Chocolate Raspberry Cups

After an unintended break from Espresso and Cream, it feels good to be back in the kitchen and at my computer. Sure, lots of baking and eating was done over the weekend, and I spent many a moment kicking myself for not remembering my camera to take photos of all the kitchen adventures and Easter weekend triumphs. In honor of Easter weekend, I baked a double batch of World Peace Cookies for my family and made around three dozen homemade peanut butter cups. Rest assured those very same peanut butter cups will find their way here sometime very soon. 

But before I get around to peanut butter cups, I have these little gems to share with you. Because while peanut butter cups are always in season, raspberries are not, and as soon as reasonably-priced fresh berries appear in the grocery store I start thinking of how many ways I can incorporate them into my cooking and baking. What I love most about chocolate cups of all sorts is how deceptively fancy and labor-intensive they look - the kind of treat that makes a beautiful, impressive gift. In truth, it's just chocolate, a simple creamy filling, and fresh raspberries. Yum, yum, and more yum. 

Chocolate Raspberry Cups

Ingredients: 

*1 (12-oz.) bag of milk chocolate chips

*1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

*1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened 

*1/3 to 1/2 cup raspberry preserves 

*3 cups powdered sugar

24 whole fresh raspberries

24 mini muffin liners 

Instructions:

*In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, melt chocolate, stirring frequently. Melt the chocolate only until just melted. Remove from heat and stir in the vegetable oil. 

*Spoon teaspoons of chocolate into the liners. Then, prepare the filling.

*Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy. Add in the raspberry preserves and beat until well combined followed by the powdered sugar, in three additions. If a slightly thinner consistency is desired, add a couple of tablespoons of milk until desired consistency is reached. 

*Spoon the filling mixture into a piping bag or gallon zip top bag. Snip the end of the pastry bag or one of the corners of the zip top bag. Pipe filling into the center of the chocolate cups. (this will push the chocolate up the sides of the liners while the filling will remain in the center) 

*Top with a raspberry in the center of the filling and refrigerate cups until chocolate is hardened. 

Happy Baking!

Madison