Louisiana_Cookin_-_November_-_December_2019

Louisiana Cookin’ | November/December 2019 66

MINI CHOCOLATE-
PEPPERMINT CAKES
MAKES 8

With Peppermint Buttercream and
chocolate ganache, these mini cakes
are totally decadent.

⅔ cup hot water
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup whole buttermilk
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted
butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup fi rmly packed light brown
sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1⅓ cups all-purpose fl our
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Peppermint Buttercream (recipe
follows)
Ganache (recipe follows)
Garnish: crushed peppermints

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a
   rimmed half sheet pan with cooking
   spray. Line bottom of pan with
   parchment paper.


2. In a small bowl, whisk together
   ⅔ cup hot water, cocoa, and
   buttermilk. Let cool slightly.


3. In a large bowl, beat butter and
   sugars with a mixer at medium speed
   until fl uff y, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping
   to scrape sides of bowl. Add egg and
   egg yolk, beating until well combined.
   Beat in vanilla.


4. In a medium bowl, whisk together
   fl our, baking powder, baking soda,
   and salt. With mixer on low speed,
   gradually add fl our mixture to butter
   mixture alternately with cocoa
   mixture, beginning and ending with
   fl our mixture, beating just until
   combined after each addition. Spread
   batter into prepared pan.


5. Bake until a wooden pick inserted
   in center comes out clean, 12 to
   16 minutes. Let cool completely in
   pan. Freeze in pan until fi rm, 30 to
   45 minutes. (This ensures the rounds
   will have cleaner edges when cut.)


6. Using a 2½-inch round cutter, cut
   24 rounds, cleaning crumbs off cutter
   as you go.
   7. Place Peppermint Buttercream
   in a piping bag fi tted with an open
   star tip (Wilton 1M). Pipe a layer
   of buttercream on top of a round.
   Repeat layers twice, ending with a
   fi nal layer of buttercream. Repeat
   with remaining cake rounds and
   buttercream. Refrigerate until
   set, 20 to 30 minutes. Top with
   Ganache, and garnish with crushed
   peppermints, if desired.

PEPPERMINT BUTTERCREAM

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 pound confectioners’ sugar

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and
   salt with a mixer at low speed until
   smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar,

1 cup at a time, alternately with

cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating

until combined. Increase mixer speed

to medium, and beat until smooth

and fl uff y, 2 to 3 minutes. Add

peppermint extract, and beat until

combined. Use immediately.

GANACHE

MAKES ABOUT ¾ CUP

⅓ cup chopped baking chocolate

(about 2 ounces)

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1. Place chocolate in a medium
   heatproof bowl.


2. In a small saucepan, bring cream to
   a boil over medium heat. Pour half of
   hot cream over chocolate. Let stand
   for 10 seconds; stir until chocolate
   is melted. Pour remaining hot cream
   over melted chocolate, and stir to
   combine. Let cool slightly.