My first trip to Paris was 19 years ago. It was there that I first experienced what I now consider true hot chocolate.

I was in a cafe on the left bank. I forget the name but it was famous for being the preferred haunt of the surrealists. I ordered opera cake and a chocolat chaud.

The waiter brought my steaming cup of chocolate and next to it placed a glass of sugar cubes. Not having any idea what they were for, I ignored them and took a sip of my beverage.

Mon dieu! It was bitter like black coffee but to me, a diehard chocoholic, it was the best hot chocolate I ever had.

Since that trip, I have spent the last 19 years tasting hot chocolate all over Manhattan with the hope of finding that same treasure. So far, no luck.

Some came close if they had only been brave enough to be unsweetened. (And yes, I realize I could just buy some cocoa from the gourmet store and make it myself but that is not the point.)

Anyway, my obsession did lead me to Mexican hot chocolate, which is pretty good. I mean, after all, the Aztecs did discover chocolate. So…respect.

It has cinnamon and sometimes a bit of cayenne. So as a nod to the Aztecs, I included some cinnamon in the ganache of these cupcakes. However, my search still continues for that perfect cup of hot chocolate in NYC. Wish me luck!

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting filled with Chocolate Ganache

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Yields 24 Cupcakes. Frosting for 24 cupcakes if using a pastry bag. Frosting for 48 cupcakes if using an icing spatula or butter knife.

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Ingredients

For the cake:

Inspired by Nick Malgeri’s Melissa’s Chocolate Pecan Cake

3 cups flour mix A or B

2 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon iodized salt

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut or broken into ¼-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup sour cream

3 large eggs, at room temperature

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Chocolate Ganache

1/3 cup heavy cream

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Marshmallow Frosting:

Adapted from King Arthur Flour's Super-easy Marshmallow Icing

2 cups (1 pint) heavy or whipping cream

1 bag (10 to 10 1/2 ounces) mini-marshmallows

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium mixing bowl , whisk together the first four ingredients and set aside.
3. Place the chocolate, water and butter in a large heatproof mixing bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water. Stir slowly and constantly with a spatula until melted.
4. Remove the bowl from heat and stir a bit to cool the mixture. Then whisk in the vanilla and sour cream until the mixture is thoroughly combined and smooth.
5. Add the eggs and whisk just enough to combine them.
6. Whisk in the flour mixture in three parts. Whisk each of the three additions until thoroughly combined. Note: You have to be careful not to “over” mix when using wheat flour. If you activate too much gluten, your cake will be tough. However, over mixing is not an issue when you use gluten-free flours. There is no gluten to over activate!
7. Fill each liner 2/3 full, about 1/4 cup of the batter.
8. Place the pans on the center rack and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Tip: If you are not sure if the cake is done, leave it a little longer. It is better to “over” bake a bit than “under” bake.
9. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on cooling racks. Cool the cupcakes in the pans for 15 minutes before removing them to cool completely. Tip: Chocolate cake is always better the second day. The flavors need to meld.
For the Chocolate Ganache:
10. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl.
11. Heat the cream on low until it just comes to a simmer.
12. Remove from the heat and pour the cream over the chocolate. Allow to sit for about 10 to 15 seconds.
13. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the cinnamon.
14. Allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Mixture should be a little thick, but still pourable.
For the Marshmallow Frosting:
15. Place the cream, marshmallows, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large heatproof mixing bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water. Stir slowly and constantly with a spatula until melted.
16. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.
17. Remove the icing from the refrigerator. Beat it at high speed, using an electric mixer. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure you're incorporating all of the chilled icing.
18. Beat until the icing is smooth and glossy; this will probably take less than a minute. Tip: The icing may thin out and become almost sauce-like. If that is the case, set the icing aside to rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes; it'll stiffen as it sits, bringing it to spreadable consistency.

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To assemble:

1. Cut a hole in the center of each cupcake. Save the cake you removed for step 3. For technique, view: How to Fill a Cupcake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZetSQe5uT4s

2. Fill each cupcake 3/4 full with Chocolate Ganache.

3. From each chunk of cake you removed, slice off the top and use it to cover the ganache.

4. Frost with Marshmallow Frosting. For technique, view: How to Frost a Cupcake Without a Pastry Bag. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPWAxvZz-tU

The photo below is from the Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes. I thought it would be more helpful than trying to show chocolate cupcake  filled with chocolate ganache. The steps are identical.