Flourless chocolate cupcakes with raspberry syrup

Long time no update, I suppose life sometimes gets in the way of baking, and by life I mean holidays. So no complaints there. There's nothing like a holiday away from home to cheer you up, though flourless chocolate cake comes close.

Back from holidays means back to work, so cupcakes are definitely appreciated as a pick me up. These cakes are deliciously bite size. They're large enough to be satisfying but small enough that you don't feel guilty going back for seconds. They're quite rich but not too the point that it's unbearable. They smell deliciously like chocolate.

I halved the recipe as most recipes tend to make too much for two people. I also made the cakes in smaller tins as the original made six Texas muffin sized cakes which seemed way to big for me. I ended up with ten mini cakes - though I probably should have filled each hole slightly so the cakes would be taller and fewer. Be wary of my baking times with this recipe, as my oven is quite inaccurate. You should be fine if you keep at eye on the cakes whilst they bake.

The original recipe called for chocolate glaze to top the cake. If you're a choco-holic this is a great suggestion but I'm not - so I substituted raspberry syrup for the topping instead. Chocolate and raspberry is a match made in heaven!

Flourless chocolate cupcakes with raspberry syrup

Flourless chocolate cupcakes

(adapted from Simple Essentials: Chocolate by Donna Hay)
makes 10 cupcakes

100g dark chocolate, chopped
80g butter
3 eggs, separated
85g almond meal
85g white sugar

Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F), grease a 16 cup, 75ml (1/3cup) muffin pan or a 12 cup 125ml (1/2 cup) pan if you don't have a 75ml one.

Place the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan and stir, over a low heat, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the egg yolks, almond meal, and 2/3 of the sugar. Set aside.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until glossy. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

Spoon the mixture into 10 of the holes in the muffin tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and cakes are set. Remove cupcakes from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in tins, remove cupcakes from tins and allow to cool on a wire rack. When throughly cooled, serve with raspberry syrup.

Raspberry syrup

110g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) water
1 cup raspberries, frozen or fresh

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until sugar dissolves. Add raspberries and bring mixture to the boil. Stir raspberries to break them up. Boil, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture has thickened.

Strain raspberries into a bowl though a fine sieve. Use the back of a spoon to force remaining raspberry mixture though. Discard the seeds Serve over cupcakes.