Monday, August 31, 2009

Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes

I don't know if you've noticed or not, but I'm really obsessed with hazelnuts and Ferrero Rocher chocolates. I've put them in brownies, in cheesecakes, you name it. Surprisingly, I haven't tried them in cupcakes... until now. Can we bask in the beauty of these things?! Let's allow a good 5 seconds of pure unadulterated viewing. Ok, now that that is over with... how could these not be good? If you love chocolate (check!) and if you love hazelnuts (check!), then this is for you!!


Nutella and dark chocolate wafers waiting to be stuffed into cake:

Filling them turned out easier than I had thought:

All stuffed, filled and ready to be bathed in yummy ganache:


Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes
Yields: about 24 cupcakes
Original recipe from 6 Bittersweets, which can be found here.


For the cupcakes:
1/2 cup boiling water
6 tbsn. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup yogurt, not too thick
1/3 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsn. hazelnut extract
1/2 tsp. molasses
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 + 1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

For the chocolate hazelnut ganache:
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 ox. semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1 tbsn. light corn syrup
1 tsp. hazelnut extract
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted then chopped fine

Ferrero Rocher (for decoration)
Nutella (for filling)
Hazelnut wafer cookies, cut into small chunks (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, whisk the boiling water into cocoa until smooth and whisk in the yogurt, molasses, vanilla and hazelnut extracts. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 - 3 minutes and beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Into another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the egg mixture in batches alternately with the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat well after each addition. Fill each wrapper about 1/2 way since they will rise a lot. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

If desired, cut a cone into the cupcake and fill the hole with a tsp. of Nutella. If using, place a couple of chopped hazelnut wafer cookies into the center then place the top back on and push slightly to secure.

For the ganache, heat the cream on the stove until it boils. Pour over the chocolate and stir to melt, adding the corn syrup and hazelnut extract. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts. Once it has cooled and thickened slightly, use a spoon to spread over the tops of the cupcakes. Top with half of a Ferrero Rocher and enjoy!

The final result, topped with a real Ferrero Rocher chocolate:
YUMMM! Can ya see the filling?!?! Can ya, can ya??!?!

21 comments:

  1. Those are just amazing.. like a piece of true chocolate hazelnut heaven! yum!

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  2. I love the chocolate / hazelnut combo probably better than PB & chocolate. These look so adorable! And delicious!

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  3. Oh ambassador you are really spoiling us!

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  4. I can't wait to make these myself. They look absolutely mouth-watering.

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  5. Glad these turned out & love your photos! Don't be surprised if you win a few fans with these. A friend of a friend even asked to buy a dozen :).

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  6. These look fantastic and so sinful! I love how crispy Ferrero Rocher candies are.

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  7. I might just have to make these today, they look absolutely delicious!

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  8. Karolyn my children's sitter would TOTALLY love these! She loves chocolate. Through some hazelnuts in it and she's over the moon. I'm thinking she needs some a few of these to keep her happy!
    ~ingrid

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  9. Where did you buy the hazelnut extract?

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  10. Hi. I just made these over the weekend and I have to let you know you that you list yogurt as an ingredient but it's nowhere to be found in the instructions. This is what you have listed: "whisk in the milk, molasses, vanilla and hazelnut extracts." I saw milk mentioned and wound up going to the original recipe. You also have baking powder listed but in your instructions you have combining flour with baking soda. I'm surprised no one else commented about these mistakes. - Liz

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  11. Thanks Liz. Everything is fixed :)

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  12. Hi There, This is looking absolutely delightful. Loved the new combo of ingredients and the recipe is so nicely made and presented. Saving this recipe of urs and wud love to give ur version a try on the coming weekend. Have a great day….Sonia !!!

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  13. Hello - I have the same question as posted above but didn't see the answer, where can I find hazelnut extract? Can I substitute Kahlua liqueur (coffee liqueur)?

    Thanks,
    Ruby

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  14. Hi RA!

    Sorry I never answered that question, but hazelnut extract is pretty hard to find - I buy it online such as from Amazon.com and stuff. But you can definitely substitute Kahlua but Frangelico would probably work better since it's Hazelnut flavored! Hope that works :)

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  15. I'm confused. You say to cut a cone and put Nutella in the centers, but in your picture, you've cut a cone and put the wafer cookies in the center. And I find absolutely no mention in the recipe of the wafer cookies...

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    1. Anonymous: I actually put a dollop of nutella in the center, then topped it with some cut up wafers. The wafers weren't in the original recipe so I must have forgot to add them in the post, but it is adjusted now.

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  16. are these mini or regular sized cupcakes?

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  17. is the yogurt supposed to be natural? or vanilla flavored?

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