Mini Chocolate Tortes

When you’re really craving chocolate, nothing less than a decadent flourless chocolate cake will do. But it’s so rich you don’t need much, which is why I make this chocolate torte recipe in mini cupcake tins lined with parchment cupcake wrappers. The whipped cream frosting piped on top balances the dense chocolate for a perfect bite. These freeze well, too!

Mini Chocolate Tortes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 1/4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

• 1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature (3 sticks)

• 6 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

1. Place a half sheet pan in the oven and fill 3/4 of the way up the sides with water. Preheat the oven to 300ºF.

2. In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar and salt to a boil. Continue to boil until this mixture reaches 240ºF on a candy thermometer (“soft ball stage”).

3. Fill a second saucepan with 1/4 of the way with water and place a heatproof bowl on top. With the heat on low, melt the chocolate.

4. Pour melted chocolate into a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.

5. Add butter one stick at a time until fully combined. As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 240ºF, stream into the chocolate mixture on low to combine. Increase the speed to medium and beat for two minutes.

6. Add eggs one at a time, finishing with vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure the mixture is fully combined.

7. Line each mini muffin pan with a parchment liner and with an ice cream scoop, fill to the top with chocolate batter.

8. Place the cupcake pan in the water of the baking sheet in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes. When the tortes are ready, they should still be slightly glossy, set around the edges and a little jiggly in the middle. Allow to cool fully and pipe with whipped cream frosting.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 cups heavy cream, cold

Recipe

1. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium until smooth.

2. Turn down speed and slowly stream in the heavy cream, pausing a few times to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. When all the whipping cream has been added, turn the mixer up to high and whip until the frosting holds stiff peaks.