Crispy Pistachio Kunafa Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.

2

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3

Add the egg, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined and smooth.

4

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.

5

While cupcakes bake, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped kataifi pastry and fry, stirring constantly, until golden brown and crispy (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat.

6

In a small bowl, mix the toasted kataifi with the pistachio cream until well combined. This will be your filling.

7

Once the cupcakes are cool, use a small knife or apple corer to remove the center of each cupcake (save the plugs).

8

Fill each cavity generously with the crispy pistachio mixture and place the cake plug back on top (trim if necessary).

9

Prepare the ganache by placing chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream until simmering, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.

10

Dip the top of each cupcake into the chocolate ganache or spoon it over the top. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and let the chocolate set before serving.