cupcakes: {chocolate} Almond Kisses | pretty paper. true stories. {and scrapbooking classes with cupcakes.}

this week: buying real furniture (as in not out of the ikea catalogue), surprise {un}birthday parties and excellent electrical storms. life is good.

so is this recipe from chocolate & zucchini. if you have never made this, you must. it is super easy and super yummy with the most amazing melty texture. fabulous.

but i also have a penchant for almond slants on things. for months i could not find any real almond extract and the artificial stuff tastes of more chemicals than a neon pink bottle of panda pop. but bless williams-sonoma. they had the real stuff, and i have been waiting to open it. so patiently.

{seriously, it is a wonderful thing there is no williams-sonoma near me. i only have a small kitchen, after all.}

Chocolate Almond Kisses

Ingredients:
200g unsalted butter
250g dark chocolate
200g sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Heat the oven to 180C. Line cupcake tray with liners. These are mini sized.
Melt chocolate and butter in a glass bowl over a saucepan of hot (but not boiling) water. Keep stirring while melting.
Remove from heat and saucepan and add the sugar. Just stir it in—no need for a mixer or a whisk.
Let cool until not hot to the touch.
Stir in the almond extract.
Add eggs one by one.
Add flour and stir until the texture is even.
Fill liners just over 1/2 full.
Bake for about 12 minutes (mini), 18 (regular) or 25 (giant).
Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.
Once cool, place in the fridge over night. Remove an hour or two before serving, and add icing.

I’ve used two different icings on these—double cream whipped up with almond extract and icing sugar or buttercream with almond extract added. Today we had pink buttercream with a few sparkly sprinkles. But these pictures were prettiest.

Love that there’s no need to use the mixer for these and the melty factor adds a punch of almond. Eeeee.

xlovesx

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14 September 2006

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