Black Forest Cupcakes

Black Forest Gateaux is a sin I never can resist, especially when the sponge is rich in cocoa powder and moistened with good kirsch. The cup cakes in the photo were made for my Father in Law, who loved cherry brandy, and Chocolate Cherry Liqueurs. They are moderately complex to make, but so worth it. You will need to start the night before, and you may want to consider making the Ganache a day in advance as well. You will need about a 1/4 bottle of kirsch in all. I am going to apologize right now for using horrible old ounces, the base recipe is an old one, and it doesn't seem to work as well when converted for some reason.

Golden Cherry Toppers

24 pairs of fresh cherries on the stalk
Enough Kirsch to cover them (about 1/4 bottle or 20cl)
150 grams Dark Chocolate
Edible Gold Luster Dust

1.Wash the cherries, lightly prick each one two or three times.
2.Soak the cherries overnight in the brandy, make sure they are covered.
3.Next day remove the cherries and pat them dry. Make sure you hang onto the Kirsch, you'll need it later.
4.Melt the chocolate in a bain marie or microwave.
5.Dip the cherries in the chocolate, coating them thoroughly, then place on some greaseproof paper. Set them in the fridge.
6.Finally, once set, dust them with the edible gold luster.

Sponge Ingredients

6 oz Butter
6oz Caster Sugar
4oz Self Raising Flour
2oz Cocoa Powder
1tsp Baking Powder
3 large eggs
4oz Fresh Black Cherries, stoned and chopped
2 tablespoons of Kirsch
Kirsch left from soaking the cherries

1.Preheat the oven to 1800C
2.Cream together the butter and sugar.
3.Sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder.
4.Add the eggs and Kirsch and beat into a smooth batter.
5.Now fold in the chopped fresh cherries.
6.Line 2x12 muffin tins with paper liners, half fill each liner with batter.
7.Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top springs back when lightly pressed, and a metal skewer poked in comes out cleanly.
8.Turn them out and cool them on a wire rack.
9.Once cool, cut a well in the centre of each cupcake.
10.Pour 1 teaspoon of the left over Kirsch from soaking the cherries into each well.

Cherry Filling

4oz Fresh Black Cherries
Remaining Left over Kirsch
3oz Caster Sugar

1.De stone and half the cherries.
2.Place them in a small pan with the sugar and 2 tablespoons of the remaining Kirsch.
3.Heat quickly, stirring only until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for around 3 minutes to make an almost jammy syrup.
4.Allow to cool (check it has become syrupy and thick), then fill the well in each cupcake with this cherry filling.

Fluffy Ganache Topping

200g Dark Chocolate
½ Pint Double Cream
1 tablespoon of the Left over Kirsch
2 Tablespoons of Icing Sugar

1.Heat the cream in a heavy pan
2.Melt the chocolate in the microwave or bain marie.
3.Remove the cream from the heat and stir the molten chocolate into the hot cream.
4.Allow to cool a little, then add the liqueur and sugar.
5.I usually allow to cool to room temperature, then I whisk the Ganache to make it fluffy and lighter.
6.Refrigerate for an hour or so, then pipe onto your cupcakes. For the ones in the picture I used a Large Polycarbonate Star Nozzle.
Now all that is left to do is place the golden chocolate cherries onto your cupcakes. I finished each one with a drizzle of a little of the left over cherry filling syrup.

Pear, Ginger and Caramel Cupcakes

One of my favourite dishes from the 15th Century is whole pears stewed in spiced wine. A variation on this I love to make is stewing the pears in ginger wine. I have tried to recreate the flavours in a cupcake. The origional recipe is sweatened with honey, but here I used caramel to flavour the icing instead.

I was very pleased with the results. The pears take on a gently poached texture, and the ginger comes through as a gently warming flavour.

One thing to note is that these cupcakes will not have nice rounded tops as the fruit inside tends to make the rising slightly unevenly, but once they are iced you cannot tell.

This recipe makes 18-20 cupcakes.


Ingredients

Cake

1 1/2 - 2 woody pears
A little lemon juice 240g
Plain Flour 200g
Caster Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger 175g
Butter at room temperature
2 Large Eggs
10 Tablespoons of Sour Cream

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C

2. Peel, core and dice the pears into approximate 5mm cubes, sprinkle a little
lemon juice over them to stop browning and set aside.

3. Place all the other ingredients into your mixing bowl (sifting the dry
ingredients) and beat together until smooth and fluffy, this takes about five
minutes.

4. Now, using a spatula, gently fold in the diced pears.

5. Line a cupcake pan with paper cases, place 1 well heaped dessert spoon of mix
into each cupcake case.

6. Bake for around 20 - 25 mins, until a skewer stuck in comes out cleanly, and the
top springs back when pressed lightly. Lift out onto a rack to cool.

Icing

200g Caster Sugar
120ml Double (Heavy) Cream

90g Butter
230g Cream Cheese
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
175g Icing (Confectioners) Sugar

1. In a pan heat the caster sugar until molten and golden in colour, do this gently
and take care not to burn it.

2. Whisk in the cream gradually taking care not to splash and burn yourself.

3. Keep whisking until you have a smooth caramel mixture, then remove from the
heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

4. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth.

5. Now add 2/3 of the caramel to the bowl along with the vanilla and beat into
the cream cheese and butter.

6. Still beating, add the icing sugar a little at a time until it is all smoothly
combined.

7. Chill for 30 minutes before piping or spreading on your cupcakes.

8. Chill the iced cup cakes, then drizzle the caramel over them. If the caramel has become too
stiff, warm it slightly.

The Husband's Verdict:

"Very nice cake. Although the taste of the caramel was quite a lot stronger than the pear. Very good cake though. Mmmmm nom nom."