Brownie Cupcakes with Ga Ga Ganache

Last week we celebrated Niki's birthday!! I had the pleasure of making the cake or in this case, the cupcakes. I knew that Niki always gushed about the cupcakes at a famous, shall we say, butt kicking cupcake shop in Davis Square and I wanted to recreate one of their flavors for her. Frankie pointed me in the right direction and that was to the " super chocolate", which turned out to be a chocolate brownie cupcake with ganache and chocolate shavings. He also said I could add my own spin to it, and Niki's Brownie Cupcakes with Ga Ga Ganache were born. Here is my recipe for these decadent delights.

Makes 12 full size cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes

Cupcakes
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon finely ground dark coffee
1 cup flour
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Ga Ga Ganache
8 oz heavy cream
4 oz semi sweet chocolate
4 oz dark chocolate
pinch of espelette pepper or you can substitute pinch of ground chili

! dark chocolate bar for chocolate curls


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare your cupcake pan with paper liners and I always say the funkier the better. Something with Ga Ga Ganache would be great with leopard print cupcake liners! Set up a double boiler by filling a saucepan with water, bringing that to a simmer and placing a heatproof bowl on top. Be sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water as it may burn the chocolate. Melt the chocolate and the butter together ensuring the two are completely melted and combined. Turn off the double boiler and remove from the heat. Using a whisk, add the two types of sugar and whisk together. When combined, add the eggs, vanilla and coffee. When the mixture looks smooth, add the flour and stir. Do not over mix the dough or the tops of the cupcakes will crack. Fold in the chocolate chips and get ready to scoop. Using a standard size ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the twelve cupcake liners. Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when pierced into the middle of the cupcake. The tops will be crackly like a brownie. When they are done, take out of oven and let stand on a rack for ten minutes. After ten minutes remove from the pan and let cool completely on a rack.

While cupcakes are cooking, scald the heavy cream in a saucepan. Cream is scalded when tiny bubbles form all around the rim of the cream. Place the chocolate and espelette in a heat proof bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Whisk together ensuring all the chocolate is melted and there are no lumps. The chocolate should be glossy. Place in the fridge to cool for at least an hour.

Using a peeler, make curls with the dark chocolate bar by peeling back and forth on the side of the bar. I typically do it on a piece of parchment paper and it is best to use room temperature chocolate, it creates big curls. If you have hot hands like me and they are melting the chocolate, rinse them under very cold water and wipe them dry as you are peeling the curls.

When the cupcakes are done, it's time to pipe. Place ganache in a piping bag with no tip and snip the bottom about 1/4 inch off. I piped the ganache in the center of the cupcake as I wanted some of the brownie top to show. No need to go too crazy as the ganache will be covered with curls. When done piping, divide the chocolate curls among the twelve. Pour yourself a nice cold glass of milk and enjoy!