Week 43, November 23, 2014 ~ Almond Joy Hi Hats

This was one of the more technical cupcakes that I have done. Hi hats are made with a meringue frosting and then they are dipped in chocolate and then the chocolate shell hardens. I wanted to try it for a while and this seemed like the perfect cupcake for it--like the outside of a candy bar. So my take on an almond joy is my go to chocolate cupcake with a coconut filling, topped with a coconut meringue frosting dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with sliced almonds. The most challenging part of the cupcake is the frosting because you have to beat it on the stove at the right temperature, my frosting came out kind of gritty so I think the temperature was too low so the sugar didn't dissolve completely. Hence the importance of a candy thermometer.

This recipe makes 14-16 cupcakes

For the chocolate cake:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 ounces dark chocolate ( I used an 80%)

2 large eggs, room temp

2 large egg yolks, room temp

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup sour cream

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder--I use Hershey's Special Dark

1/2 cup brewed coffee, room temp

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool.
3. Beat butter and sugar until fully combined and looks like wet sand; add the melted chocolate once cooled and mix to combine.
4. Mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until just combined.
5. Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined.
6. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.
7. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture a little at a time until just combined.
8. Add the coffee and mix till combined.
9. Fill cupcake liners and bake with 18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Set aside on a wire rack and let cool.

For the coconut filling:

• 2 cups shredded coconut
• 1 cup cream of coconut

Combine the 2 ingredients and mix well and then fill each cooled cupcake with about a tbsp of filling.

For the frosting and coating:

• 1 3/4 cups sugar 
• 3 large egg whites 
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract 
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1.  In a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar, 1/4 cup water, egg whites, and cream of tartar. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 12 minutes; frosting should register 160 degrees.on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat; stir in coconut and almond extracts, and beat for 2 minutes more until frosting thickens.
2. Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain pastry tip. Leaving a 1/8-inch border on each cupcake, pipe a spiral of frosting into a 2-inch-high cone shape, using about 1/2 cup of frosting per cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet, and refrigerate while preparing the chocolate coating.

For the chocolate coating

• 2 cups chopped (about 12 ounces) semisweet chocolate 
• 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 1. Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and let cool about 15 minutes.
  2. Holding each cupcake by its bottom, dip cupcake in the chocolate to coat frosting, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Spoon more coating around edge of cupcake and any exposed frosting; none of the frosting should show. Let cupcakes stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
     
     

The frosting was adapted from Martha Stewart.com