Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

FILLING:

2 tablespoons heavy cream (whipping cream)
2 squares (2 oz.) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter

An hour before baking prepare the Chocolate Peanut Butter Filling.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream to boiling. Add the chocolate and sugar, stirring until the chocolate melts.

Refrigerate the mixture until firm but not hard, about 40 minutes.

CUPCAKES:

6 squares (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate
6 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
confectioners' sugar (optional)

Line twelve 2-1/2 inch muffin-pan cups with paper baking cups. In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin-pan cups. Using the palms of the hands, roll rounded teaspoonfuls of the chocolate-peanut butter filling into 12 balls. Push one ball into the center of the batter in each muffin-pan cup. (Make sure that the chocolate peanut butter ball is covered by the cupcake batter.)

Bake the cupcakes 15 to 20 minutes, or until the center springs back when touched lightly with fingertip. Cool the cupcakes completely in the pan on a wire rack.

These taste best after they have cooled completely.

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes.