Mocha Ice Cream Cupcakes (Rachel Ray)

Thanks Brenna for sharing! This looks so good. :)

 Ingredients

• One 12-count box sugar ice cream cones
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
• One 3-ounce bar semisweet chocolate, plus more for shavings
• 3 cups coffee ice cream, softened
• 1/2 cup chocolate-covered espresso beans, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Get ahead
Freeze these mini cakes for up to three days.

Directions:

1. Using a food processor, grind the ice cream cones into fine crumbs. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the butter. Divide the crumb mixture among the cups of a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan and press about three-quarters of the way up the sides of each cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon almonds into each cup.
2. In a small, microwaveable bowl, melt 3 ounces chocolate at medium power in intervals, stirring occasionally. Top the almonds with the melted chocolate to cover. Freeze for 10 minutes.
3. Spoon about 2 tablespoons ice cream into each muffin cup. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped espresso beans onto the ice cream and flatten with the back of a spoon. Add another 2 tablespoons ice cream and the remaining almonds and flatten again. Add the remaining ice cream and espresso beans, and flatten. Freeze for at least 1 hour.
4. Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form.
5. Run a knife around the edges of the muffin cups to remove from the pan. Top the cakes with the whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

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  Toast nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat to bring out their flavor.
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  Use your fingers to press the crumb mixture up the sides of the muffin pan.
   
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  Gently release the cupcakes from the pan with a kitchen knife.
   
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  Shave the chocolate with a vegetable peeler.