We interrupt this Elimination Challenge to bring you a special treat – flourless chocolate cupcakes topped with white chocolate mint whipped cream. Oh yes. I brought these to Aoife’s birthday party on the weekend and they were a huge hit. Too bad I couldn’t eat one 🙁

All week long I was wondering if I would be able to bake without sneaking a taste.  I’ve always thought that it was the process of baking that I liked – putting some music on, spending an afternoon in the kitchen, decorating cookies or some such baking project – just as much as the actual eating of baked goods. Well, it was time to put that theory to the test.

I had decided on some mini flourless chocolate cakes from Baking Bites but then on Wednesday, these cupcakes popped up on Smitten Kitchen and I knew they were it! And lo and behold, I had a great time in the kitchen on Saturday afternoon whipping them up. Just had to remember not to lick any spoons or sneak bites of chocolate. Now, I can’t comment on how these tasted, but they smelled heavenly when they were baking, and they were snatched up at Aoife’s birthday party. The girls couldn’t believe they were gluten-free, although I bored more than a few of them as I was trying to explain how you separate the egg whites and whip until stiff and then fold into the batter to lighten it up. I think they just wanted to eat them, and I don’t blame them at all.

Here’s Dr. Earls about to enjoy her birthday treat! (Excuse the profanity-laced balloons in the background ;o)

Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes with Mint Cream

Source: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) butter, cut into pieces

Heaping 1/4 tsp espresso or instant coffee powder

3 large eggs, separated

6 tbsp sugar, divided

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

White Chocolate Mint Cream

2 oz white chocolate, finely chopped

3 oz whipping cream

1/8 tsp peppermint extract

Directions:

  1. Prepare the Mint Cream. Place the white chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute to melt the chocolate. Whisk well. Add the peppermint extract and whisk again. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the cream. Chill until very cold, about two hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 and line 9 muffin tins with paper liners.
  3. Stir chocolate, butter and espresso powder together in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until mostly melted, then remove from heat and whisk until it is fully melted and smooth. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
  4. Using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 3 tbsp sugar in a medium bowl until mixture is very thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Briefly beat lukewarm chocolate mixture, then vanilla extract, into yolk mixture.
  5. In a separate bowl, using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3 tbsp sugar and all of the salt, beating until medium-firm peaks form.
  6. Gently fold whites into chocolate mixture in three additions.
  7. Divide batter among prepared cups, filling each 3/4 full, and bake until tops are puffed and dry to the touch (it’s okay if they crack) and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 15 -20 minutes.
  8. Cool completely in pan on a cooling rack, where the cupcakes will immediately start to fall.
  9. Once cupcakes are cool, beat mint white chocolate cream with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Remove cupcakes from pan, arrange on a platter, and fill each sunken top with healthy dollop of mint cream. Top with shaved chocolate.