Godiva Truffle Flight & Cupcake Recipe

If you’re like me, there is nothing more blissful than chocolate.  Except maybe an evening filled with chocolate truffles, girlfriends and a glass of Prosecco!  I’ve partnered up with Godiva to bring you inspiration for the ultimate girls’ get together and a new cupcake recipe. It’s a Girls’ Flight Night featuring Godiva’s new Truffle Flights.

So it all starts with Godiva’s new line of Truffle Flights.  The concept is much like a flight of wine, except we’re indulging in chocolate!  A box of six truffles, each one a different flavor to linger over and savor.  Placed in a tasting order that builds in intensity, starting with a lighter, delicate truffle and grows bolder as you go.  It’s a whole new way to experience chocolate, enjoying each subtle note, texture and aroma.  It is a chocolate lover’s heaven in a sweet little box.  And the perfect foundation for a fabulous girls’ night!

Godiva offers six different Flights, each filled with decadent truffles thoughtfully selected to create a tasting experience.  The Flights range from those tailored to nut lovers to dark chocolate lovers, mousse lovers and even cake lovers!  Yes, there is a Cake Flight and I’m sure you can guess what’s next on my list of flights to try!  For our Girls’ Flight Night, we enjoyed the Milk Chocolate Lovers Truffle Flight.

Our milk chocolate fun began with the Chocolate Eclair Truffle.  A sweet and light, creamy egg custard inside a milk chocolate shell.  Paired with a glass of sparkly Prosecco to start the night off right!

Then we moved on to the Milk Chocolate Mousse Truffle, which was my personal favorite.  Godiva describes this truffle as “airy perfection” and that truly says it all.  Blissful!

Up next was the Milk Chocolate Truffle, a true classic.  Only to be followed by a Butterscotch Walnut Truffle with butterscotch caramel and walnut cream with just a touch of molasses sugar.  Now we’re really talking chocolate heaven.  And then comes the Salted Almond Truffle.  Oh my goodness!

Along the way, we mixed and matched other bites with our chocolate.  Pairing our truffles with strawberries, raspberries and grapes, brie and crusty baguettes.  And of course, more Prosecco!

The last stop in our chocolate journey was the Hazelnut Crunch Truffle.  Crunchy hazelnuts and crispy bits with a creamy nut butter filling.  I thought we should conclude all of this chocolate excitement with a grand finale.  A cupcake inspired by this incredible truffle….

It sure does make for a decadent night and is a fabulous way to celebrate with your friends.  The chocolate truffles are the star of this show, so the baking and cooking prep is minimal.  Which makes it easy on the hostess!  I think this would be an amazing birthday celebration, bridal shower or holiday party.  Add a spooky theme for a grown up Halloween Bash or a touch of glam for New Years Eve.  Whatever the occasion, it’s a delicious way to party.  Plus the Truffle Flights are a perfect gift for the upcoming holiday season!  I’m sure we all have a chocolate lover on our shopping list.

Okay, I promised you a recipe.  So let’s get to this cupcake!!  It is packed full of Godiva Chocolate goodness.  It starts with a classic chocolate cupcake which is then dipped in a dark chocolate ganache and rolled in roasted hazelnuts.  Frosted with a milk chocolate swiss meringue buttercream and then drizzled with more dark chocolate ganache.  And perched on the very top of all this dreamy chocolate?  The Hazelnut Crunch Truffle, of course.  It is outrageous!!

GODIVA HAZELNUT CRUNCH CUPCAKES
a recipe by Carrie Sellman
(makes 12 cupcakes)

For the Chocolate Cupcake

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line cupcake tin with wrappers.

2.  Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high using the paddle attachment.  Cream until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

4.  With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time.  Mixing well after each egg.  Mix in vanilla extract.

5.  Add one third of your dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

6.  Add one half of your sour cream.  Mix.  Alternate ingredients again. Dry, wet, dry and mix gently.  Do not over mix.

7.  Divide batter into prepared cupcake tin.  Bake 20-25 minutes.  Cupcakes are ready when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

 

For the Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 4.5 ounces Godiva Dark Chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Chop up chocolate into small pieces.  Place into medium bowl and set aside.  Heat cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat just until it starts to simmer.  Remove from heat and pour over chocolate.  Let sit for about 5 minutes and then stir with a wooden spoon until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Stir in corn syrup.

 

For the Milk Chocolate Swiss Merinigue Buttercream Frosting

• 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 5 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 ounces Godiva Milk Chocolate, melted and cooled

1.  In bowl of stand mixer combine egg whites, sugar and salt.  Place over a pan of simmering water and whisk continuously until temperature reaches 160 on a candy thermometer and the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. (The mixture should feel smooth when rubbed between your fingers).

2.  Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, whisk until stiff peaks form and mixture is fluffy and glossy, about 10 minutes.  Your bowl should no longer feel warm to the touch.

3.  With mixer on medium speed, add butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Continue mixing until icing is smooth and silky, about 10 – 15 minutes.

4.  Add vanilla extract and chocolate.  Mix until well combined.

 

To Assemble the Cupcake

• 2/3 cup hazelnuts, chopped and lightly toasted
• Godiva Hazelnut Crunch Truffles

Pour hazelnuts into a small bowl.  Dip tops of cupcakes into dark chocolate ganache, letting excess drip off.  Gently roll cupcake in the chopped hazelnuts, covering exterior edge with nuts but leaving center uncoated.  Using a pastry bag fitted with a #825 tip, swirl on a mound of buttercream frosting.  Pop into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes or until your frosting is firm.  Then drizzle on more ganache and top with a truffle.  Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.  Best enjoyed at room temperature.

 

INTRODUCING THE GODIVA Truffle Flight
Get ready to experience truffles as you never have before. Much like you would taste a wine flight, tasting a GODIVA Truffle Flight is a progressive exploration of flavors, textures and aromas. Our Executive Chef Chocolatier, Thierry Muret, personally selected the truffles in each of the six flights, placing them in order for the ideal tasting experience. The concept is thoroughly groundbreaking—we know because we invented it—and deliciously GODIVA.

Disclosure: Compensated post by Godiva.
Recipe and photography by Carrie Sellman for The Cake Blog.