Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cupcakes
Description
These are rich chocolate cupcakes on a pretzel crust topped with peanut butter buttercream, chocolate ganache that is drizzled with a chocolate ganache and then garnished with a chocolate dipped pretzel.
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust:
3 c. salted pretzel sticks
1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted
2 T. brown sugar
Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 c. unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. brewed coffee
1 T. espresso powder
1 T. vanilla
3/4 c. cocoa powder
1/3 c. sour cream
1/3 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
Peanut Butter Buttercream:
2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/3 c. creamy peanut butter
6 c. powdered sugar
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 t. salt
Chocolate Ganache:
5 oz. 50% cocao Lindt chocolate (or any semi-sweet baking chocolate)
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream
1 T. unsalted butter
1 t. vanilla
Chocolate Covered Pretzels (for garnish)
1 bag large thin pretzels
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
Directions
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Pretzel Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake/muffin pan with liners.
Using a food processor, pulse the pretzels into small chunks. Add the melted butter and brown sugar; process on high until combined and the pretzels are in small crumbs.
Press 1 T. pretzel crust into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Bake for 10 minutes.
Chocolate Cupcakes:
In a medium saucepan, melt butter; add coffee, espresso powder, cocoa powder and vanilla; whisk until combined; set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, sift together sugar, flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, buttermilk and eggs; SLOWLY add a few tablespoons of the chocolate mixture to the sour cream mixture; wisk to combine. In a slow stream, whisk in the remaining chocolate mixture until combined completely.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; pour in wet; using a whisk, stir until no more lumps remain.
Scoop batter over the pretzel crust until 3/4 full. Bake 17-19 minutes.
Allow to cool in pans before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Peanut Butter Buttercream:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together peanut butter and butter for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl several times. Add powdered sugar; mix on medium until combined. Add salt and heavy cream; mix until smooth. Beat on high for 1-2 minutes or until fluffy and color has lightened.
Chocolate Ganache:
Chop chocolate into very small pieces; place in a glass bowl.
On medium-high heat, bring heavy cream to a simmer.
Immediately pour cream over chopped chocolate; let sit for 30-60 seconds; stir gently until all chocolate has melted. Add butter and vanilla; stir until combined.
Chocolate Covered Pretzels:
Dip half of each pretzel into the melted chocolate; place on wax paper to harden.
Assembly:
Using a large round star tip, pipe swirls of buttercream onto each cupcake; drizzle 1 T. chocolate ganache over the buttercream. Gently press a chocolate covered pretzel into the buttercream. Add a small dollop of buttercream at the base of the pretzel to help hold it in place.
Makes 3 dozen cupcakes.