DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

yield: 12 cupcakes prep time: 30 minutes (active), 45 minutes (inactive) cook time: 1820 minutes total time: 50 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
For the Cupcakes:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
cup (1.5 ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
cup (3.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
cup (5.25 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
teaspoon table salt
cup (4 ounces) sour cream
For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
teaspoon vanilla extract
teaspoon kosher salt
cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS:
1. To make the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. (If you
are using a non-stick muffin pan, heat the oven to 325 degrees F.) Line standard-size muffin pan with baking
cup liners.
2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing
barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and
combined. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until
completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add
cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate
mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture
over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.
5. Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes
out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift
each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30
minutes.
7. To make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in
the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy,
scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the
mixture is light and smooth.

BROWNIE MOSAIC CHEESECAKE

yield: 12 to 16 servings prep time: 1 hour 15 minutes cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes total time: 2 hours 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
For the Brownies:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
For the Crumb Crust:
1 cups or 5 ounces (3 cups or 10 ounces to double) finely ground Oreos, or other chocolate cookie
5 tablespoons (10 tablespoons to double) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup (2/3 cup to double) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspooon ( teaspoon to double) salt
For the Cheesecake:
3 (8-oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Ganache Glaze:
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons ( stick) unsalted butter
cup heavy cream
teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
1. To make the Brownies: Preheat oven to 350F. Line 139-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan.
Grease foil.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is
completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix well. Spread into prepared pan.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minute or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire
rack. Remove brownies from pan, using foil handles.
4. Cool brownies, then cut them into 3/4- to 1-inch squares for use in the cheesecake (I used a pizza cutter, per Deb's
recommendation). You will have more than the two cups of cubes, loosely measured, than you will need, and I'm sorry, you're just
going to have to decide for yourself what to do with the extra. Add cubes to cake batter as directed below.
5. To make the Crumb Crust: Stir together the Crumb Crust ingredients and press into bottom and 1 inch up side of a buttered 10"
springform pan. Fill right away or chill for up to 2 hours.
6. To make the Cheesecake: Preheat oven to 350F.
7. Beat together cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed
until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions.
8. Fold brownie cubes in very gently and pour mixture into prepared pan. Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan.
Pour filling into crust and bake in baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until cake is set 3 inches from edge
but center is still slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken.
9. When completely cool, top with following glaze.
10. To make the Ganache Glaze: Place finely chopped chocolate in a medium size mixing bowl. Scald the butter and cream together
in a saucepan (or in the microwave on HIGH for 1 minute). Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is
completely melted. Whisk in vanilla and then whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cheesecake while ganache is still
warm. Chill until ready to serve.