Chipotle Dark Chocolate Cupcakes Recipes

DARK MAGIC CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the convection oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix the cocoa with the hot water and add the chipotle peppers, chili powder and cayenne. Let steep for 10 minutes.
• In a standing mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low for 30 seconds. Add the oil to the dry ingredients and mix for 1 minute on low. In a separate bowl, lightly mix the vanilla and eggs. Then add to the mixer and blend until incorporated. Add the cold water and the cocoa mixture to the mixer, a little at a time, until incorporated. Scrape the bowl and mix on low for 1 minute.
• Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full and bake until done, about 20 minutes.
• To assemble: Cool the cupcakes completely and top with the Lime Buttercream and dip in the cooled Chocolate Ganache.
• Mix the butter until it is smooth, scraping the bowl every couple of minutes. Add the sugar, and mix until smooth. Then add the vanilla, lime zest and juice. Beat until smooth and creamy. Yield: 6 cups.
• Put the chocolate in a stainless steel or glass bowl. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream until just before a boil. Remove from the stove. Pour over the chocolate, and mix until all the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPOTLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary to evenly cream it. Add the sugars, sifted cocoa powder and chipotle peppers and mix again at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs, vanilla and water. Beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add slightly cooled melted chocolate and mix again, scraping bowl to evenly mix everything.
• Add the flour mixture, scraping sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. When well incorporated, add the chips and mix briefly, about 5 seconds.
• Refrigerate the dough in the bowl until cool and fudge-like, but not solid, for approximately 1 hour. You can use an ice cream scoop to create large, even sized cookies. These cookie-dough balls can also be frozen at this point, and baked right from the freezer whenever the need arises.
• When ready to bake, press the tops of the cookie dough-balls into the sugar, and then top with 2 to 3 pieces of dark chocolate chips. Place onto parchment-lined baking sheets, allowing space for the cookies to spread. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven when they are still a little underdone. Slide the parchment paper with the cookies onto a cooling rack and allow to cool before removing from parchment

DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPOTLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Place the chopped chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl; melt in the microwave oven at 40 percent power in 30-second intervals; stirring after each melting, until the chocolate is warm and smoothly melted, 1 to 3 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
• In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, brown sugar, 1 1/2 cup of white sugar, cocoa powder, and chipotle pepper until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating each egg into the mixture before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract and water.
• Mix the melted chocolate into the butter mixture. Gently stir in the flour mixture until incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Cover bowl, and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into small balls. Roll balls in sugar to coat. Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are set, 12 to 14 minutes. Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute or two before removing to racks to finish cooling.

TALL, DARK, AND HANDSOME CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Whisk the hazelnut liquor and cocoa powder together until combined.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until each has been incorporated. Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined. Turn the mixer to low, and add the flour and cocoa mixture, alternating between the 2, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined and no streaks remain. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
• For the filling: In the bowl of a food processor, grind the hazelnuts until they reach a very fine sand consistency. Add the hazelnut spread and process until the mixture begins to clump. Add the hazelnut liquor 1 tablespoon at a time, or until the mixture is able to ball easily in your hand.
• With your hands, form the paste into balls about the size of a very large cherry. Roll the balls lightly in the flour to absorb any excess liquid.
• To assemble: Fill the cupcake liners about 1/4 of the way full with the cupcake batter. Place 1 ball of filling in each liner, and then cover the filling with the remaining batter so each cupcake is about 3/4 of the way full.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• Dip each cupcake top into the Chocolate Ganache, forming an even layer, and allow to cool.
• In a heat-proof bowl, microwave the heavy cream on high for 1 to 2 minutes. The cream should be very hot to the touch.
• While the cream is being heated, place the chocolate chips and espresso powder in a medium heat-proof bowl. Once the cream is ready, pour it on top of the chocolate chips and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture has thickened. Whisk in the vegetable oil for extra shine.

CINCO DE CHILI CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CHILI CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
• Empty the boxed cake mix into a mixing bowl, and whisk in 1 1/2 teaspoon of ground ancho chile and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat in the water, vegetable oil, and eggs; beat for 2 minutes. Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling them 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove and cool completely before frosting.
• In a bowl, sift 1 teaspoon of ground ancho chile, 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and the cinnamon with the confectioners' sugar. Beat in the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until the frosting is smooth; mix in the vanilla extract. Spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes in attractive swirls, and poke a small dried chile, stem-side up, into the frosting as a garnish.