Ferrero Rocher Mini Cupcakes

They won the poll! I knew they would. And I'm ecstatic because I really wanted to make them! I started with the chocolate hazelnut cupcake recipe from Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman. I chose it because it called for Nutella instead of hazelnut extract (which I don't have, nor do I know where to find some). I filled the suckers with MORE Nutella. Then I topped each one with the crispy part of a sugar wafer cookie. Finally I topped them with half semi-sweet/half milk chocolate ganache filled with chopped hazelnuts. I couldn't find hazelnuts in the store, so I rummaged through a bag of espresso trail mix I got from Target. I got about 1/3 cup of hazelnuts from that. These tiny cupcakes are slam full of hazelnut flavor. The ganache is rich but delicious. The chopped hazelnuts give it great texture. The sugar wafer cookies go stale quickly, but once they're soggy you don't even know they're there. Definitely make these at home if you love Ferrero Rocher chocolates!

Ingredients (sans milk because I suck at remembering things) Mmmmm Nutella batter!!
Ready for the oven...
The sight still makes me drool!
Can you see the thin wafer cookie and the yummy Nutella in the middle?
A sea of Ferrero Rocher heaven!

Mmmm aren't they yummy? Here's a handy little video to show you how to put them together!

Cupcake recipe adapted from Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman
Ferrero Rocher Mini Cupcakes
Makes 24 minis and 6 regular

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup Nutella (plus the rest of the jar, for filling)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules (my own addition)

Ganache
8 oz. semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (or both)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (325 F for dark pans) . Line mini muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes) . Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add 3/4 cup of Nutella and blend thoroughly. (Warm the milk in the microwave. Stir in instant coffee until disolved.) Alternately add flour mixture and milk, blending well after each addition (Don't overmix! Blend only until no traces of flour remain.)
4. Using a tablespoon, fill each cup with batter. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.
5. When cupcakes are cool, fill them with the remaining Nutella.
6. Make the ganache. Put chocolate chips and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds to 1 minute, depending on your microwave. Stir gently with a rubber spatula. Heat for 15-20 more seconds. Stir until well blended. Let sit about 30 minutes, or until ganache is spreadable. Stir in chopped hazelnuts and spread on cupcakes.

Overall rating on a scale of 1-5
Moistness: 4
Tenderness: 4
Frosting: 5