Oreo Cupcakes

Our third cupcake for Chocolate Day is an Oreo Cupcake.  These are both appealing to look at and also to eat!!  Please enjoy them.

Oreo Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour, plus 2 Tbsp for the Oreo chunks
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 pkg Oreos

Preheat over to 350F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
Twist apart 24 Oreos. Place the wafer with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each paper liner. Cut other wafers in half. Save 24 halves to place in the frosting. Crush the other wafer halves, also for garnishing.
Cut the remaining Oreo cookies into quarters with a sharp knife. Toss with 2 Tbsp flour and set aside.
In a large bowl cream the butter until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and mix to combine.
In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix until integrated. Stir in sugar. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites. Beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the quartered cookies.
Fill the cupcake lines three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese at room temp
1 stick butter at room temp
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
Add vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with crushed Oreos and place 1/2 of an Oreo on the frosting of each cupcake.

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

The second type of cupcake made for Chocolate Day is Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling.  They are delicious!!

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

Ingredients

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup buttermilk

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° and position 2 racks in the lower and middle third of the oven.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper or foil liners. 

Put the cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl.  Add the boiling water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in the buttermilk until combined.  In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 sticks of the butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the cocoa mixture.  Carefully spoon the cupcake batter into the lined muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full.  Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy.  Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until creamy.  Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Spoon all but 3 tablespoons of the peanut butter filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip.  Holding a cupcake in your hand, plunge the tip into the top of the cake, pushing it about 3/4 inch deep.  Gently squeeze the pastry bag to fill the cupcake, withdrawing it slowly as you squeeze; you will feel the cupcake expand slightly as you fill it.  Scrape any filling from the top of the cupcake and repeat until all of the cupcakes are filled. 

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer.  Off the heat, add the semisweet chocolate to the cream and let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk the melted chocolate into the cream until smooth.  Let the chocolate icing stand until slightly cooled and thickened, about 15 minutes.  Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the icing, letting the excess drip back into the pan.

Transfer the cupcakes to racks and let stand for 5 minutes.  Dip the tops of the cupcakes again and transfer them to racks.  Spoon the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter filling into the pastry bag and pipe tiny rosettes on the tops of the cupcakes.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Another great tradition that we have in my family is a holiday that we are surprised hasn’t been made a national holiday yet.  It is called Chocolate Day.  This holiday originated several years ago in my family.  The holiday is centered on pajamas, movies, and lots and lots of chocolate.  We all sit in our pajamas on the 26^th of December and eat chocolate all day.  It’s the best!  For this holiday I made three different types of cupcakes.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2-3 tsp. espresso powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir together.  Combine the milk, coffee and peppermint extract in a liquid measuring cup.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Blend in the eggs one at a time.   Alternately mix in the dry and liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ingredients:

 1 stick of butter at room temperature

about 3 peppermint sticks, finely crushed

3 cupas of confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Mix butter until soft then add in the milk and confectioners’ sugar.  Once thoroughly mixed add in the crushed candy cane.

I felt that the peppermint flavoring in the cupcake was too strong so I think that if the peppermint flavor was saved for the frosting and kept out of the cupcake then it would be a little less strong.

Swedish Coffee Cake

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!  The holidays are a time for families and traditions.  In my family we have a tradition that has been around since my mom was young.  My great Aunt Marge would make a Swedish coffee cake every Christmas Even to have on Christmas morning while opening gifts.  I have since taken over the job of coffee cake maker and it is delicious!!

Swedish Coffee Cake

Cake Batter:

½ cup of margarine (I use butter)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Topping:

½ cup of chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup sugar

Preheat you oven to 350 degree and grease a Bundt pan.  Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.  Then mix together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until they are well mixed.  Pour half of the batter into the Bundt pan and coat with half of the topping mixture.  Then pour the rest of the batter into the pan and finish with the topping. 

This cake will bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, be careful not to overcook it.

I hope you have had as wonderful a holiday season with your families as I have had with mine!!

Apple Pie :)

Merry Christmas! 

I don’t know about you, but my favorite dessert for the holidays (or any other time of the year) is apple pie.  Whether it’s traditional, caramel, crumble - you name it - it’s the first dessert on my plate! This year for Christmas Eve we are going to my aunt and uncles for dinner and our family is bringing dessert so I searched for a new apple pie recipe.  This break I’ve been particularly obsessed with my sister’s book, “Baked: New Frontiers in Baking,” and so far have enjoyed everything I’ve tried.  The recipe included is the Classic Apple Pie.  Although it is nothing crazy, I’ve found with apple pies sometimes less is more, the simplest of recipes turn out to be the best.  The recipe is as follows:

Classic Apple Pie from Baked

2 balls of Classic Pie Dough (recipe to follow)
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
7 medium Granny Smith apples
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon whiskey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon raw sugar

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Unwrap one of the balls of chilled dough and put it directly on the work surface. Roll out into a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to a pie dish and carefully work it into the pie dish, folding any overhang under and crimping the edge as you go. Wrap and freeze the crust until firm, about 2 hours, or up to 3 months.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the light brown sugar. Peel and core the Granny Smith apples, then cut them into 1/8-inch wedges.

Heat the butter over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Swirl the saucepan occasionally until the butter begins to brown. As soon as the butter is evenly browned, add half the apple wedges and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the apples are softened.

Add the remaining apples and the cornstarch/sugar mixture. Mix until the sugar has melted, then add the vanilla, whiskey, and cinnamon to the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and thick. Do not overcool.

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Unwrap the remaining ball of chilled dough and roll out into a 12-inch round.

Pour the pie filling into the frozen pie crust, and top the second dough round. Trim the dough, leaving a ½-inch overhang. Crimp the edges together, brush with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with the raw sugar. Cut 3 steam vents into the pie crust.

Bake the pie until the filling bubbles and crust is golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool the pie on a rack for 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature. The pie can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 days

Classic Pie Dough 

yields: two balls of dough, enough for 2 (9-inch) single-crusted pies or 1 (9-inch) double-crusted pie

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

3/4 cup ice cold water

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together

Cut the cold butter into cubes and toss the cubes in the flour mixture to coat.  Put the mixture in the bowl of a food processor and pulse in short bursts until the pieces of butter are the size of hazelnuts. 

While pulsing in quick, 4-second bursts, drizzle the ice water into the food processor through the feed tube. 

As soon as the dough comes together in a ball, remove it from the food processor and divide it into two equal balls.  Flatten to a disk and wrap each disk first in parchment paper and then in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate the disks until firm, about 1 hour.  (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator before proceeding with the recipe.)

For the dough, as requested by my Dad, I used a little over 1/4 cup of ice cold vodka and the rest water.  What difference it makes, I’m not sure, but I find it better when I just listen to what my Dad says in the kitchen.  Also, I used light brown sugar to sprinkle on top of the crust at the end instead of raw sugar because I could not find any in our house.  Other than that I stuck the recipe pretty closely, although I found I had to use more apples than they called for.  I ended up using 11 granny smith apples because they were slightly smaller needed.  The aroma and taste from sautéing the apples in the sugar mixture, whiskey, vanilla and cinnamon was absolutely amazing.  The apples tasted great and I can’t wait to try some tonight.  

This break has been quite an adventure with cooking and baking as we are in our temporary house while my Dad builds our new house.  Below is a picture of the kitchen (note: there is no dishwasher ahhh) and please excuse the mess as I took the picture immediately after putting the pie in the oven.  There’s maybe 5 square feet of space between all the counters and about 1.5 feet of counter space.  While the kitchen is a mess to deal with, I could easily deal with waking up to the view from the living room every morning (pictured below)

Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I believe Liv will be posting sometime soon about the fabulous cupcakes she made the other day so look forward to that! And here's a picture o the finished pie! :) 

Brewer's Blondies

It's easy to say (and I think Olivia will agree with me here) that I spend more time in the kitchen during holiday breaks than anywhere else.  I'm not sure if that is considered a good or bad thing.  Although I have not blogged about all the creations, so far this break I have made gingerbread cookie with my friend, Ellie, chocolate chocolate chip cookies (adapted from a vegan recipe because I didn't have any eggs.. who knew ground flax seeds mixed with water = 1 egg), helped my sister a little with her fabulous banana pudding and am currently waiting to devour what Baked NYC likes to call 'Brewer's Blondies.'
It's an adaption from the classic blondies we all love, but instead includes malted milk powder and ground whoppers... what could be better? The recipe is as follows:

Brewer's Blondies
Adapted from Baked

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons malted milk powder
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 3/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup malted milk balls (like Whoppers or Maltesers), coarsely chopped in a food processor
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Vanilla ice cream, to serve

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and malted milk powder together.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until completely combined. Scrape down the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined.

Add the flour mixture in two batches until just combined. Add the malted milk balls, chocolate chips and walnuts and beat until just combined, about 10 seconds. The mixture will be thick. Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly.

Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the blondie comes out clean.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. These blondies taste delicious warm. Cut them into squares and serve with ice cream. They also taste great at room temperature. Once thoroughly cooled, cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

  I had to slightly adapt and use chocolate malted milk powder instead of original because it was out of stock at the store.. how that is possible, I don't know.  Either way, a little more chocolate can never hurt :) Also, a bad tendency of mine is too move to quick without reading the fine print, so I forgot to actually toast the walnuts, but I'm sure it won't affect the finished product that much.
Baked recommends, since most people won't eat all of the blondies right after cooling, keeping them covered in an airtight container and when serving to microwave them for 20-30 seconds and serving with ice cream.  Unfortunately, I haven't had dinner yet so I'm trying to withhold myself from indulging, but I will comment later on the finished outcome and any suggestions for those who try the recipe!

Happy Holidays, hope everyone enjoys some great holiday treats this break! :)