Chockylit's Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Icing

Recently, there seemed to have been a lull in the flogs I'm following until I chanced upon a fantabulous Cupcake Flogger, Chockylit. I loved her site so much that I had to try one of her receipes straight away.

Two things went south, right off the bat.
1) I kinda forgot I am in the Tropics and didn't note that the Ganache Icing might need a little fridge cooling before piping.
2) I sometimes bake as a destresser and this time round, I started baking at 11pm on a Sunday, with work looming overhead the following day.

The process seemed quite daunting for there were 3 major things I had to do.
1. Bake the cupcakes
2. Prepare the Peanut Butter Filling and fill the cupcakes with it
3. Prepare the Ganache Icing and ice the filled cupcakes.

I didn't take heed when Chockylit mentioned how decadent a dessert this would be. I did reduce the sugars just a wee bit. In retrospect and after tasting the end product, I think I may just reduce the amount of sugar content next time. Also, my Ganache is a little too sweet for I only used 50gms of Valrhona Chocolate (61% Cacao), 65gms of Belgian Dark Chocolate Couveture, and the remainder was semi-sweet chocolate. I might just change the proportions to contain 70% dark bitter chocolate and the remainder with 30% semi sweet chocolate.

I now share Chockylit's view that this is my favourite chocolate cupcake receipe. I refrigerated the cupcakes uncovered, simply because I did not have any container small enough to fit into the shelves of the fridge and yet high enuff to encase the icing of the cupcake. I would cool them at room temperatures for at least 4 hours before consumption. The cupcakes tasted really soft after the rest.

Here are my step-by-step results though I would implore all reading this NOT to compare my pics with Chockylit's Peanut Filled Chocolate Cupcakes and Chocolate Ganache:

Ok bad photography... kill the photographer. I love that distinctly flaky chocolate top appearance on the left and right rows.

I found it so much easier to pipe the peanut butter filling in then to slather it on. It doesnt look much here, but truthfully? I will attempt to use just this peanut butter filling concoction and 'ice' it over the cupcake tops. Just like the way Marmalade's does for their Elvis, or was it Nutella?. Either ways, it tastes exactly like the slightly pricey ones at Marmalade's. Superbly delicious!

Finally, the floppily done Ganache Icing. Yes... I will TRY to curb those baking tendencies at midnight next time round so I won't rush thru presentation, and of course, I will always remember to cool the Ganache in the fridge should it get as runny as this.

Result: I love this decadent cupcake. My 'victims' did too though even though the sweetest tooth-ed of them all liked the peanut butter filling more than the Ganache.

Green Tea Ice (Powder to Make Green Tea Ice Cream)

I was lurking around yet another Japanese Supermarket in hopes of finding more stuff Matcha when I came across this delightful little treasure:

Unfortunately though... the instructions are in Japanese although the pictures seem self explanatory. Add 1 satchet of the powder to 150mls of milk, mix well and freeze?

I wanted to be sure this was all there is to it and hence asked Obachan, who has kindly agreed, to help me translate the instructions. If this turns out to be the receipe for rat poison... I will update. hehe