Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

In my humble opinion, you can't have a cupcake book without including this recipe. These little gems are best served hot, topped with a scoop of ice cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder. They're a little runny in the center like a molten chocolate cake.

Muffin pan, lined with foil liners

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped, 175 g
2/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces, 150 mL
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup granulated sugar, 150 mL
2 tablespoons almond meal (see Tips), 25 mL
1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted, 15 mL

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Microwave, uncovered, on High for 60 to 80 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until butter is melted and chocolate is soft. Stir until smooth and chocolate is melted. Set aside and let cool slightly.

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs, egg yolks and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until thick, pale and consistency of soft whipped cream.

Fold half of the chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Fold in remaining chocolate mixture. In a small bowl, combine almond meal and cocoa powder. Sift dry ingredients over top of batter and gently fold in until incorporated.

Scoop batter into prepared pan and place on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until tops of cupcakes are just puffed up. Let cool in pan on rack for 3 minutes. Serve the cupcakes directly in the foil liners placed on individual plates with a spoon for easy scooping.

Tips:
Make sure to serve these cupcakes immediately, as they are best served hot.

To make almond meal: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, finely grind about 2/3 cup (150 mL) unsalted whole blanched or unblanched raw almonds. Do not overprocess or you will wind up with almond butter.

Variation:
For a less sweet version, decrease the sugar to 1/2 cup (125 mL).

Buy the Book!

from:
125 Best Cupcake Recipes
by Julie Hasson
Robert Rose
Photographs by Mark T. Shapiro
16 pages of colour photographs
Paperback, $19.95 CAN/$18.95 U.S
ISBN: 0-7788-0112-8
Recipe reprinted by permission.