Line mini-cupcake tins with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a double boiler, melt the unsweetened chocolate and 1 cup of the butter.
Beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla with a hand or stand mixer until combined. Do not overmix.
Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat. Add the flour and stir until combined.
Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 8 to 9 minutes.
For the icing, beat 4 tablespoons of the butter with a hand or stand mixer until fluffy. Gradually beat in the confectioners\’ sugar at a high speed until smooth, stiff and white. If the mixture is too stiff, thin it with a few drops of milk until it has the desired consistency.
Fold the yellow food coloring into the icing a few drops at a time until you get the color you desire. Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe the icing onto the cooled cupcakes. Keep the cupcakes chilled so that the icing doesn\’t melt.
To make the chocolate stripes, melt the semi- and bittersweet chocolate in a microwave or double boiler over simmering water. When the chocolate mixture is melted and smooth, blend in the shortening.
Let the mixture cool slightly and pour it into a plastic resealable bag. Cut one corner off the bag, making the bag into a disposable pastry bag. Squeeze the chocolate stripes onto each cupcake. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 4 Tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter
4 eggs
1½ cups sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup flour, sifted
2 cups confectioners� sugar, sifted
Milk for thinning the icing
Yellow food coloring
8 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
This article appears in Nov 1-30, 2008.