Page 46 - Cupcakes

You will most likely prepare these special cupcakes for company, and I

would recommend them heartily! Make the ganache the day or night before,
cover with plastic wrap, and chill. For a bigger, bolder flavor prepare it with
Ghirardelli double chocolate baking chips, a bit less sweet than typical
semisweet chips. You can add 1 tablespoon crème de cacao to the ganache
to make it special, but this is easily omitted. Flavor these as you desire, by
adding almond extract instead of vanilla, for example.

5 Places to Savor a Cupcake

Cupcakes can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. Here are some of my favorite
places.

1. At the kitchen table, alone, late at night or in the morning, with a cup of
coffee or tea

2. On an airplane. Cupcakes are totable!

3. At a picnic in the park

4. At a bridal shower, wedding, or baby shower. Cupcakes look gorgeous in
white.

5. At a friend’s potluck. After umpteen casseroles, one delicious cupcake is
all you need.

4. Bake the cupcakes until the cake bakes up around the ganache, the tops are
domed, and the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 12
to 14 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks for
1 minute. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake cups, lift the

cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick
them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on dessert plates,
sift confectioners’ sugar over the top, spoon the crème anglaise in a pool around
each cupcake, and serve warm.