Chocolate-Dipped Brownie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 140 g unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 80 g unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1 and 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup premium flour
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2/3 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts or semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Chocolate glaze

• 1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate (not granules)
• 0.5 cups heavy cream

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper cups.
2. Place the butter, cocoa powder, and unsweetened chocolate in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the mixture and let it sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth, then add the sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and mix until smooth. Stir in walnuts or chocolate chips, if using. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tins, filling them about three-quarters full.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with moist crumbs, 22 to 24 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.
   
   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.
4. Chocolate glaze:
   
   Place the semisweet chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute, then gently stir until smooth and glossy. Cool the glaze slightly until it thickens, but it shouldn't harden. Spread 1 tablespoon of glaze on each cupcake or dip the tops of the cupcakes into the glaze.