Cappuccino Cups

Ingredients

• 1 pound non-tempering chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 20 chocolate pastilles (small, chocolate disks in candy-making shops)
• Cognac Caramel Ganache, recipe follows
• Coffee Ganache, recipe follows
• White Chocolate Ganache, recipe follows
• Cocoa powder, for garnish

Directions

Place the non-tempering chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not quite simmering, water. Melt the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth. Remove the boiler from the heat. Pour the chocolate into 1/2-inch circular molds and prepare the molds as directed on the chocolate packaging (reserve some melted chocolate for making the handle as directed below). Once hardened, pop the cups out of the mold.

To make the handle of the coffee cup, put some melted chocolate in a pastry bag. Using a fine-point tip, pipe out a "C" for each mug on a piece of waxed paper. Allow the chocolate to harden.

Using a fine point tip, pipe out a dollop of melted chocolate onto each pastille and place a cup on each to glue them together, making a coffee cup shape. Do the same for each handle and allow to harden.

Place the 3 ganaches in 3 different pasty bags. Using a circular motion, pipe 1/3 of the Cognac Caramel Ganache in the bottom of each mug. Next, pipe the Coffee Ganache up to the top of the mug. Then, pipe the White Chocolate Ganache on top. Dust each cup lightly with cocoa powder and serve.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Cognac Caramel Ganache:

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Cognac

Heat a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the water, corn syrup, and sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. Do not stir the mixture once the sugar begins to boil. When the sugar begins to caramelize on the sides, remove the pan from the heat and slowly stir until the color is a medium brown. Carefully add the heavy cream and stir; then add the cognac and stir until well blended. Store the ganache at room temperature until ready to use.

Coffee Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon instant coffee

1 cup chopped white chocolate

1 tablespoon coffee liqueur

1/2 teaspoon coffee extract

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the heavy cream and instant coffee and slowly bring to a simmer. Put the white chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir. Add the coffee liqueur and stir well; then add the coffee extract and stir until it is blended. If you need to melt the chocolate more, use a double boiler (as described above).

White Chocolate Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup chopped white chocolate

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the heavy cream and slowly bring to a simmer. Put the white chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stirring until it is melted.