Hazelnut Whole Wheat Scones with Maple Glaze and "Whoops, My Bad"

Have you ever been stone cold busted with peanut butter buttercream on your face?  The other evening I posted a picture on my Facebook of the banana macarons I was working on and Azmina instantly busted me out by commenting, "Heh, I think it's awesome that your last post said you were going to focus on easy food and then you happened to whip these up."  (Whoops, my bad!)

You see Azmina is a skilled and seasoned lawyer.  Armed with the following evidence "Easy crap to make for dinner", she didn't waste any time zeroing in on my truth twisting and extracting a confession out of me in a mere 2.6 seconds.  It spewed off my tongue faster than kale chips, "Obviously, I'm a liar."

Luckily for me I wasn't in a real court or right about now I'd be trying to figure out how not to shower for infinity. Instead I was thinking of inviting Azmina over here to interrogate my teenage daughter and her friends, I was also hoping instead of her hourly rate we could possibly work out some sort of cookies for services rendered type of agreement.

Seriously, she is that good.  After she busted me I was so riddled with guilt I was on the phone with my mom and felt the need to confess all sorts of things; like the time Hot Dog Dude came tumbling down the stairs and all I could do was stand there laughing before I realized I should probably ask if he's okay.

Or that I made the most amazing scones the other day and I was going to blog about them but my cuticles hurt and that really messed up my typing and so instead I just went shoe shopping.

Toasted Hazelnut Whole Wheat Scones with Maple Glaze

Or that I made both peanut butter buttercream and black sesame buttercream fillings, both were good, but the peanut butter made me feel special in a way I've never felt before.  

I also told her that when I lay my eyes on a cute cake stand; I can't just walk away quietly, instead I have to bring it home and load it up with baked good. 

I'm going to b.a.l's soon (bakers and liars anonymous).

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

Sometimes when I start crying I find it hard to stop….

Lately it feels as if someone opened the crying flood gate and I’ve had a hard time getting it to close shut.

I received an e-mail from my realtor stating that my house was closing escrow, I should have been elated but instead I started crying. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why, I put the house for sale because it was time to move on. Maybe it was the finality of it, or maybe I had just pent up the damn for too long.

I had barely gotten unpacked in the new place when I started hearing news from friends about losses they were dealing with. The worst kind of loss you can have; losing a loved one. I couldn’t believe it when I got a message from a friend whose Mom was terminally ill, she wasn’t even sick from what I knew. Another was getting ready to say good-bye to her Dad. Then another, I couldn’t stop crying and I realized I needed to help them even if it was in the smallest way. I thought to myself the reason it is so painful when we lose someone is because we have invested a huge part of ourselves in him or her.

In that moment I also realized I had invested part of me in that house and it was probably why I was sad.

I decided I needed to turn those sad feelings around and put them where they belonged; in the house of gratitude. I’ve been busy baking some cookies for those friends that needed a hug.

Macarons

I've dried my tears and I hope my friends don’t have to cry for long either. 

Sometimes crying and healing go hand in hand – just like friendships.

Hopefully next week I’ll be able to share a recipe with you.  I cook all the time, sometimes though I just can’t find the time to write them down for you.

Some things you may want to keep in mind: When you are channeling your inner Jacques Pepin, just remember he is a pro for a reason and those fish scales are darn hard to get off the ceiling.

Sometimes soup makes everything feel better.

Did I forget to mention that I'm feeling puffy, have a moody teenager (wouldn't wish one of those on anyone) and well I just really need a glass of wine. Someone please pour this lady a drink! 

Hugs to all that need them,

Gina

Pumpkin Ice Cream and Pepita Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches

I have no idea where this week went; I was having so much fun working on a special Halloween project for none other than the Queen of Cake Pops Bakerella that I lost all track of time.  I can't wait to tell you all about it and share it with you when I'm finished.  But keeping up with the extra hours I've been putting in left me in need of a little something sweet.  "I need sugar" my body screamed!  Maybe yours doesn't scream that, but mine does. 

I've been working on Halloween decorations and costumes overdrive and a little ice cream and cookies sounded so good.  I spent a good two hours going back and forth over which one to make, when I decided, why argue about it I'll have both.  I'm pretty good at problem solving I must say. 

Pumpkin Ice Cream and Roasted and Salted Pepita Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches

Adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home.

8 ounces roasted and salted pepitas

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup egg whites (from 6 to 7 large eggs) at room temperature

1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

A few drops of green food coloring

1 container pumpkin ice cream

1/2 cup chopped roasted and salted pepitas for rolling 

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Use a 3" biscuit or cookie cutter as a guide, trace 12 circles on the paper.  Turn the sheet of parchment over.

Grind the nuts with 1/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar in a food processor until a fine nut flour forms; do not allow the mixture to become a paste.  Add the remaining 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar and pulse just until incorporated.  Sift to remove any large pieces.

Whip the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer until frothy.  (Or use a hand mixer.)  While the mixer is running, slowly add the granulated sugar.  Beat on high speed until the meringue is shiny and holds medium peaks, about 5 minutes.

Fold 1/3 of the whites into the pepita mixture at a time and add food coloring, fold until no more white is showing.

Fit a pastry bag with a 1/4" tip or a freezer bag with the tip cut off.  Pipe the batter in circles starting from the center and working to the outside.

Let the cookies sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry.  

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until they have risen slightly, remove and let cool completely.

To assemble the sandwiches:

Place 6 macarons upside down and add a scoop of softened ice cream on top and a cookie on top of that and slowly press down.  Roll in the chopped pepitas and wrap in plastic wrap and put in the freezer.

The recipe said it makes 12 cookies, but I ended up with quite a few more than that, oh well the more the merrier when it comes to cookies.

Did I mention the Queen was hungry and when she ate one of her subjects the rest of her court went running to the freezer for cover? 

Enjoy,

Gina

Macarons - Success Finally

I made a batch of Macarons a couple of weeks ago and let's just say they were embarrassingly bad. They didn't rise, they tasted like straight sugar and they were all different sizes.  I scratched them off the make again list until I saw Debbie - Squirrel Bakes post Macarons and my French baking class.  I knew right away I would prefer this method because I have worked with Italian meringue before.

I wasn't sure if my first failure was the recipe I used or operator error.  But I did notice a couple of difference between the two.  The batter for the first recipe was much thicker and didn't pipe nicely.  I used parchment the first time and Debbie thought silpats worked better for release, I'd have to agree with Debbie.

I used paste food coloring which I think is a little more saturated in color than the drops Debbie recommended, but I say use what you have.

I couldn't find almond flour with blanched almonds (no skin), but luckily I found some today, so my next batch won't have the brown specks.

My first batch was lacking the feet everyone talks about.  I realized the oven temperature for the first recipe was too low.  I also found in my oven, if I cooked them one tray at a time and put the tray on the upper rack of the oven the feet formed right away.  I moved them to the middle rack after about 8 minutes so they didn't brown.

I let the shells cool before placing on racks and made the dark chocolate ganache.  I did make one change to her ganache recipe, I put the ganache in my mixer with a whisk attachment and whisked it for a couple of minutes until it was completely cooled and it also becomes silkier.

If I hadn't tried Debbie's recipe I might not have been a fan; the other recipe I used really was that bad.  I can't wait to try them again in a different variation.

Do you have a favorite way to flavor them or mix up the flours used, let me know; I'm looking for some ideas.

You will have to go copy down the recipe for yourself and be sure and tell her how good I said they were.

Enjoy,

Gina