Posted on Friday, 28th May 2010 by Grace
I always know when summer has arrived, the pool parties begin, sleep-overs, the doorbell rings non-stop, late nights by the fire pit and lots and lots of Cupcakes. Weekends are always busy, the grill is going non-stop and the house is full of treats to be enjoyed by the pool.
Matt is entertaining friends this evening and since he’s not too crazy about citrus treats (I made Lemon Tassies yesterday) I thought I would make a little something different for him and his friends. When I was on the hunt for the perfect gourmet cupcake I noticed this recipe for Candied-Hazelnut Cupcakes. They looked absolutely fantastic and I knew the kids would get a kick out of them.
They take a bit of extra effort and the candied hazelnuts are a little messy, but the end result is so worth it. The cupcakes are very moist and light with just a little crunch from the nuts. The frosting is a deep, dark colour with a glossy finish and it spreads beautifully and tastes amazing.
If you’d like an extra special treat for your next get together these are perfect and will definitely impress your guests!
Candied-Hazelnut Cupcakes
- Almond-Hazelnut Cupcakes
- Dark Chocolate Frosting
- Caramel-Dipped Hazelnuts
Almond-Hazelnut Cupcakes
(from Martha Stewart, Cupcakes)
Makes 16
- 1/2 cup whole unblanched almonds, toasted
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup milk
- 4 large egg whites
- Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350° F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. In a food processor, pulse together almonds and hazelnuts until finely ground (do not over-process, or the nuts will turn into a paste). Into a mixing bowl, sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the ground nuts.
- With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating well after each.
- In another mixing bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. In two additions, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
- Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
- Using an offset spatula, spread frosting over each cupcake. Top with caramel-dipped hazelnuts just before serving.
Dark-Chocolate Frosting
(from Martha Stewart, Cupcakes)
Makes about 5 cups
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
- 2 1/4 cups ( 4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 pounds best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- Combine cocoa and the boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved.
- With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to low. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Beat in the cocoa mixture. If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen up to 1 month, in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again.
Caramel-Dipped Hazelnuts
(from Martha Stewart, Cupcakes)
Makes enough for 24 cupcakes
- 24 hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
- 3 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- Gently insert pointed end of a long wooden skewer into the side of each hazelnut. Place a cutting board along the edge of a counter-top; place newspaper on the floor, directly under the cutting board.
- Prepare an ice-water bath. Heat sugar and the water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear. Stop stirring; cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Continue to boil, gently swirling occasionally, until medium amber. Plunge pan into ice bath to stop the cooking; let stand until thickened, about 10 minutes. (To test: Dip a skewer in caramel and lift a few inches; if a thick drip slowly forms and holds a string, the caramel is ready.)
- Dip a skewered hazelnut into caramel, letting excess drip back into pan. When dripping syrup becomes a thin string, secure opposite end of skewer under cutting board. Repeat with remaining hazelnuts. (If caramel hardens before all hazelnuts have been dipped, re-warm it over low heat.) Let stand until caramel string has hardened, about 5 minutes; break each string to desired length. Carefully remove skewers. Candied hazelnuts should be used the same day; store, uncovered, at room temperature until ready to serve cupcakes.
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Tags: after school treat, afternoon tea, almond, cake, cakes, chocolate, chocolate icing, cupcake decorations, cupcakes, dessert, desserts, food photography, food photos, frosting, gourmet cupcakes, hazelnut, icing, individual desserts, Martha Stewart recipes, mini cakes, mini desserts
Posted in Baking & Pastry, Baking Mise en Place, Fillings, Frostings & Dessert Sauces, Pastry Doughs & Batter, Recipes
Comments (14)
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May 29th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
The candied hazelnuts make those cupcakes real lookers! I love the gold wrappers as well, great contrast.
May 29th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Thank you Katerina
May 29th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
These are beautiful! I love candying hazelnuts – it’s so fun!
May 31st, 2010 at 10:42 am
Wow – spectacular pics. These look almost too pretty to eat. Emphasis on the “almost.”
May 31st, 2010 at 10:45 am
Marly I doubled the batch for Matt’s get together and I reserved some without icing them, thinking maybe I made too many, wrong, the kids got into them and ate them and loved them even without the frosting. It was too funny!
May 31st, 2010 at 10:47 am
I am so proud of Liana, for just starting out in food photography I think she is doing such an amazing job. I am such a proud Mom.
May 31st, 2010 at 11:29 am
[...] get together went really well and the Candied-Hazelnut Cupcakes didn’t last very long, they were gone in a blink of an eye. They were a [...]
July 7th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
[...] Dark Chocolate Frosting [...]
December 19th, 2010 at 10:09 am
[...] Enjoy some of our other favourite Gourmet Cupcakes – Deep-Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes, Black Forest Cupcakes and Candied-Hazelnut Cupcakes. [...]
January 4th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
I love your site!
Love reading your stories and the inspiring photography. Glad I found you while looking for Salted Caramel recipes
January 5th, 2011 at 4:55 am
Thank you Nel!
October 25th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
[...] by BS on October 25 2011 in Desserts, PhotosA candied hazelnut cupcake swordfight, via La Mia Vita Dolce.PS: In case you missed it, you can find 100 ways to cook hazelnuts here.//LinkWithinCodeStart var [...]
April 2nd, 2012 at 6:19 pm
So, I tried making these and it was disasterous! Mainly the hazlenuts. I tried and tried for hours to get the sugar to the right consistency, but it would either be too runny and not form a peak, or it would start to dry out and clump up. Any suggestions? They look so beautiful when you make them!
April 5th, 2012 at 6:53 am
Emily when making caramel there are a few things you can do to help ensure a great consistency – 1. Once the sugar has dissolved stop stirring, very important (to help prevent crystallization) 2. It’s very important to wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water again, to prevent crystallization. 3.If you have liquid glucose substitute 1 to 2 tablespoons of the sugar (helps to prevent crystallization), you could also use corn syrup (light if you have it). 4. If you have a thermometer attach to the side of the saucepan and bring the caramel to between 330 to 335 degrees F watching it carefully so it doesn’t burn. 5. Also very important although you should stop stirring once the sugar is dissolved you should swirl the pan over the burner occasionally and then wash down the sides with the pastry brush dipped in water. After immersing the pan in an ice bath watch the caramel carefully, testing occasionally until you get the thicker consistency but be patient too because it could take up to 10 minutes to thicken. Having said this, it can take mere seconds for the consistency to become too thick. If it does become to thick gently reheat over low heat. I hope you’ll give them another go because the hazelnuts are great for decorating another desserts. Let me know if you have any other questions.