St. Pat’s Chocolate Mint Chip Cupcakes

Deep, rich chocolate cake and creamy (green) mint butter cream frosting topped with Belgium chocolate shavings.

1 cup GF flour blend
½ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
¾ t. baking soda
¼ t. baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ cup butter, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
½ cup buttermilk
½ t. GF vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups GF powdered sugar

8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup (one half of a stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 t. GF peppermint extract

2 drops of green food coloring

Garnish: chocolate shavings

Preheat over to 350˚F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

Thoroughly combine dry ingredients for cupcakes. In a larger bowl, cream butter and sugar, then beat in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla, using an electric mixer. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake 15- 20 minutes until test toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Blend together frosting ingredients. Allow to chill to firm up. Pour into a pastry piping tool with star tip. Frost as shown in photo and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

Makes: Twelve cupcakes.

For more recipes, check out my cookbook: "Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free and Wheat Free Cooking. It is available at:   

http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org

http://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Cooking-Collection-Celiacs-Sensitive/dp/0615305709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282852260&sr=1-

Peppermint Candy Chocolate Truffles

Festive yet simple, hand-made holiday chocolates with melt-in-your-mouth richness. Certain to impress!

11.5 ounce bag of Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips

¾ cup heavy cream

3 t. GF peppermint extract

½ to ¾ cup cocoa powder

½ cup candy canes or peppermint candies, coarsely crushed

Place chocolate chips into medium bowl. Combine extract and cream in smaller bowl in microwave and heat for 1½ minute. Fold this mixture into the chocolate chips, whisking until completely blended. If the chocolate does not completely melt, heat in microwave for 15 second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth. Place this mixture into the refrigerator until completely firm.

Line a small baking sheet with waxed paper. Taking a teaspoon, scoop out teaspoon-sized amounts of the chocolate mixture and roll into small balls in your palm. Quickly roll each ball in the cocoa powder and place onto the lined cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet filled with the little chocolate balls into your freezer for about 20 minutes or until semi-firm.

Remove from freezer and roll the top of each chocolate ball in the crushed candy canes. If crushed peppermint candy does not adhere to chocolates, allow them to warm to room temperature slightly so that the crushed candy will stick to them. (Do not over crush the candy; the chocolates will be more attractive if the candy has not been crushed into peppermint candy powder!)

Place truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. At serving time, place truffles in small paper mini-muffin cups for a festive presentation. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Makes: Two dozen+ truffles.

For more recipes, check out my cookbook: "Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free and Wheat Free Cooking. It is available at:   

http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org

http://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Cooking-Collection-Celiacs-Sensitive/dp/0615305709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282852260&sr=1-