Pour the cream into a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer on medium high heat. Remove from heat before the cream can boil.
While the cream is heating, chop up the chocolate bars. The smaller the pieces, the quicker they will soften and your ganache will be easier to mix together.
Pour chopped chocolate into a heat proof bowl, then pour the heated cream over the pieces. Allow to sit 3-5 minutes so the chocolate can soften.
With a spoon or rubber spatula, gently stir the chocolate and cream together. Be patient! This will take a few minutes, but you'll see it slowly come together!
That's it! You've made ganache!
This ganache is a 1:1 ratio, 8oz of chocolate to 8oz of cream, and creates a excellent spreadable consistency. But it's easy to make pipeable ganache with the same process!
For pipeable ganache, cut the cream amount in half! Use just four ounces, or half a cup, of cream, and follow the same instructions. Enjoy!
*What kind of baking chocolate is completely up to you! Milk chocolate? Semi-sweet? White? Choose whichever of these will best compliment your dessert!
"I'm going to have movie snacks for at least a couple of weeks, and if anyone knows me, I do love my movie snacks," Raven said as she looked at the pile of chocolate before her. "That was really sweet, Nick, thank you," Raven said as she leaned over and kissed Nick on the cheek. "I got you something as well. It's marketed toward kids, but since we're actual witches, it definitely does you a lot of good," Raven said as she pulled out this old-fashioned miniature treasure chest and popped it open to reveal little beakers, jars, a few crystals, and the likes. Everything a witch could need. "Happy Valentine's Day!"
so, not what I intended to do after work but I made a Playlist for when I'm writing Dungeon Egg (may share it if anyone's interested. Mostly songs from years ago honestly but there's some newer stuff too).
And I found my old recipe book that was missing for like...seven years or so? Super excited about that!
@sweetfirebird I’m sorry it took so long to get this up, real life kinda exploded in my face for a bit.
This is something I've played with for a while because they sounded amazing and Theo owns my entire heart.
Theo Greenleaf’s Five Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse filling!
Please note! All traditional baking measurements (cup/tablespoon/teaspoon) used are US measurements. Metric and Imperial volumes are slightly different. 1 US cup = .94 Metric Cup = .83 Imperial Cup. It’s a small difference, but may affect the overall outcome. This is an excellent resource for the different measurements!
A kitchen thermometer is necessary for this recipe!! A stand mixer or handheld mixer is recommended, but not required.
None of this is really complicated, but it is a bit involved. Definitely have a kitchen assistant on standby just in case!
Theo’s Five Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup (22 grams) cocoa powder
1/3 cup (32 grams) dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 cup (118 ml) boiling water (See note!)
7/8 cup (110 grams, 3/4 cup + 2 TBSP) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (134 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (113 grams) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (74 ml) vegetable/canola oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Note: to further enhance the chocolate flavor, substitute 1/2 cup hot coffee for the water.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F (180C, Gas 4). Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with foil or paper liners.
In a medium size heatproof bowl, combine the chopped chocolates and cocoa powders and pour boiling water* over the mixture. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk mixture gently until smooth then set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, granulated and brown sugars, salt and baking soda.
Whisk sour cream, oil, eggs, egg yolks, vinegar, and vanilla into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth.
Stir in the flour mixture until smooth, be careful not to over mix.
With a spring-loaded scoop, divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups.
Bake until cupcakes are set and firm to the touch, about 17-19 minutes.
Let cupcakes cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to cool completely, about 1 hour.
Chocolate Mousse Filling
Note: This recipe will make enough for several batches of cupcakes...or the leftovers are great with vanilla wafers or animal crackers!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (355ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
4 large eggs*, at room temperature
2 tablespoons superfine sugar (caster sugar)
12 oz (340 grams) dark chocolate (I used dark chocolate chips)
1/4 cup (1/2 US stick OR 56.7 grams) unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces
Note: if you don’t have a double boiler, you can place a heatproof bowl over a sauce pan with about an inch of simmering water.
Directions:
Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside in refrigerator.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler (See note above) and set aside to cool.
*IF YOUR EGGS PASTEURIZED SKIP THIS STEP!* Heat eggs and sugar in a double boiler (See note above) until they reach 140F (60C), stirring the entire time. This will kill any salmonella bacteria.
Whisk the eggs and sugar until very fluffy and thick, or about 10 minutes on high speed in a stand mixer.
Mix the butter into the melted chocolate until fully melted and combined.
Add the chocolate mixture a little bit at a time to the egg mixture, stirring well the entire time to fully incorporate the chocolate. If you use a stand mixer, use the lowest or stir speed and be very careful not to over mix.
Fold in the chilled whipped cream.
To fill the cupcakes:
Core the cupcakes: if you don’t have a cupcake corer, you can use a piping tip, a melon baller, a paring knife, or an apple corer.
Use a piping bag or a small spoon to fill the center.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
Ingredients:
8 oz (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate
3 cups (375 grams) powdered (icing) sugar, sifted
1/4 cup (21 grams) dark cocoa powder, sifted
8 oz (227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature (see note)
1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream
OPTIONAL: edible glitter or luster dust in your favorite color!
Note: Room temperature butter is cool to the touch and about 65°F (18°C). This might be colder than your kitchen. When you press it, your finger will make an indent. Your finger won't sink down into the butter, nor will your finger slide all around.
Note 2: if you don’t have a double boiler, you can place a heatproof bowl over a sauce pan with about an inch of simmering water.
Note 3: a stand mixer or electric handheld mixer makes this recipe easier, but if you don’t have either, a wooden spoon and muscle power will do just as well, but you’ll likely need to mix it longer. Maybe have a kitchen assistant on standby to help out!
Directions:
Melt chocolate in a double boiler (see note 2), then set aside to cool to 95-100F (approx 35C).
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer with the beater attachments (see note 3), add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and butter. Mix on lowest speed (to prevent a powdery explosion) until well blended, then increase the speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add the salt, vanilla, cream, and cooled melted chocolate to the mixer bowl and beat on medium for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Use your favorite piping tip or spread with a frosting knife evenly over the filled cupcakes.
For extra magical cupcakes, add a light dusting of edible glitter or luster dust over the top of the frosting!
Oh, having sensitive hearing hurts a lot. My buddy, Dolores, deals with it daily. Have some ear mufflers. These aren't modified compared to the ones I gave her but it should help muffle it to tolerable volume levels. (persona lore :DD)
