Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes | Chocolate Heart of Darkness Cakes ~Baking Partners Challenge

Baking Partners challenge for this month was two chocolate based recipes suggested by Suja@ Kitchen Corner-Try it.The recipe is taken from Death by Chocolate Cakes: An Astonishing Array of Chocolate Enchantments by Marcel Desaulniers.I tried one of the chocolate truffle cakes/cupcakes and it came out good.The center of the cake is like molten lava cake and the outer texture of the cake is more like a mud cake /brownie texture as there is no leavening agents used except for eggs and butter.Kids loved them with vanilla ice cream.But you can always have with a scoop of whipped cream and just like that too if you are a chocoholic.I made half the batch only as I wasn't sure they may like the dark chocolate as its always a mixed reaction.Do try and enjoy if you love dark chocolates.

Preparation time : 45 minutes
Baking time :20-25 minutes
Serves ~ 6 muffins
Ingredients
for making truffles
semisweet chocolate  4 oz
heavy whipping cream l/3

for making chocolate cocoa cake
butter 2.5 oz or 5tbsp,cut in pieces
semisweet chocolate 4oz (113.4gm)
all purpose flour/maida 1/3 cup
unsweetened cocoa 1/4 cup
egg 2 large(at room temp)
egg yolk 1(at room temp)
granulated sugar 1/4 cup
vanilla extract 1/2 tsp

Method

To make chocolate truffles-
Place 4oz semisweet chocolate in a bowl.Heat the heavy whipping cream in another pan over medium heat near to boiling.Switch off flame and pour over the chocolate and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes.Then whisk until smooth and pour in a baking tray and smooth out evenly.Place in freezer for 15 minutes until set.Remove and divide in small portions.Make balls of the portions and place in paper liners.Leave in freezer again until use.(Roll in cocoa powder /dust your hands with cocoa if you find it very sticky)

To make chocolate cocoa cake

• Combine the cocoa and all purpose flour,sift them together.Leave aside.

• Lightly coat the inside of the muffin cups with butter.Set aside.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

• Combine butter and chocolate in  a bowl and using the double broiler technique,melt over boiling water.Whisk until smooth and leave to cool.

• In another bowl combine the eggs and sugar.Using a beater,beat on medium high speed until frothy.Add the butter chocolate mix and whisk for 15 secs.Add in vanilla extract and add flour in batches until well combined with a spatula. 

• Fill 3/4 of each muffin cup with batter and bake in pre heated oven to 5-6 mins.Remove from oven and place a truffle(remove from freezer) and press each in the center of the cake.Immediately replace again in oven and bake for 15-17 minutes (or check by inserting a tooth pick in the sides of the cake and not center as the center remains gooey).Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes.

• Run a knife along the sides of the muffin tray and gently remove and place on  plates.Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream or just like that !!

Linking this to Baking partners group hosted by Swathi @ Zesty South Indian Kitchen