White Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

 Happy Weekend! And Happy Birthday to Tanya (who these cupcakes are for).  Dave is active duty in the military and one of his co-worker's wives' birthday is tomorrow so being the thoughtful husband he is, he thought he would surprise her with some of my cupcakes!  I had made their daughter's princess birthday cupcakes last month which were a huge hit, so I was extremely pleased he came to me again for more.  This was my first time making the white chocolate whipped cream frosting and I had to stop myself from 'taste testing' the whole bowl because it was soooo good.  I wanted to do something a little fancier than your basic butter cream and I think this frosting definitely was a more "adult" flavor than your typical sugar-laden frostings (not that there is anything wrong with those!) and thought it would really compliment the red velvet nicely. And it did! Dave and I both taste tested extras and I really loved the combination of the rich flavors. YUM!  I have to say, I always breath a sigh of relief once the cupcakes are transferred from my hands to the receiver's.  Not to mention it is always nice to see the excitement on people's faces over these little confections!  It was great because I also got to put my new piping tips to use, so I decided to pipe little stars on half the dozen and and used a 1m tip for the others.  These would definitely make a great Valentine's Day treat with the red velvet and little chocolate heart accents too!  Heck, I'll make any excuse to bake something scrumptious. :)

For the whipped cream:
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

For decorating:
4 oz. chocolate (I used bittersweet), finely chopped
Mini chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the white chocolate whipped cream, place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Melt, stirring occasionally.  When the chocolate is almost melted, bring 1/2 cup of the cream to a boil.  Once the chocolate is fully melted, transfer the bowl to a counter, pour in the hot cream and let it sit for one minute.  Then stir gently with a spatula until the chocolate is smooth.  Let the chocolate sit until it reaches room temperature – the chocolate can’t be the least bit warm when it is added to the whipped cream.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 cup cream only until it holds the softest peaks.  With the mixer on high speed, add the white chocolate all at once and continue to beat just until the mixture holds firm peaks.  Transfer the cream to a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap gently against the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

While the cream is setting, make the chocolate decorations.  Spread a piece of wax paper on a flat work surface.  Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted.  Allow the chocolate to cool for several minutes (I probably waited 10-15 minutes).  Transfer the melted chocolate to a plastic squeeze bottle (a plastic bag with the corner cut off would also work).  Carefully squeeze the melted chocolate onto the wax paper in the desired shape.  Allow to set completely.  Carefully peel off of the wax paper.

Frost the cupcakes with the now set white chocolate whipped cream, top with chocolate sprinkles, and garnish with chocolate decorations.  Store in the refrigerator but serve at room temperature for best flavor.

Frosting and garnishing idea adapted from: Annie's Eats