- 24
Ingredients
- Milk Chocolate Mac Nut Crunch:
- 1 pound 2 1/2 ounces sugar
- 11 ounces cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup oil
- 5 ounces unsalted butter, soft
- 5 ounces sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 2 ounces cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate, melted
- 1 cup feuilletine, such as Cacao Barry
- 1 cup praline paste
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Vanilla Bean Frosting, recipe follows
- Caramel Almond Paper, recipe follows
- 1/4 cup macadamia nuts, toasted, chopped, for garnish, optional
- 6 ounces dark chocolate
- 24 whole macadamia nuts, for garnish, optional
- 6 ounces white chocolate
Preparation
Step 1
Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard cupcake or muffin pan with 24 standard cupcake liners.
Sift sugar, flour, baking soda and salt into bowl of electric stand mixer with whisk attachment. In separate bowl, combine oil, soft butter, sour cream, vanilla and eggs and whisk until combined. Add wet mixture in three additions to dry mixture on medium speed, scraping after each addition. In another separate bowl, whisk cocoa and 2 1/2 cups hot water until cocoa is fully dissolved. Add to cake batter and whisk until mixture is fully incorporated.
Fill liners three-quarters full (2 ounces) with batter and bake until golden brown and baked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely.
Nut crunch: In medium bowl, combine melted milk chocolate with feuilletine, praline paste, macadamia nuts and salt. Stir to combine.
Assemble: Cut small hole in middle of each chocolate cupcake and fill with milk chocolate mac nut crunch. Pipe Vanilla Bean Frosting on cupcakes with plain tip. Add broken piece of the Caramel Almond Paper and sprinkle with chopped macadamia nuts, if using.
Temper dark chocolate and dip whole macadamia nuts in it.
Temper white chocolate and pipe small amount onto parchment, using spatula to spread and form into half clam shell shapes. Stick two halves into frosting to open up like a clam, and then place chocolate covered mac nut in center.
*Vanilla Bean Frosting:*
2 cups whole milk
2 vanilla beans, scraped
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
In medium sauce pot, bring milk and vanilla beans to boil. Using a whisk, continuously stir in flour until mixture becomes thick and flour is cooked out. Spread hot milk mixture onto sheet pan and top with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until fully cooled, about 20 minutes.
In bowl of electric stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and vanilla for 5 minutes. Add sugar and cream for additional 5 minutes. Slowly add cooled milk mixture and cream f3 minutes until frosting becomes white, light and fluffy. Put frosting into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip.
*Caramel Almond Paper:*
13 ounces sugar
8 ounces almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees .
In medium sauce pot, heat sugar, stirring continuously until caramelized and golden amber in color. Add almonds and stir until completely coated. Pour into thin layer onto silicone baking mat and let cool completely.
In food processor, add cooled caramel nut mix and grind into fine powder. Using sifter, lightly sprinkle into thin layer on silicone baking mat. Bake in oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely before breaking into pieces and using.