Almond Joy Cupcakes

I will most definitely be making these again. They might even go in my christmas goodie box - thats if I can bring myself to share. These are Almond Joy Cupcakes.Basically its a brownie, stuffed with a coconut macaroon and topped with chocolate ganache and almonds. The result is really indescribable . Warm - this might be my favorite dessert.

The Original recipe, from bake it in a cake, is below the break, along with pictures of the process. Just so you know, I used brownie mix, since I had it on had, rather than home made like the recipe calls for. With all the pictures this is an incredibly long post. So check below the break.

ALMOND JOY CUPCAKES

Macaroons:

• 6 T. sugar
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract (the good stuff, if possible)
• a small pinch of salt

Brownies:

• 4 oz. good quality unsweetened chocolate
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter
• 2 c. granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 c. all-purpose flour

Ganache:

• 4 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate
• 1/3 c. heavy cream
• 1 c. sliced (or finely chopped) toasted almonds

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F)

1. Mix all the macaroon ingredients together in a small bowl. The mixture should be moist and sticky.
2. Use a round tablespoon to form small balls and place them on a cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

3.  Bake the macaroons for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. (They’ll be fragile when you take them out of the oven, so let them cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before you move them to a wire rack.

 4. Meanwhile, mix up the brownie batter by melting the butter and unsweetened chocolate together in a large microwave-safe bowl. Once combined, stir in the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until the batter is smooth. Stir in the flour.

5. Put a heaping spoonful of brownie batter in paper-lined cupcake tins. Press a cooled macaroon into the batter, careful not to push it all the way to the batter. The batter should come up the edges of the macaroon, slightly. Put another heaping spoonful of brownie batter on the top of the macaroons, spreading it over the top and all the edges of the cookie (the batter is thick, you might have to get your hands dirty here)

6. Bake the brownies in a 350 degree (F) oven for about 30 minutes, until set. Be careful not to over-bake. Let them cool for at least 30 minutes before you top with the ganache.

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7. For the ganache, chop or break the bittersweet chocolate into bite-sized pieces. Put it, along with the heavy cream, into a small sauce pan and melt over low heat until it’s smooth. 

8. Spoon a generous tablespoon of ganache over each cooled cupcake, and top with a sprinkle of toasted almonds. ENJOY