Mint For Each Other

Have you ever been strolling through the grocery store and suddenly been inspired by an ingredient you spot? That is exactly what happened to me the other day. I was on the isle that I refer to as "the baking isle." You know, the one with all the sugar, flour, spices, nuts, and chocolate. It's probably the isle I frequent the most. Anyway, I spotted an item I had never seen before and it sparked a cupcake idea in my head. It was a bag of Andes mint bits. Then and there I decided I needed to make a chocolate mint cupcake. I have also been reading a lot about the ever popular Hi-Hat Cupcakes, so I decided to make mint chocolate hi-hats. Or my version of them. I started by making a basic chocolate cupcake recipe from my absolute favorite cake book Williams Sonoma Cake.

Chocolate Cupcakes

ingredients:

1 3/4 cups unbleached AP flour

teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temp

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temp

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temp, lightly beaten

about 4 or 5 ounces of Andes chocolate mint bits

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper and set aside. In a bowl, whisk the cocoa powder into the hot water. Let cool to lukewarm, then whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer, beat the butter with the paddle on medium speed until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Slowly drizzle in the eggs, beating each addition until incorporated before continuing. Reduce the speed to

medium-low and add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined. Remove mixing bowl from mixer and fold in the Andes chocolate mint bits.

Scoop into 24 cupcake liners and bake at 350 until a toothpick comes out clean.

I wanted to make these cupcakes extra special with two kinds of icing so I began with a classic buttercream icing with a few added touches.

Mint Buttercream Icing:

1 cup solid white vegetable shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon mint extract

2 tablespoons milk

3 or 4 drops of green food coloring

1 lb confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon meringue powder

pinch of salt

Cream together shortening, flavorings, coloring, and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together and creamy.

Pipe onto cupcakes with a Large star tip or whatever design you like to form a cone or

"bee-hive" shape.

Then, make the mint chocolate ganache to dip the buttercream in. I used a mixture of andes mint bits and dark chocolate chips to make the ganache, but you could use all dark chocolate and add a bit of mint extract if you would prefer. This might take away from the "Andes" flavor though.

Mint Chocolate Ganache:

4 ounces Andes mint bits

4 ounces dark chocolate chips (bittersweet)

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in metal bowl and place over a sauce pan of simmering water making sure that the bowl is not directly touching the water. When cool dip the cupcakes topped with buttercream upside down into the chocolate. Let chocolate run off until dripping stops and turn right side over; set aside to dry. If the icing is thin repeat this process a second time.

When all is said and done, you will be left with delightful treats. Although they are in the form of a light and fluffy cupcake, they taste just like and Andes mint. I wish I was not on a crazy diet so I could devour them all!!!