Chocolate Cupcakes with Candied Pink Peppercorns

I developed this recipe for a Chocolate Adventure Contest using Scharffen Berger Chocolate. These cupcakes are moist and tender and not overly sweet so the true essence of the chocolate really shines through. Candied whole pink peppercorns stud the tops of each cupcake like little jewels and they almost pop when bitten. Then slowly, the exotic perfume and floral flavors from the peppercorns bloom on the palate and balance perfectly against the chocolate ganache and cake which is purposefully not too sweet, so the full character of the chocolate can be enjoyed. The flavors truly bloom against the chocolate ganache frosting and don't have nearly as lovely an effect with a vanilla buttercream, so go for the chocolate-chocolate combination.

Makes 16 standard-sized cupcakes

Ingredients for the candied peppercorns

¼ cup water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons whole pink peppercorns

Ingredients for the cupcakes

¾ cup boiled water
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon espresso powder
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (6.25 ounces)
½ teaspoon ground pink peppercorns
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk from a large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream

Ingredients for the ganache frosting

1 cup half & half
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

To make the candied pink peppercorns
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a sheet pan with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Combine the water, sugar and corn syrup in a small sauce pan and heat over medium heat while stirring until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil for one minute. Remove from heat.

Place 2 tablespoons of whole pink peppercorns on a lined sheet pan and pour the sugar syrup over them, stirring to coat. Bake in the oven for 4 minutes then remove the pan and stir the peppercorns to recoat with the syrup. Return pan to the oven for another 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and working with toothpicks, yakitori sticks, or chopsticks, begin separating the peppercorns from each other, spreading them out over the sheet pan. Once the sugar begins to set up and separating becomes difficult, return the pan for another 4 minutes in the oven. Repeat the separating step working to separate the peppercorns from each other. At this point return the pan to the oven just long enough to heat the peppercorns enough so the sugar syrup softens to enable more separating. They get a bit clingy, so be patient and it is not necessary to get each peppercorn completely freed from the others. Once most of the peppercorns are spread out, or at least in a single layer let them cool and continue to work them apart, snapping any chains apart with your fingers once they are cool enough to handle.

Some peppercorns will break when handled or be in clumps that won't come apart. Save these imperfect looking peppercorns to grind for use in the cupcake recipe or other recipes that would benefit from a touch of slightly sweetened pink peppercorns.

To make the cupcakes
Set oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Either grease cupcake pan or line the pan with cupcake papers, and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup boiled water with the cocoa powder and espresso powder and whisk until well combined and smooth. Set aside to cool. Using a double boiler or microwave, gently melt the bittersweet chocolate and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, ground pink peppercorns, salt, baking powder and baking soda and stir to combine. Then sift the ingredients and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter for 1-2 minutes then begin adding the sugar slowly one tablespoon at a time with the mixer running. Stop and scrape down the bowl halfway through adding the sugar. Once all of the sugar is in continue to cream the butter for an additional 2 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy, if not, let the mixer run on high for another few minutes.

Add the egg yolk to the butter mixture and beat for one full minute, then add the egg and beat for an additional minute. The mixture should begin to gain volume and look very light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure all the ingredients are well mixed.  Add the vanilla and beat for one more minute, then add the cooled melted bittersweet chocolate and beat until well combined.

With the mixer on the lowest speed, add half of the dry ingredients and once mixed in add the sour cream. Add the remaining dry ingredients and just as it is mixed in add the water-cocoa powder mixture and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula, scrape the side walls and hand mix a few times to ensure all the ingredients are evenly combined.

Portion the batter into the prepared cupcake pan filling each cupcake about 2/3 full.

A kitchen scale can be helpful to ensure each cupcake is the same size by placing the pan on the scale and using the "tare" function to clear the weight after scooping each cupcake. For a standard cupcake pan 1.9 ounces makes a nice sized cupcake.

Bake for 18-20 minutes. The cupcakes should be nicely domed with small cracks beginning to appear on the tops. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 2-3 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack.

Once completely cool, frost with the ganache frosting and decorate each top with 6-8 candied pink peppercorns.

To make the ganache frosting
Place the finely chopped semisweet chocolate in the bowl of an electric mixer. In a small saucepan, heat the half & half and corn syrup to just below the boiling point and then remove it from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a minute then with a hand whisk, begin whisking in the center of the bowl slowly moving out whisking in larger circles as the ganache in the center of the bowl begins to come together into a smooth shiny mixture. Once the mixture is a smooth consistency, whisk in the butter one piece at a time. Let the ganache sit at room temperature to cool, stirring occasionally. Once it has cooled and thickened to the consistency of thick pudding, beat the ganache with the electric mixer, preferably with a whisk attachment, until it lightens in color and increases in volume, about 2-3 minutes. It is best to frost the cupcakes right after whipping the ganache.