Chocolate Hi-hats (cupcakes)

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 18
• 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons canola oil or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Recipe

• 1 cupcakes:.
• 2 heat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin with paper liners.
• 3 melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. allow to cool.
• 4 sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
• 5 in a different, larger bowl, beat together the butter and sugar for about 2 minute.
• 6 add the melted chocolate to the butter/sugar mixture, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, being sure to mix each one in separately.
• 7 stir in the vanilla, beat for 1 min until creamy.
• 8 now beat in the sour cream until no streaks are visible.
• 9 carefully add1/2 of the flour mixture, beating on low until just combined.
• 10 then beat in water and the remainder of the flour mixture until blended and smooth.
• 11 put ¼ c batter in each liner and flatten the tops. bake for 20 minute allow cakes to cool on a wire rack in the pan for 10 min before inverting the pan onto the rack to cook the cupcakes completely.
• 12 filling:.
• 13 place the sugar, water, egg whites and cream of tartar into the top of a large double boiler. do not heat the double boiler yet. beat on high speed for 1 min, until it is and foamy.
• 14 now heat the double boiler until the water in the bottom is just simmering, and beat the mixture on high for 7 min, until stiff peaks are formed.
• 15 take the top of the double boiler off of the heat and add the vanilla and almond extracts. continue beating for about 2 min to thicken. the filling will become firmer as it cools on the cakes.
• 16 pipe the filling in a 2 in tall spiral onto the top of the cakes (it should resemble a short ice cream cone), leaving 1/8 of an inch around the edge of the cake.
• 17 place the cakes in the refrigerator on a foil lined baking sheet until the coating is made.
• 18 coating:.
• 19 melt chocolate and oil together in a bowl, deep enough and wide enough to dip the cakes in one at a time, in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. allow to cool for 15 minutes.
• 20 dip the top of each cake into the coating, allowing the excess coating to drip off.
• 21 refrigerate the dipped cakes for 30 min to set the coating, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
• 22 serve cold.
• 23 can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.