Pistachio, Lemon-Meringue Cupcakes for my Dad and Brother-in-law

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  While I may not be Irish, I never pass up a reason to celebrate.  I haven't gotten a corned beef on the stove yet, I'm sure it will be happening soon.  As the years have gone by and I have seen so many plans change, lives cut short; I realize there really is no time like the present.

I had other plans for Saturday, but I tossed them aside and buried myself in cupcake making to share with my Dad and Brother-in-law.

Pistachio Cake 

110 grams roasted, salted pistachios (I started with 8 ounces shelled) (reserve leftovers to sprinkle on top of the finished cupcakes) 

7 ounces (200 grams or 14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed 

1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice (or variety of your choice) 

Zest from one Meyer lemon 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

3/4 teaspoon salt 

5 large eggs, at room temperature 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In the bowl of a food processor, grind the pistachios until finely ground.

Add the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and pulse until combined.

Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt and pulse a few times.  Add the eggs and pulse until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and pulse more if necessary.

Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups lined with liners, making each one about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 14-16 minutes. Until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool completely on a rack. 

Meyer Lemon Curd 

2 large eggs 

2 large egg yolks 

2/3 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice 

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 

Fill a small pot with a couple inches of water and place a heat-proof bowl on top of that and bring the water to a boil. You don't want the bowl touching the water.

Place the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar into the top of the double boiler and whisk until blended. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Reduce the heat until the water is at a gentle boil. Whisk the mixture constantly for seven minutes or until the mixture is thick. Don't let the curd boil.

Immediately strain the curd through a fine sieve set over a medium bowl. Use a spatula to push the curd through and discard any bits. Add the cold butter to the curd and whisk until melted. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Store in the fridge until needed.

This makes about 1 cup of curd, so you will have plenty to use in another recipe if you'd like.

Lemon Meringue Buttercream 

1 cup sugar 

4 large egg whites 

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), room temperature, cut in pieces 

1/2 cup powdered sugar 

Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
1 teaspoon Meyer lemon juice 

Heat sugar and egg whites in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water until 140 degrees F, whisking constantly.

Pour whites into a mixer bowl and beat on medium speed a few minutes until getting fluffy, then turn mixer up to full speed and whisk until the mixture is cool to the touch of the bowl and resembles marshmallow fluff.

Add butter a little bit at a time while the mixer is running on low speed. Add until all the butter is incorporated. Add the lemon zest, juice, and powdered sugar and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy. 

I combined the Swiss and American buttercream methods to make this icing a little more workable.

*If your icing is too soft, place the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes and then whisk more. 

*If your icing is too firm (resembling cottage cheese) the bowl can be heated from underneath slightly with a torch or you can place the bowl over warm water for a few minutes. The butter was too cold and once it warms the icing will get nice and fluffy.

To finish the cupcakes, remove a small amount of the center of the cupcake with a small spoon (I used the small side of a melon baller and that worked great also).  Fill the indent with a spoonful of the lemon curd.  Place the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a tip if you wish and pipe on top of the cupcakes.  Sprinkle the cupcakes with chopped pistachios.  Serve at room temperature.  

Even if you are a big kid you are never too old for a birthday bowling party.  Or cupcakes!  Actually instead of making leprechaun traps, maybe that energy would have been better spent inventing a better cupcake trap.  Just a thought...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Gina

S'mores Cupcakes

My brother texted me a photo late the other evening of S'mores Cupcakes.  He asked me if I could make him some.  "Tonight I'm assuming?", was my response.  I probably would went have went out that night to get the ingredients I needed except I was already in my I'm not going anywhere gear.  I hope my brother is happy though because I think I lost a little sleep thinking about these that night.

I had to be sure and make it clear to him, these cupcakes were to be removed from my premises promptly before I'd make them.  I've been trying to cut back on sweets (feel free to laugh, I did) and I really didn't need these cupcakes staring at me mocking.  "Eat me, you know you want me!"  "It will be completely painless when you go and try on swimsuits!"

Dark Chocolate Cake

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cups + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.  

In a mixer combine, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract, mix on low-speed until combined.  Slowly add water and mix until combined.

Divide the mixture between the 12 muffin cups.  They will end up about 3/4 full.

Bake 14-16 minutes.  Let cool.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder

1/8 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add butter to a mixer or bowl and beat for 1-2 minutes until butter starts to get fluffy.  Add cocoa powder and mix. Add powder sugar, milk, vanilla and beat on low speed until light and fluffy.

Frost cupcakes.

S'mores Topping

2 cups Golden Grahams cereal

2 cups miniature marshmallows

6 ounces dark chocolate (or semi-sweet, or milk chocolate it's your call)

3 tablespoons heavy cream

I used a muffin pan to shape the toppers, but I would suggest just doing them on parchment instead for easier removal.  (My muffin pan has the scars to prove it.)

Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl and melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water.  Or on half-power in the microwave.

Smear a 2-inch circle of chocolate on the bottom and add a few marshmallows and a few pieces of golden grahams.  Drizzle over that a little bit more of the melted chocolate and then add more marshmallows and more cereal.  Place in the fridge until hardened up.  Place the toppers on the frosted cupcakes.

I just hit the marshmallows with a kitchen torch to toast them.

I'm warning my brother right now, he has until 3:30 to come and get these or they are going out on the curb with this sign.  

I'd suggest driving by my house really slowly about 3:31 just to check!

Enjoy,

Gina

Salted Caramel on Mocha, Espresso Buttercream Cupcakes - Topped with Macarons

Even though I was pretty sure I knew how to make Salted Caramel, I mean after all isn't it just caramel with salt. I searched the internet for a recipe, stumbling upon what I might say is a pretty kick-ass website by Michael Ruhlman.  He was throwing around names like Ming Tsai and some French guy I can't pronounce. I can only image what's it's like to have friends like that. The only celeb peeps I hang out with and chew the fat are Mr. Tidy Bowl and Mrs. Butterworth. (Or is that Ms. since we are being all formal and everything?)  Not that I'm pissed or anything, because when I ask my friends, they are quick to reply, "Your recipes totally rock!" (Or does syrup always say that?)

Oh yeah you wanted my cupcake recipe. Sorry I was feeling the effects of all the sugar and caffeine in these cupcakes and lost my train of though. Don't be alarmed, it happens often, just ask my children. They would love nothing more than to share that and a whole myriad of faux-pas of mine. All it takes is for company to come over and the "remember when Mom did" starts to flying (that is when you slip them a $20 and tell them to get lost).

Mocha Cupcakes

2 cups boiling water

3 teaspoons espresso powder

2 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups cocoa powder (Dutch process)

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt 

3 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped and melted

2 eggs

1 cup milk 

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the water to boiling in the microwave in a heat proof measuring cup.  Add the espresso powder to dissolve and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer add sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Mix on low to combine.

Add melted chocolate, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix on low speed until just combined.  Slowly pour in the hot coffee liquid and mix until combined.

Pour the batter into a cupcake pan lined with paper liners.  I made 24 big ones and some minis, just cause I was feeling cutesy.  Fill the wrappers a good 3/4 full.  These don't rise too much.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from oven and set aside on a rack to cool.  Don't leave the cupcakes too long in the pan or they will get a bit soggy on the bottom from condensation.

Espresso Buttercream

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon espresso powder

Pinch salt

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Add the butter to a bowl of a mixer and beat until fluffy, a couple of minutes.  Add the powdered sugar, espresso powder and salt and beat on low slowly until starting to incorporate.  Add the cream and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, a couple of minutes.  Set aside.  Buttercream can be left at room temperature if it's not too hot in the house.

Salted Caramel 

Adapted from Michael Ruhlman

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons water

Pinch Flake Sea Salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

Caramel goes really fast, so have everything ready to go.

Place the sugar and water in a small skillet and heat on medium-high heat until the sugar starts to turn an amber color, only takes a couple of minutes.  Don't let it go too long or you will have burned caramel.

Turn the heat off, add a pinch of the sea salt and add the heavy cream, stir with a whisk and let cool before you go taste testing.  I'm not sure if the skin on your tongue will ever grow back if you completely burn it off like that.

And if you aren't completely worn out from reading this recipe yet, I'll give you the Macaron recipe.  But feel free to rip open a box of vanilla wafers, decorate them with food coloring pens and call it a day.  I'm very good at keeping secrets.  

Macarons

4 egg whites from large eggs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 ounces almond flour

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Beat egg whites and sugar together in a mixer until the whites get stiff.  Set aside.

Combine almond flour and powdered sugar in a large bowl and add a little food color if you want.  Stir the mixture together and make sure there are no lumps.

Fold the egg whites a little at a time into the almond flour mixture.

Place batter into a piping bag with a 1/4" tip or so and pipe round disks onto a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Leave a little room between the cookies, because they will spread a bit.  Let set up on the cookie sheets for 15 minutes.

Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 10 minutes or so.  The cookies need to dry out; when you can lift them off and they aren't sticking to the paper they are done.

For frosting the cupcakes I like to use a disposable bag fitted with a Wilton 1M tip.  If you have extra frosting leftover, don't worry I know someone who would be happy to dispose of it for you.

Enjoy,

Gina

Strawberry-Vanilla Bean Cupcakes - Fit for Royalty

The castle has been a blur of activity the last couple of weeks.  I've been on a quest, an important quest indeed.  Wandering about the castle, I came upon something so obvious and glaring I had to do something about it.   From all outward appearances it was still a grand place complete with a moat.  The shimmer of its former glory was still there, it was just a little worn and faded.  So I set about on a long and tiring journey to put the gleam back into its facade.

There was a lot of climbing involved, a bit of heavy lifting (castle furniture isn't light) and even some get down on your knees scrubbing.

The King and Princess who live in the castle think nothing of leaving their armor and ball gowns lying about, but I was afraid the expected noble men and women who were making the long journey here would frown upon such un-tidiness.

Amidst all the activity swirling about the castle, a Birthday was in need of a celebrating.  This was a special birthday for a special "Best Friend of the Kingdom".  Her only request was strawberries; I cast aside the mops and rags and set about baking some special Strawberry-Vanilla Bean Cupcakes for this special Best Friend.

This Best Friend has been through so much recently and I've tried to stay strong and help her as best as I can.  She is surviving breast cancer and chemo may have taken her hair, but it has in no way dimmed her radiant smile.  She has inspired me to grow in ways I didn't even know I could, rethink old thoughts and love even more.

She is more beautiful than any rose I've laid my eyes upon.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

6 ounces cake flour

6 ounces granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1- inch pieces

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

5 ounces milk

3 ounces egg whites

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add to a large bowl or bowl of a mixer, cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.  Mix to combine the dry ingredients.  Add butter, vanilla bean seeds, milk and egg whites, mix on medium speed until the batter is smooth.

Fill 12 paper lined muffin cups and bake for 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool.

Note:  You will need a kitchen scale to measure some of the ingredients, but I assure you an investment in one is well worth it if you bake with any frequency.

Strawberry-Vanilla Coulis

1 pound strawberries, 5 or 6 reserved for garnish

1/4 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Combine strawberries, vanilla bean seeds and sugar in a food processor, pulse until smooth.  Pass through a fine sieve to remove seeds.  Pour 3/4 of the contents into a squeeze bottle and reserve the other 1/4 for the buttercream.  Set aside.

Strawberry-Vanilla Buttercream

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

1/4 of the strawberry-vanilla coulis

3-4 cups powdered sugar

Place the butter in a bowl of a mixer and mix until the butter gets really soft and smooth, it will look a bit fluffy and paler in color.  Add the vanilla bean seeds and strawberry-vanilla coulis, mix and slowly start adding the powdered sugar until you get the frosting to a nice spreading consistency.  I left the icing a little on the softer side, if you want it a little thicker just add a little more sugar.

To assemble the cupcakes, take the squeeze bottle filled with strawberry-vanilla coulis and press the tip into the cupcake and squeeze, repeat over the top of the cupcake.  Repeat for the rest of the cupcakes.

I frosted the cupcakes with a disposable piping bag with a small amount of the tip cut off and garnished them with just that little bit of extra love that was necessary.

I cut the sides off of the remaining strawberries and used a small heart shaped cutter to make strawberry hearts and threaded them onto toothpicks for an edible garnish.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

I have to say making these cupcakes lifted her spirits and mine too.  Getting the castle ready for a new family has tired me in more ways than I knew.

Stay strong my friend and I will stay strong right by your side.

Gina

Brandy Apple Cupcakes with Blue Cheese Buttercream

It's as if Fall snuck in overnight without making a sound.  All the offerings at the farm stand have changed and I myself am more than delighted to welcome all the new produce.  The apples were orderly lined up in bins, pumpkins ready to take home; I just love this time of year.

I've seemed a little down; with good reason I assure you.  On top of a medical emergency in my own house, my best friend was diagnosed with that ugly word, so ugly; I don't even want to write it.  I felt helpless, but I'm finding ways to be of use.  I know food will be an important part of that.  Bringing food and a smile to someone who isn't well is always a boost.

When she wins her fight, and I have complete faith she will; I think a trip for the two of us is long overdue.  I could see us stopping in France first.  We could easily rock berets, and I could balance at least 6 baguettes underneath my arm and I think fall would be the perfect time of year.

Until we step off that plane, I figured why not bring a little of France to us.  When I saw Patty's Apple Spelt Pound Cake, I knew I was going to make it.  Somehow though, the tour bus got side tracked and I ended up making these cupcakes.

Brandy Apple Cupcakes with Blue Cheese Buttercream

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 cup peeled, cored and chopped baking apples (I used Jonathans)

¼ cup brandy

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs, separated

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. sea salt

Combine sugar, brandy and apples in a bowl and set aside.

Add egg whites to the bowl of a mixer and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In another bowl combine butter, egg yolks, flour, cinnamon, vanilla and salt, stir to combine. Add apple mixture and stir till combined.

Fold egg whites into the batter and scoop batter into 12 paper lined muffin cups.

Bake in 350 degree F oven for 16-18 minutes.

Blue Cheese Buttercream

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

Pinch salt

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

2-3 tbsp. milk

Beat the butter on high speed for 2-3 minutes until it softens and lightens in color. Slowly add in powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add salt and blue cheese and slowly add in milk until the frosting is spreading consistency. I will add more if it seems too thick. The blue cheese really does pop in the icing and cuts through some of the sweetness.

You can either spread the frosting on or use a star tip and piping bag like I did.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

I also had a little bit of fun with some melted dark & white chocolate.  I bought an Eiffel Tower mold the last time I was at my favorite cake store; Spun Sugar in Berkeley, CA.  Somehow I never leave empty handed?  For the gilded look, I combined a little bit of gold luster dust with a little vodka and brushed it on.

You must go see Patty's icing job she did on the Pound Cake, her frilly baking panties are really showing on that one.

You'll have to let me know where you are headed next, so I can tag along on the bus. 

Enjoy,

Gina

Chocolate Banana Swirl Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Today my youngest daughter is turning 13.  Despite my disbelief I've been busy working on her b-day bash complete with 50 guests! Note to self: schedule phych eval. next week. I wanted to share her cupcakes with you; they were created with her favorite flavors in mind.

I will barely have cleaned up from this affair when next week I get to do it all over again for my older daughters' Graduation and Farewell party. So between wiping my tears, I'm hoping to share some easy favorites with your next week.

Batter

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups cake flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

2 bananas, mashed

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder

Add butter and sugar to mixer and beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until combined. Add flour, baking soda and baking powder, and mix until combined.

Place half of the batter in one mixing bowl and half in another. To one bowl add mashed bananas and stir till combined. To other bowl add cocoa powder and mix till combined.

Place paper baking cups in cupcake pan and pour one side of cup with banana batter and one side with chocolate. Swirl two together with toothpick or bamboo skewer. Should fill a dozen cups.

Bake in 350 F degree oven for 16-17 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

4 ozs. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp. milk

Mix butter till softened.  Add cream cheese and beat till incorporated, then add peanut butter and mix till combined. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix until smooth. Add milk a little at a time until smooth.

I piped my frosting on with a bag and tip. I love the disposable ones from the craft store. Just to make these a little cuter, I piped a little melted chocolate into hearts on parchment paper. I let the chocolate set up in the fridge and put the hearts on the cupcakes at the last minute.

Enjoy,

Gina