White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mousse

Just out of the oven.

The whipped cream and white chocolate before folding them together.

The finished white chocolate mousse.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mousse topped with chopped macadamia nuts.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cupcake

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 tbsp. vanilla

2 oz. white chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pan with baking liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and white chocolate.
3. Combine flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the milk until smooth. Stir in nuts.
4. Spoon into baking cups filling 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.



White Chocolate Mousse

2 egg yolks
10g sugar
10g vanilla
1 packet of gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
175g white chocolate, chopped
250g milk
500g heavy cream

1. Boil milk. Bloom gelatin in the cold water.
2. In a bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar. Once the milk is boiling pour over yolks and sugar.
3. Quickly pour the milk mixture over the white chocolate, stir until it is melted. Add the gelatin, stir until it is dissolved. Chill over an ice bath until room temperature.
4. Whip heavy cream to soft peaks.
5. Fold the heavy cream and room temperature white chocolate mixture.



This was my first experimental recipe. I used my vanilla cake recipe and added white chocolate and macadamia nuts. My cupcake tester said these were "superb" after eating three in a row.


**Annette** You can get meringue powder at Wal-Mart in the craft section, by the cake decorating stuff.

Chow