3. When chocolate is smooth and combined with water, pour into the smaller mixing bowl in the ice, and whisk by hand or with a hand mixer continuously until mixture thickens (approximately 3–5 minutes).

4. If mixture doesn’t want to mousse up, melt a little more chocolate, add to the mixture, and whisk again. If mixture thickens too much, you can re-melt and start again.

5. Once mixture thickens, spoon immediately into serving bowls.

6. For extra wow, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Gobble up!

Peekaboo Mocha Cream Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

3 eggs

1 stick unsalted butter (melted)

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

¾ cup buttermilk

Mocha Cream:

1 cup unsalted butter (softened)

3 ½ cups of powdered sugar (sifted or whisked to remove clumps)

¼ cup of heavy cream

¼ cup of decaf espresso (room temperature)

2 tbsp cocoa powder

ground nutmeg

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put cupcake liners in the cupcake tins.

3. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.

4. Crack eggs into a small bowl and beat lightly.

5. Mix melted butter and sugar in a stand mixer on medium until thick. Pour in eggs and vanilla. Continue mixing until combined.

6. Add a third of the flour mixture, a third of the buttermilk, then mix until just combined.

7. Repeat two more times until all flour and buttermilk is combined.

8. Fill lined cupcake tins ⅔ full.

9. Bake for approximately 15–20 minutes. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean.

10. Cool before frosting.

Mocha Cream Instructions:

1. Cut butter into pieces, then cream in a mixer.

2. Add powdered sugar in batches, mixing until thick.

3. Combine heavy cream, espresso, pinch of nutmeg, and cocoa powder.

4. Add in batches to the frosting, mixing and tasting after each addition.

5. Stop when you reach your perfect mocha flavor. You may not use all the liquid.

6. If frosting seems like it’s getting runny, add a bit more powdered sugar to thicken.

Filling/Frosting Instructions:

1. Put sunburst tip on pastry bag.

2. Fill bag with cream.

3. Push tip into the center of the top of cupcake.

4. Fill with cream just until the top of the cake begins to pull apart, then spiral cream over the hole and the top of the cupcake. Enjoy!

Acknowledgments

I had many years to finish The Doughnut Fix. The Doughnut King was a very different experience. I had a deadline, and I was terrified. What if the words didn’t come when I needed them? Readers, teachers, librarians, booksellers, your support for The Doughnut Fix and your response to these characters drove my doubts away and inspired me every day I sat down to write. This book is for, and because of, you.

I am grateful to my editor Annie Berger for her unwavering belief in me and for her incredible editorial letter on the roughest of rough drafts. Thank you to everyone at Sourcebooks, in particular to Lauren Dombrowski and Sarah Kasman, and to Nina Goffi for another gorgeous cover. Thank you to my agent Carrie Hannigan everyone at HSG, and publicist Deb Shapiro for their tremendous advice and support.