german chocolate cupcakes

german chocolate cupcakes
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

devil's cake recipe from tartine cookbook
coconut with hazelnut & macadamia nut filling from martha stewart
ganache chocolate from martha stewart

maybe i've been cooking for so long that i have a knack for winging it, but baking is hard. the weekend before last, my stitch n' bitch group communed for a little pic-a-knit. in addition to my enthusiasm, i brought homemade from my new fancy mixer that won't fit on the counter german chocolate cupcakes.

i found a devil's cake recipe that appeared to have the rich chocolate-y-ness i was looking for to go with recipes for coconut filling & ganache chocolate from martha stewart. wtih some inspiration from a vegan recipe, i substituted hazelnuts & macadamia nuts for pecans (i much prefer the former). the filling and ganache turned out great, but some of the cupcakes were a little overcooked and dry. i did take them out earlier than the time for the cake recipe, figuring that the cupcakes would bake faster, but i think i should have taken them out even earlier. l guess the ganache distracted the knitsibs enough such that they didn't notice the dry cake or maybe i'm just being neurotic.

i have to say that for a name like ganache, it is surprisingly easy to make. mike becomes physically distraught when i say ganache as it sounds too pretentious or something. i have nothing against ganache, especially eating it. besides, it rhymes with panache which is a fabulous word. he doesn't like the word cabachon either. i'd rather say cabochon than "a precious stone of convex hemispherical or oval form, polished but not cut into facets."