Category: Sweets

Dessert, Sweets

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Pudding

by Wendi23 Comments on Scharffen Berger Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate Pudding and I are no strangers. I still remember the blue/grey tupperware containers that my Grandmother only used for pudding.  Each held a single serving and had its own lid so that the dishes could be easily stacked in the refrigerator.

I also still remember that our pudding came out of a box.  It was years before I knew anything else.  In all of my pudding experiences, I have developed a preference for puddings with silky smooth texture. If I use that as my only metric, this particular pudding is not the end all be all to me.  The texture was rather thick and dense.  But it’s an alternative to other recipes that are filled with egg yolks and heavy cream, if those aren’t your thing.

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Pudding

Adapted from Scharffen Berger

BAH Note: The good folks at Scharffen Berger would like you to prepare this in a double boiler.  I didn’t have a bowl and pot available that would make a good double boiler so I decided to do it my way.  I lost track of how long it took for my pudding to set but believe me, when it happens you will know.

  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the cornstarch, sugar, salt, milk, and chocolate in a saucepan set over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pudding thickens.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressing the plastic down onto the top of the pudding), and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

{printable recipe}

Baking, Breads, Chicken, Sweets

Chocolate Filled Sweet Braid

by Wendi29 Comments on Chocolate Filled Sweet Braid

My percentages of Bread Wins have improved…but I am still far from being a competent bread maker.  More and more I get the feeling that this, in particular, is going to be a life long endeavor.  So if I embrace the philosophy that it’s a marathon and not a sprint, then I’m just happy to make it to the next mile marker.  Doesn’t really matter how many miles are behind me, I’m one step closer to the finish line.

I never would have had the courage to try Chocolate Filled Sweet Braid had it not been for two of my favorite local bloggers, Beth and Lan.  These ladies and I attended a free demonstration put on by King Arthur Flour a few months ago.  The truth is, I probably wouldn’t have gone by myself so it’s only by grace of the fact that they joined me that I went at all…I can be a little introverted that way.  If you happened to be at the Holiday Inn by MOM’S that night, we were the ones causing all kinds of trouble in the front row.  After seeing the uber talented KAF staffer breeze through the dough, I started to think maybe I could too.  I left the demo armed with a shot of confidence, a recipe, and a packet of Red Star Yeast.

Since this is me we’re talking about, you know that I had to have at least one bump in the road to Chocolate Filled Sweet Bread.  And it was a pretty big one.  Once I had done the math to scale the recipe in half and had myself all nicely mis en placed, my sponge didn’t start.  There was no bubbly action going on that I could see.  So I set that bowl aside and started again.  This time the sponge developed some lovely bubbly froth and I was in business.  Maybe the first sponge’s lack of cooperation was The Universe challenging me to see how committed I was to the task at hand.  Or maybe I just manged to mangle things.

Either way, the point is that I persevered…and I marked this particular mile with Chocolate Filled Sweet Braid.

Sweet Braid Dough

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Sponge

  • 1 ounce unbleached all purpose flour
  • 3 ounces warm water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Dough

  • all of the sponge
  • 3 ounces plain low fat yogurt or buttermilk
  • 2 ounces butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 3/4 ounces sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or citrus zest
  • 9 to 12 ounces unbleached all purpose flour

Filling

  • 5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 3/4 ounces sugar
  • 2 ounces sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the sponge, combine the warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl and stir to dissolve.  Stir in the yeast and 1/4 cup flour.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for about 15 minutes or until bubbly.

In a large bowl, combine the sponge, yogurt or buttermilk, butter, eggs, remaining sugar, salt, and vanilla.  Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Once the dough pulls away from the bowl, stop adding flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead with lightly floured hands for 5 minutes until pliable and soft but not sticky.  Spray the bowl you mixed the dough in with nonstick cooking spray while you let the dough rest.  Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth and springy (if you gently make an indentation into the dough with your finger the dough will spring back).

Return the dough to the greased bowl, turn to coat it with the nonstick spray and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a dish towel.  Let the dough sit in a warm place for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until doubled.

Gently deflate the dough and roll into a rectangle approximately 10 x 14 on a sheet of parchment paper.  Using a butter knife or plastic bench scraper, gently score the dough so that it is divided into thirds.  Be sure not to cut through the dough, you just want to mark it for reference.  Cut notches out of each of the four corners and then use your butter knife or bench scraper to cut 1″ wide strips in the two outer thirds of the dough.  The center of your dough will be “fringed” with the strips on each side.  Try to get your strips to line up as much as possible on each side.

Stir 1 tablespoon all purpose flour into half of the prepared filling and spread over the center third of the dough, leaving 1″ at the top and bottom uncovered.  Reserve the other half of the filling for another use.  Sprinkle 6 ounces chocolate chips over the filling.

Fold the top and bottom flaps down over the filling and then bring the strips of dough fringe across the filling on a diagonal, alternating from side to side.  Press and pinch each strip into the side of the dough as you go until the loaf is braided.

Brush the top of the braid with an egg wash of one egg beaten with one tablespoon water and sprinkle the top with coarse sugar.  Loosely cover the braid with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes or until puffed.

While the braid rests and proofs, heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Uncover the braid and slide the sheet of parchment onto a half sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature registers 190 degrees on an instant read thermometer.  Transfer the braid still on the parchment to a rack to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

{printable recipe}

Baking, Dessert, Sweets

David Lebovitz’s Gateau Therese

by Wendi11 Comments on David Lebovitz’s Gateau Therese

What happens when a winter storm collides with a planned dinner party?  People cancel.  At least that’s what happened to the December 2010 installment of our Inspired Supper Club.  Fr. Leo was coming in from Emmitsburg, Adam and Joanne were driving up from NOVA, Mary was driving cross town, and Lan was crossing the Boulevard to meet up at our house for a pre-holiday celebration. Then the ice came. And the calls and emails started.  Should we cancel?  Should we continue as planned?

The good thing about my Type A personality is that I usually have a back up plan.  So when Adam and Joanne said they wouldn’t be able to make it, we moved Fr. Leo’s soup into the appetizer spot on the menu.  And when Mary decided that the ice and her brakes were not getting along, I immediately put Gateau Therese to the task of rounding out the meal.

If someone had walked into our house not knowing the chaos that the weather had wrought, they never would have guessed the evening had ever been in jeopardy.  Because The Mistah, Lan, Fr. Leo, and I had an  incredibly Inspired Supper.  While there were a few empty chairs at the table, we had an abundance of laughter and were nourished by the chance to connect with one another.

Gateau Therese

Adapted from David Lebovitz “The Sweet Life in Paris”

  • 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottom with a strip of parchment (make it into a sling so you have handles coming out the sides), and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the kosher salt on low speed until foamy.  Increase the speed to medium until soft peaks form.  Add half the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks are formed when the beater is removed from the bowl.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in the top of a double boiler set over a pot of simmering water.  When just melted, remove from the heat and stir in the remaining half of the sugar, the egg yolks, and the flour.  Stir until just combined.

Mix 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten the batter.  Then carefully fold the remaining whites into the batter just until the batter is smooth and no white streaks remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 35 minutes until the cake just feels slightly firm in the center.  Cool the cake in the pan then grab the parchment sling and carefully remove the cake from the pan.

{printable recipe}

Baking, Sweets

Applesauce Spice Cake

by Wendi18 Comments on Applesauce Spice Cake

To stay on top of the blog, I make a concerted effort to write my posts as soon as possible after making a recipe.  I like to cook, photograph, and write within 24 hours.  Otherwise, I get disorganized.  And when I get disorganized, there’s no help for me.

I am just now starting to make sense of the mess of recipes that have been accumulating both on my computer desk and in my “drafts” folder since the end of last year.  What I’m finding is that I’m lucky if I remembered to make some kind of comment, no matter how cryptic, to provide useful insight or commentary on the recipes.  More often than not, I didn’t.

I’m talking about months’ worth of cooking and eating commentary, gone forever.  I’ll be honest, my first inclination is to freak the hell out.  But thanks to the savvy marketing of Keep Calm and Carry On, I can let the stoic British spirit be my guide.  So what if I don’t have a picture, or a bit of wisdom, to append to my post.  I must carry on.

So no, there is no photo available for applesauce spice cake.  Besides, what you really need in order to fall in love with this cake is scratch and sniff.  Sure it’s a beauty to behold but the aroma of the spices is the real show stopper.

Applesauce Spice Cake

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

BAH Note: I made this in a 9 inch round cake pan but according to my pal Beth at 990 square, there is enough batter to make a full size bundt.  Either choice you make, you can’t go wrong.

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1 /2 cups unsweetened applesauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray your cake pan with a nonstick spray that includes flour.  If using a round cake pan, you can also line the bottom with a piece of parchment.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.  In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the applesauce and mix to combine.

Reduce the mixer to low speed, add the flour, and mix until just combined.

Spread the batter into your prepared pan and bake for approximately 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes then turn the cake out onto a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Beth’s Cream Cheese Glaze

Adapted from 990 Square

  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/4 cup half and half
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla until fluffy.  Add the half and half slowly until the glaze is your desired consistency.  Spread on top of your cooled cake and garnish with the allspice.

{printable recipe}

Baking, Dessert, Sweets

You Can bake! with Nick Malgieri

by Wendi25 Comments on You Can bake! with Nick Malgieri

 

Photo by Beth @ 990 Square

Every so often, the Universe sends Opportunity knocking at my door.  I’m usually pretty leery about answering if I’m not expecting company.  Because more often than not, the person on the other side of the door is trying to sell me something…eternal salvation, Girl Scout cookies, or a weekend subscription to the newspaper.  I usually take a gander through the peep hole and then stand there quietly until the knocker goes away.  But recently, Opportunity left me a calling card in the form of an invitation to spend an evening with Nick Malgieri.

Perhaps I should clarify that statement so as not to give anyone the wrong impression of my moral character.  I was invited to join a group of Baltimore bloggers for an evening of food and drinks organized by Dara of Dining Dish.  Nick Malgieri was the guest of honor.

I’ve said before that my knowledge of the culinary world is pretty narrow.  At least I know that I don’t know squat about the culinary Who’s Who.  And that’s really something that I should work on.  Not so that can I drop names left and right in casual conversation but so that I can expose myself to the wonderful talents of the folks who have turned their passion for creating good food into learning opportunities for home cooks like myself.

That’s how it came to be that I fixed my hair, put on mascara and my cute heels, and set out with a dutch oven full of Commitment Chili and a few dozen Puffy Hearts…I had some learning to do.  And what I learned is that people are people.  It doesn’t matter if you have over 30 years of experience and 9 cookbooks to your credit, or you’re a home cook who blogs about your kitchen (mis)adventures.  We each bring our talents and unique perspectives to the table.  How could that be the recipe for anything but a great evening?

My thanks to Nick for sharing his thoughts with us on the culinary world and being gracious and generous with his time, his talent, and his baking.  I have been drooling over the pages of his latest book – bake! – since bringing it home that night.  I think this description sums it up best:

“After 30 years of teaching and 9 cookbooks, Nick Malgieri is finally writing the book he’s meant to write–a collection of over 30 essential techniques, and recipes derived thereof–outlining the easiest ways to learn the essentials of baking. The 20 chapters cover all the main techniques of fine baking, starting with simple pastry dough and moving through puff pastry and Danish pastry, to all sorts of breads, quick breads, cakes, and cookies. The 125 recipes will take all the intimidation out of baking and promise delicious savory and sweet results.”

If you’ve hung around these parts a while, you know that I can get intimidated by the  mere utterance of “yeast”, “dough”, or “pastry”.  But after reading the recipes, I think that even I can produce satisfying cakes, breads, and tarts with Nick’s help.  I’d like to also thank him for including variations on several of the bake! recipes that I can use to avoid  things like seeds and nuts but still work on improving my techniques and enjoying the results.

I hope the next time opportunity comes knocking at my door, it maybe brings me a pair of stretchy pants.  Because I fear that I won’t be able to control myself once I jump into bake!

Nick Malgieri’s Chocolate Bourbon Cake

Reprinted with Permission

Copyright © Nick Malgieri 2011, All Rights Reserved

BAH Note: Not only did Nick share his baking talents with us in person, but he’s given us permission to share one of his unpublished recipes with you.  How does Chocolate Bourbon Cake sound? I tasted this cake and it is heaven on a plate.  Moist, but dense and richly chocolate, it lulls you into its web.  And then it wraps you with a bourbony hug.  You could omit the bourbon, but I can’t imagine why you’d want to.  I asked Nick whether the cake required a water bath in order to achieve its silky texture and you could have knocked me over with a feather when he said no.  Don’t believe me?  Try it for yourself.

Nick says, “The sweet, mellow flavor of Bourbon has a great affinity for chocolate.  Serve this unadorned cake with a little unsweetened whipped cream.”  I could not agree more.

Makes one 8-inch cake, 8 to 10 servings

  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70%), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 5 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons best-quality Bourbon
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • One 8-inch round 2-inch deep pan, buttered, bottom lined with a disk of buttered parchment.

1.      Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2.      Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, allowing it to sizzle and get really hot.  Remove from heat, add chocolate and whisk smooth.

3.      In a bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, flour, and salt together; add all the eggs and Bourbon.  Whisk together smoothly.

4.      Stir the brown sugar into the butter and chocolate mixture and stir into the batter.

5.      Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake the cake until the center is still soft, but no longer liquid, 25 to 35 minutes.

6.      Cool the cake on a rack.

7.      To serve the cake, invert to a platter and remove the pan and paper.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap if not serving immediately.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Sweets

Cooking Light Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

by Wendi34 Comments on Cooking Light Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

It’s been about a decade since my last breakup.  And it was a doozy.  I found myself in a complete tailspin, totally disconnected from the idea that anything would ever be good again and overwhelmed by everyday life.  It was a long, lonely road; one that I’m glad moves farther behind me each and every day.

But the holidays left me with the nagging feeling that another breakup was coming.  My relationship with baked goods had kind of gotten rocky.  I had allowed myself to be wooed by the butter and sugar and all the promises of good times.  I chose to ignore the red flags that pleaded for my attention – the way the baking supplies took over the pantry, the subtle snugness of my jeans, the sugar crashes that wiped me out in the afternoons.  I told myself that there wasn’t a problem because I dreaded the idea of a breakup more than the newly gained pounds that were registering on the scale.

I’d like to say that I found the courage to do what had to be done and walk away from the relationship.  But I couldn’t do it.  I couldn’t break up with baked goods.  It’s the bad boy that keeps asking for one more chance.  And I’m a sucker for it.

But instead of jumping back in head first, I’m trying to set some boundaries in the relationship.  No, I will not see you each and every day.  Some weekends we will hang out, enjoy each others company, and others we won’t.  You will not call me late at night and if you do, I will not respond.

I will want to.  But I won’t.

Cooking Light’s Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

BAH Note:  I am slowly whittling down the number of Cooking Light recipes that have been long neglected in my recipe folders.  According to my calculations, this one has been hounding me since 2006.  The folks at CL say that a serving is one cookie.  I say that’s a boundary that is just begging to be broken.

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons softened butter
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cream the butter and granulated sugar in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment about 3 minutes or until well blended.  Add the corn syrup, vanilla, and egg and continue to mix for another 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and mix until just combined.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 375 degrees and combine the turbinado sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and shape into approximately 48, 1 teaspoon balls.  Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar and place approximately 2 inches apart on a parchment lined sheet pan.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden on the bottom.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Sweets

Killer Chocolate Sauce

by Wendi18 Comments on Killer Chocolate Sauce

Did you happen to notice in the picture of the Mini Bittersweet Chocolate Cheesecake that the serving plate was gently kissed with chocolate sauce?  No?  Click that link above and take a look.  There, did you see it in the corners?  That, my friends, is Killer Chocolate Sauce.  What the picture didn’t show is how we spooned that sauce on the top of our cheesecakes for a D4T Double Threat.  Ok, maybe it was more like piled on top.

And that chocolate streaked dish up there?  That’s what happens when you leave a batch of Killer Chocolate Sauce on the table and three good friends spend an hour, or two, dipping spoons, forks, and fingers in for just one more taste.  That’s all that was left. Do you need any more evidence that this is some seriously good stuff?  I can sum it up in two little words – Abby Dodge.

You’ve heard me talk about Abby here.  Or if you’re new to BAH thanks for stopping by and you should ask the Googly about Abby.  This is another Desserts 4 Today recipe with which you need to acquaint yourself…stat.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I can get just one more taste out of that bowl before it hits the dishwasher.

Killer Chocolate Sauce

Adapted from Desserts 4 Today by Abby Dodge

BAH Note: I scaled the recipe down by half because exposure to mass quantities of Killer Chocolate Sauce is hazardous to my relationship with the skinnier jeans.  I call this 3 Minute Killer Chocolate Sauce because that’s how quick it is to make…just in case you needed still one more reason why this recipe rocks.

  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or chips
  • 2 ounces butter
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Combine the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a small nonstick sauce pan.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted.  Whisk until the sauce is completely smooth.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  If the sauce sets up and thickens, or if you cover and refrigerate it, reheat it in the microwave in 30 second intervals on low power.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Sweets

Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

by Wendi19 Comments on Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

I know that the blogosphere is jam packed with every imaginable treat this time of year.  Bloggers have never made butter, sugar, and eggs look so damn good.  So I apologize in advance for the gratuitous posting of this Weapon of (M)ass Destruction.  But stick with me.  Because I don’t want you to make Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes right now.  No.  I want you to wait until after the holidays when all the blogs are posting lighter, healthier recipes for the New Year.

Deep in the heart of January or February when you can’t look at another recipe extolling the praises of kale or chard, when it’s too cold for you to venture out and it’s too cold for rational people to come to you, that’s when you pull out this gem.  In those dark days when you’re all alone with the Lifetime Movie Marathon, Mini Chocolate Cheesecake will be your friend.  Your velvety chocolate, light as a dream friend.

You’re welcome.

Mini Bittersweet Chocolate Cheesecakes

Adapted from Desserts 4 Today by Abby Dodge

BAH Note: I chose to add some of the optional flavorings to the basic recipe.  If you want to strip it down, omit the orange zest, vanilla, and espresso powder.  According to D4T, this recipe serves six.  I say that what you do with those six servings is between you and your conscience.  Those dark days of winter can be a lonely place. Just in case you want to get a jump start and have some of these stashed away, Abby says that these can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month.

  • 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or chips
  • 1 egg
  • zest of 1 orange, approximately 1 teaspoon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder

Heat your oven to 300 degrees, line a muffin tin with  6 foil baking cups leaving the rest of the tin empty, and spray the liners lightly with cooking spray.

Place the chocolate and espresso powder in a small bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals on low power, stirring in between, until the chocolate is completely melted.  Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, orange zest, and vanilla with an electric hand mixer for approximately 2 minutes or until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Add the sugar and melted chocolate and beat on medium low for about a minute or until blended, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Add the egg and mix until just incorporated.  Use a spatula to give the batter one or two final folds to make sure all ingredients are mixed.

Spoon the better into the foil liners and use the back of a spoon to smooth out the tops.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the centers of the cheesecakes barely wobble when you move the pan.  Set the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool completely before serving.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Sweets

Chocolate Cupcakes with Crispy Magic Buttercream

by Wendi22 Comments on Chocolate Cupcakes with Crispy Magic Buttercream

I feel like I need to break up with Google Reader and Twitter.  Because without fail, I find something new that I just “have” to make every single day.  Usually, the recipes that elicit this urgent call to action involve butter, sugar, eggs, and flour.  At the rate I’m going, I’m going to regain those 40 pounds plus a few more without much trouble.  Especially when there’s Crispy Magic Buttercream.

Now, I fully stand behind Abby Dodge’s Emergency Cupcakes and Marshmallow Buttercream.  I am confident that those two recipes will get you out of a last minute baking jam each and every time.  But if you find yourself with just a wee bit more time to work with before the (baked) goods are due, I suggest you experiment with these unconventional cupcakes and cooked frosting.

Here’s what grabbed my interest about the recipe, there is no creaming butter and sugar.  Nope, the butter and sugar get melted in a double boiler along with some water.  That gets used to melt the cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate to make a flavorful pudding base for the cupcakes. Then once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, you let the batter sit for an hour.  It gets big and puffy and it really sets up.  I had never seen that method before. But it worked beautifully.

And I had to know what was so special about the magic frosting.  There may have also been an urgent desire to use the fancy new frosting tips I had bought.  Regardless of the why I made them, I made them.  And I’m here to tell you that you might want to consider working this into your upcoming plans.

The cupcakes are rich and moist and full of chocolate flavor.  And the Crispy Magic Buttercream?  Out of this world.  There’s just a hint of sugary crunch that develops  over time in the final frosting that is an unexpected surprise.  Ok, maybe not so much of a surprise to you now that I’ve gone and told you.  It avoids being overly sweet while it fully embraces buttery richness.  If you never believed in magic before, this frosting may just change your mind.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted from Flour as seen on If You Give A Girl A Cookie

BAH Note: The recipe I worked from didn’t give any information about how many cupcakes the recipe would yield.  I was able to get one dozen full size cupcakes and one dozen mini cupcakes out of a batch of batter.  Perhaps if I had filled my muffin cups more, I wouldn’t have had any leftover batter to begin with.  Mini cupcakes should be done after about 12 to 15 minutes of baking.

  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk (save the white for the frosting)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate and cocoa powder. In a small saucepan, cook the sugar, butter, and water over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves completely. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate-cocoa mixture and whisk until the mixture is smooth and combined.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.  Add this into the chocolate mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.  Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until completely combined.  Let the batter sit at room temperature for one hour.  The liquid will be completely absorbed into the batter and it will thicken up.

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops spring back when pressed with a fingertip. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.

{printable recipe}

 

Crispy Magic Buttercream

Adapted from Flour as seen on If You Give A Girl A Cookie

BAH Note: I halved the frosting recipe below because the idea of having a ton of it leftover conflicted with my enjoyment of wearing my skinnier jeans.  In hindsight, it would have been better to have a little more frosting because the half batch was barely just enough, which may mean that I was sucking frosting out of my piping tips before I dropped them into the dish water.  Try this frosting and then tell me that you wouldn’t have done that too.

  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 egg whites
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened, cut into chunks
  • 1 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and egg whites. Place the bowl over simmering water in a saucepan and heat, whisking occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture registers 160 degrees. It will thin out and turn white as the sugar melts.

Transfer the cooked liquid to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed for 6-8 minutes,  reduce the speed to medium, add the butter a few pieces at a time, and continue to beat for another 5 minutes.  Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioner’s sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is completely smooth and holds its shape.

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using a round or star tip.  Or simple apply the frosting with a spatula.  Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Sweets

Whoopie Pies

by Wendi35 Comments on Whoopie Pies

I have a Halloween tradition.  Yes, I know Halloween has come and gone but trust me, you’ll want to hear what I’ve got to say.  Every year for Halloween, I make  treats to share with my neighbors as we sit on our porches and dispense tooth rotting candy to witches, zombies, and all manner of costumed (and uncostumed) trick or treaters.  One year there were marshmallows.  Another year the neighbors got caramel matzoh crack.  This year?  This year I made whoopie pies.  Oh yes, my neighbors and I whooped it up.

Now, as much as I’d like to say I do this because of my generous, giving nature, my motivations are really more selfish.  You see, The Mistah’s birthday falls right around Halloween.  And since it’s just The Mistah and I in the house, if we were to eat the entire batch of birthday treat, we’d be as big as our house.  My solution is to divide and conquer.

I set aside a portion of treats for our enjoyment (divide) and then once the ghouls and goblins start knocking on our doors, I pay a visit to the neighbors with my plate of treats (conquer) for some reverse trick or treating.  It works brilliantly. By the end of the evening the candy bowl is empty and the homemade treats have been distributed.  It’s a total win/win situation.

You don’t need any special reason to whoop it up, so what are you waiting for?  Go make some whoopie!  (Really, did you think I wouldn’t go there?)

Whoopie Pies

Adapted from Bakerella as seen on Pretty.Good.Food.

BAH Note: My cakes baked up craggy, puffed and rounded, without a lot of spread.  They reminded me of the Weebles I had as a kid.  They would weeble and wobble but wouldn’t fall down.  I would have preferred a thinner, wider cake so that I got a better frosting to cake ratio.  My yield, using a small ice cream disher to portion out the dough, was 40 cakes or 20 sandwiches.

  • 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup milk

Heat your oven to 375 degrees and line sheet pans with parchment paper.

Whisk together the four, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In the workbowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar on low until just combined.  Raise the speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat for two minutes more, scraping down the sides as necessary.  Add the flour mixture and milk, in two additions, and mix until combined.

Using a small ice cream disher, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cake.  Bake for 10 minutes or until the top of the cakes spring back when gently pressed.

Cool on the baking sheet for five minutes then transfer them to a rack to cool completely before filling.

{printable recipe}

Whoopie Pie Peanut Butter Filling

Adapted from Pretty.Good.Food.

BAH Note:  I used Abby Dodge’s method of adding marshmallow fluff to buttercream frosting for the filling.  If you don’t have any marshmallow fluff, increase the amount of peanut butter by 1/4 cup.

  • 1/4 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

In the workbowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the marshmallow, peanut butter, and butter until creamy.  Reduce the speed to low, add the powdered sugar and salt, and mix until combined.  Increase the speed to medium and mix until the filling is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

Spread the filling on the flat side of a cooled cake.  Top with a second cake and enjoy.  Should you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container.

{printable recipe}