Bordeaux Cupcakes

The folks at See's Candies contacted me a while back asking if I wanted to create a dish inspired by one of their chocolate confections. I jumped at the chance- not only because it meant free candy, but because it meant See's Candy. I grew up in San Francisco, and remeber their stores from my childhood. I would go into their store on Irving St with my friend Teresa. They gave free samples, and all the women who worked there dressed in a white uniform. I remember the bordeauxs- a rich, brown sugar fondant enrobed in milk or dark chocolate. You can get some See's products out here on the East Coast, but not their chocolates. (their lollipops are great though). After tasting the bordeaux again, I decided to highlight the brown sugar in the center.

I devised these Bordeaux Cupcakes- a brown sugar cupcake frosted with dark chocolate buttercream and topped with chocolate vermicelli, just like the candy. I made them mini, so they're bite sized, just like the candy!

• Brown Sugar Cupcakes
• 
  
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare cupcake tins as directed as directed in the recipe you are following.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

3. In a separate, larger bowl, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar, creaming until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat well after each addition.

5. In a small bowl, combine the milk and vanilla.

6. To the butter mixture, add about one quarter of the flour mixture and mix well. Add about one quarter of the milk mixture and mix well. Continue alternating the flour mixture and milk mixture, beating after each addition until smooth.

7. Pour the batter into the cupcake tins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched.

8. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn the cupcakes out of the tins and onto a rack to finish cooling completely.

Dark Chocolate Buttercream:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)

2 tablespoons milk

2 oz melted bittersweet chocolate, best quality

Makes: About 3 cups of icing

Basically you put everything but the chocolate in a mixer, beat for a couple minutes till combines, add melted chocolate and more milk if necessary. This makes an icing excellent for piping.