Trick or treat! When moist chocolate batter meets fragrant autumn spices, a very special treat is guaranteed. But the real surprise is hidden inside each cupcake: a Dubai Style Chocolate Truffle that delivers a delicious surprise with the very first bite. On top, a light mascarpone cream, crunchy pistachio brittle chocolate and small moulded chocolate frogs turn every cupcake into a spooky-cute showstopper. A magical treat for cosy autumn days and your next Halloween party!
Recipe for approx. 12 cupcakes
Baking time: 18–20 minutes
Baking temperature: 175 °C top/bottom heat
Extra: several hours chilling time for the chocolate frogs
Ingredients for the chocolate batter:
150 g flour
35 g baking cocoa
120 g brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 pinch nutmeg
1 egg (size M)
100 ml milk
80 ml neutral vegetable oil
100 ml hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 Dubai Style Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients for the chocolate frogs:
375 g Costa Rica 75 % single-origin chocolate (3 bars)
1 tsp rapeseed or coconut oil
Ingredients for the cream:
250 g mascarpone
150 g plain cream cheese
80 g icing sugar
a little orange food colouring
Ingredients for decoration:
50 g pistachio brittle chocolate
optional: a little edible gold powder
Method for the chocolate frogs:
- Chop the single-origin chocolate and, together with the oil, slowly melt in a heatproof bowl over a warm water bath. Make sure no water gets into the chocolate.
- Pour the melted chocolate into a silicone mould for chocolate frogs. If necessary, gently tap the mould on the worktop so the chocolate spreads evenly.
- Place the chocolate frogs in the fridge for several hours until the chocolate has completely set.
- Then carefully remove from the mould and keep cool until decorating.
Method for the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 175 °C top/bottom heat and line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.
- Mix the flour, baking cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices in a bowl.
- In a second bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, milk, oil and vanilla extract.
- Briefly stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Then add the hot water and mix everything into a smooth, fairly runny chocolate batter. Do not overmix so the cupcakes stay nice and light.
- Distribute half of the batter evenly among the 12 cases. Place one Dubai Style Chocolate Truffle in the centre of each and cover completely with the remaining batter.
- Bake the cupcakes for 18–20 minutes. Use the skewer test to check whether the batter is cooked through. Then remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
Method for the cream and decoration:
- Mix the mascarpone and cream cheese together. Add the icing sugar and beat everything into a smooth, stable cream.
- For an especially autumnal Halloween look, mix a little orange food colouring into the cream.
- Spread the cream generously and rustically over the cooled cupcakes using a palette knife.
- Place a chocolate frog on top of each cupcake and press down lightly.
- Finely chop the pistachio brittle chocolate and sprinkle over the cream.
Tip:
The chocolate frogs can be made the day before so they have enough time to set.
For a particularly atmospheric Halloween look, tint the cream a bold orange and decorate the chocolate frogs with a touch of gold powder. This turns the cupcakes into a little work of art visually as well.
Recipe and photos by Jasmin (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sahnewoelkchen_/)
