Chocolate Espresso Cream-Filled Snack Cakes

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a 12-well muffin pan with paper cupcake liners, or grease a 12-well oblong snack cake pan thoroughly with baking spray.

Sift the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dutch-process cocoa powder, 6g instant espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and 3g fine sea salt through a fine-mesh sieve into a large mixing bowl.

Whisk the eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and 5ml vanilla extract together in a medium mixing bowl for 1 minute until completely combined and emulsified.

Pour the wet egg mixture into the dry flour mixture and mix with a whisk for 1 minute until the flour is completely incorporated into a thick batter.

Stir the boiling water into the batter in three equal additions with a silicone spatula until the mixture is thin, silky, and free of lumps.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 wells and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 16 to 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.

Cool the cakes in the pan resting on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert them directly onto the wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature for 35 minutes.

Mix 3g instant espresso powder and 10ml warm water in a small ramekin until all granules are dissolved.

Beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until smooth and lump-free.

Whip the sifted powdered sugar, dissolved espresso mixture, 45ml chilled heavy cream, and 3ml vanilla extract into the cream cheese base on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Assemble the cakes by transferring the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a Bismarck tip, inserting the tip into the bottom or top center of each cooled cake, and piping approximately 25g of filling until the cake expands slightly.

Simmer 90ml heavy cream and 15ml light corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat just until steaming and bubbles break along the pan edge, reaching approximately 80°C (176°F).

Emulsify the hot cream mixture into the chopped bittersweet chocolate and 1g salt by pouring the cream over the chocolate, letting it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes, then whisking slowly from the center outward until smooth.

Glaze the top of each filled cake by dipping the crown directly into the warm ganache or spooning 15ml to 18ml of ganache over each crown to seal the injection point.

Chill the glazed cakes on the wire cooling rack in the refrigerator for 20 minutes until the ganache sets to a touchable, satin finish.