted cream cheese and it worked just fine.
3. I made chocolate covered plastic spoons to serve with - I won't bother to include instructions on that unless anyone asks.
4. Chocolate crunch on top again, cocoa could be used, sprinkles, whatever. Play, experiment, have fun.

On to the parfait. This was surprisingly simple, and it looks simple, but it tastes SO good.

Shyah my cups were too big. Next time I'd get smaller ones. And I just realized I can see myself reflecting in them, haha.

Lemon Crunch Parfaits

Makes 6 servings

1/4 cup whipping cream
1 can apricot halves in light syrup, drained

Lemon Curd:

3 egg yolks
1 egg
1/2 cup and 1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1/2 cup lemon juice
pinch salt

Almond Crunch:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp large-flake rolled oats
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp slivered almonds

Almond Crunch: In bowl, stir together flour, oats and brown sugar. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in almonds. Spread on parchment paper-lined baking sheet, bake in 350*F (180*C) until golden and crisp, 12 minutes. Cool.

Lemon Curd: In heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks, egg, sugar, lemon rind, lemon juice and salt. Place over saucepan of simmering water; cook, whisking often, until thick enough to coat a spoon, 8-10 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap on surface. Refrigerate until cold and set.

Loosen curd with spoon. Whip cream; fold half into curd. Fold in remaining cream.

Divide apricots among glasses; divide lemon mixture over top. Sprinkle almond crunch over each.

So-o-ooo, that's my desserts for the day. Good stuff, both most likely things I will make again. Hope everyone else makes and enjoys them too. ^^