Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

This is an original recipe from Making Cupcakes with Lola's book, the only change I did is use 70% chocolate, instead of milk chocolate chips. I prefer much better puur chocolate. 

After my last trip to London and tasted their fresh cupcakes I knew I had to buy this fantastic book, full of goluptious recipes, even with some vegans and gluten-free recipes. Everytime I open the book is quite difficult to decide which flavour to make, but this time was easy, I had unsaltened pistachios and chocolate is always in my pantry.

Lola's is known for its amazing cupcakes and also its lovley cakes, unfortunatlly not included in its book. There are some stores around London, even in Harrods and Top Shop, I love to find out cupcakes in other places such as these, definitely cupcakes are a fashion icon! 

INGREDIENTS makes 12

115 g all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

100 g butter cubed and soft

170 g caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

40 ml light cream

110 g shelled unsalted pistachios

75 g chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180º and prepare the cupcake cases in the trail.

Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the sifted dry ingredients and cream in alternate batches and beat on low speed until combined. Fold in the ground pistachios and chocolate chips.

Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases and bake 25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let 5 minutes in the trail and let it cool after in a wire racke before decorating.

Chocolate Mousse Frosting

125 ml heavy cream

125 g chocolate finely chopped

125 g butter, cubed and soft

400 g icing sugar

1 tbs cocoa powder

finely chopped pistachios to decorate

Put the cream in a sauce pan over medium heat and heat until just strating to bubble around the edges.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and ganache is glossy. Let it cool in room temperature.

When ganache is in room temperature, put the butter ina mixing bowl. Beat with an electric han mixer until light and fluffy. Add the sugar, cocoa and ganache and beat on slow speed until combined, increase the speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes, or until light. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm enough to pipe.

Spread the frosting over the cupcakes and top with chopped pistachios.

This is an easy and delicious chocolate ganache also available to fill and cover cakes. The amount is more than enough to decorate 12 cupcakes, so you can divide the ingredients in 3/4 or you will have enough ganache to cover a huge cucpakes or do just like me, I've  finished it with an spoon!

XXX

Raquel