They say the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach, so I bring something sweet to almost every meeting I attend. It also helps to break down walls and bring a smile.
Out of a lack of personal time combined with multiple meetings, I realized that I had to find one treat that could be made in 5 minutes and wouldn’t result in a sink full of dishes. Cause if there’s anything that exhausts me, it’s coming home after a long day and discovering a sink full of bowls and whisks.
This is the recipe I make the most. And when I say make, I mean at least 3 times a week. Yes, that much. And always at six in the morning (at 6:05 it’s already in the oven and I can continue with my day).
Not only are these chocolate cupcakes insanely easy without requiring any special tools, they’re also one of the most delicious and chocolatey and suitable for adults, children, those looking for a decadent dessert without compromise, and anyone looking to reap compliments.
But, and there’s a big but here, it requires a few important things. I should say that they’re universally important, but this is my opportunity to explain why.
I hope you take these to heart and follow my tips.
- Quality cocoa! Following a long discussion on my Instagram, I want to explain and clarify. Quality cocoa is the most important thing here. You want a chocolate flavor, not a salty, light chocolate. So what do you buy? 2 companies that I especially like and that are available in Israel are Valrhona and Barry, with the former being of highest quality but also more expensive. There may be other excellent cocoas out there—I have yet to find one in Israel—but I haven’t tried them all and love to hear about new options. What’s the catch? Let’s start with the catch. High-quality cocoa is usually sold in professional baking stores and is usually in large quantities. You can of course also find it in those same stores in smaller quantities, but then it’s even more expensive. On the other hand, almost every chocolate cake will need about 1 cup (100 grams) of cocoa, so hey, a large amount might not be such a bad idea (remember when I said I make these 3 times a week…)! You can also split it with another avid baker.
- I recommend you use cupcake liners, which never stick to the cupcake and are easy to remove (there is a wax layer inside that prevents sticking).
- Bake until the cupcakes are firm but not more. When do you know they’re ready? Start checking after the dome forms. At this point, touch them very lightly with your finger, if you think they’re firm, insert a toothpick into the center of the cupcake and check. If there’s batter on the toothpick, it’s not ready yet, if there are moist crumbs, it’s ready. And please, no more than that.
- Use a scale – this tool saves you washing tons of dishes. If you use do, you will only have to wash a bowl and a whisk when you’re finished. It’s not even about accuracy, just about saving time and dishes.
