Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes With Cherry Cheesecake Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES WITH GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Place rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake papers.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and set aside. Using a mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until pale yellow, about 1 minute. Add the egg and stir until just combined. Gently add half of the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Mix in the milk. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
• Fill prepared cupcake liners with enough chocolate batter to just cover the bottom. Add a dollop of the cream cheese filling to each, then top with remaining batter (cream cheese filling should not be visible).
• Bake for 20 minutes. Let cupcakes stand in the pan for 3 minutes and then remove and allow to cool completely on a rack.
• Dip each cupcake into the ganache, forming an even layer of frosting. Place in the refrigerator to set, about 15 minutes.
• Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk together the chocolate, cream, and espresso powder (if using). Continue whisking until chocolate is melted and the mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Yield: 1 cup
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 minutes
• Inactive Prep Time: 5 minutes

CHERRY CHEESECAKE WITH GANACHE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leaking. Spray inside bottom and side of pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press in bottom of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Cool crust 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Beat in 1/2 cup whipping cream and the almond extract. Pour 4 cups filling over crust. Spoon cherries over filling. Top with remaining filling, covering cherries.
• Bake at 300°F 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly. Turn oven off; open door 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave ganache ingredients on High 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring once, until smooth. Spread over cheesecake. Chill 30 minutes. To serve, run small metal spatula around edge of pan; carefully remove foil and side of pan. Cover; refrigerate any remaining cheesecake.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES WITH CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare your no-bake cheesecake filling. Follow instructions on package regarding milk and setting time. While cheesecake is setting, open up your package of cherries, place in a bowl, and using a very, very sophisticated method "aka a fork", scoop out the big pieces of cherries and discard. Reason we do this is that the bigger pieces of cherries will not pipe thru, it will clog your tip. When cheesecake filling is set, fold in your cherries and set in fridge until ready to use.
• 2. Prepare cake mix according to baking directions substituting the "oil" in the recipe and adding the yogurt instead. Yogurt really enhances a recipe by literally allowing it to be denser but still keeping it very moist. This was exactly the flavor and consistency we were aiming for... a dense, moist piece of goodness!! Place liners in your cupcake tins and add your cake mixture till the cups are 2/3 full. Place in pre-heated oven and bake. When cupcakes are ready, take out and place on cooling rack. After a few minutes, remove the cups and place directly on cooling rack, let cool thoroughly (about 35-45 minutes).
• 3. Once cupcakes have cooled, use your favorite gadget to make holes into the center of each cupcake. Even though I recently purchased a cupcake plunger, I reverted back to my citrus corer. It makes just the right size hole... does that make sense? Maybe I'm just old fashioned!! ;-) Save your plugs. Using a pastry bag and a 21 tip (Wilton), scoop out 1/2 of your cherry cheesecake filling. Place in bag and proceed to fill cupcakes until almost to the top, see below.
• 4. Proceed to plug the filling with the cake plugs you just removed. You will probably have to cut some away because of the now filled cupcakes. You won't need the entire plug.
• 5. Prepare your ganache. Using a microwave-safe bowl, add your chocolate chips and milk. Microwave in 30-second increments stirring thoroughly with whisk after each time. You will see the chocolate ganache become nice and glossy and smooth. This is when you know it's ready. Note, ganache thickens upon standing. So, you can frost them two ways; you can dip the top of the cupcakes into the ready-made more thinner ganache, wait a few minutes and then double dip. Or you can wait a few minutes till the sauce has thickened a little bit and then dip once. That is my preferred method (you know I'm about easy right)? Place on cooling rack and let the ganache set for a few minutes.
• 6. Gather your maraschino cherries and the remainder of your cheesecake filling in the pastry bag. Place a small swirl of filling onto the center of each cupcake and then add a quartered maraschino cherry on top! Enjoy!!