Gluten-Free Chocolate-Cardamom Cupcakes With Chocolate Buttercream, Spun Sugar Bird's Nests And Jewel-Encrusted Bird's Eggs
Serves: 4
Floy Nolan
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
65
Spice
51
Sweetness
61
Sourness
41
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.1
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1 cup
Water (boiling)1 cup
Sugar1 tbsp
Vanilla Extract2 tbsps
Cornstarch1 tsp
Baking Powder1 tsp
Baking Soda1 tsp
Salt1 cup
Buttermilk1 tsp
Cardamom Pods (crushed)1 cup
Heavy Cream1 cup
Corn SyrupDirections:
1
Special equipment: large whisk with 1-inch removed from end with wire cutters
2
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
3
Line mini cupcake pans with 48 mini cupcake liners
4
Melt the chocolate in the boiling water
5
In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy and stiff but not dry
6
Add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry
7
Set aside
8
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and vanilla on medium speed until fluffy
9
Add the egg yolks and beat well
10
Blend in the melted chocolate
11
Sift together the rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl
12
Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the chocolate mixture, beating after each addition until smooth
13
Fold in the Chocolate-Cardamom Ganache
14
Fold in the beaten whites
15
Fill the cupcake liners halfway and bake for 12 to 15 minutes
16
To assemble: When the cupcakes are cool to the touch, prepare a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip
17
Fill the bag with Chocolate Buttercream and pipe the tops of each mini cupcake, keeping the icing in low profile
18
Dust the top of the cupcakes with the cocoa powder
19
Place a Spun Sugar Bird's Nest on top of each cake
20
Carefully peel the Jewel-Encrusted Bird's Egg off the silicon mat
21
Place an egg inside each nest
22
Crush the cardamom in a spice grinder
23
Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl
24
Bring the cream and cardamom just to a simmer over medium-high heat; pour the mixture over the chocolate
25
Let stand, without stirring, until cool
26
Beginning near the center and working outward, stir the melted chocolate into the cream until the mixture is combined and smooth (do not over stir)
27
In a medium bowl, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes
28
Add the melted chocolate and beat until smooth
29
Add the vanilla extract and beat for 3 minutes
30
Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy and at desired consistency
31
Secure a long-handled wooden spoon under a heavy cutting board on the edge of counter, with the handle facing out and extending over the edge
32
Place newspaper on the floor directly under the cutting board
33
In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar and corn syrup and stir until the sugar has dissolved
34
Stop stirring
35
Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan
36
Cook until the mixture turns pale amber and registers 340 degrees F (hard-crack stage) on the candy thermometer
37
Dip the prepared whisk into the caramel
38
Holding the whisk about 2 feet above the spoon handle, swing the caramel back and forth like a pendulum in long arcs, allowing the strands to fall in threads over the handle
39
Let stand until ready to use
40
Gently gather the strands into a ball, shaping nests with your fingers, about 1-inch in diameter
41
Heat the white chocolate over a double boiler until melted
42
Remove from the heat
43
When the chocolate begins to cool, transfer it to a pastry bag and tie off the top of the bag using a twist tie
44
Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat
45
Cut a small slice off the end of the pastry bag (if the chocolate runs out to quickly let it sit a bit longer)
46
Draw an oval egg no bigger than 1/4-inch
47
As soon as you draw the shape, sprinkle it with an assortment of the crystal sugars, layering them on top and next to one another
48
(Make it easy by putting the sugars into small ramekins so you can easily get to the desired color
49
) Place the eggs in the fridge to set up for a few minutes