Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Guest Post over at Frosting for the Cause

Please take a moment and click over to Frosting for the Cause to see my post for the day. In honor of Anne Tison, a lovely lady who lost her battle with cancer I made apple pie cupcakes.

Please consider becoming a part of this and sign up to share a dessert and donate to charity.

Monday, September 19, 2011

PB&J Cupcakes


This is my first time posting a failed dessert. It isn't the first time something didn't turn out great in my kitchen. I have a very temperamental and old oven and sometimes rush and skip over ingredients. What can I say? I am not perfect. Because of this I have had several cupcakes/cakes that have seen the trash can after my first bite. Sometimes, my husband will still eat the so called failures because he loves anything with sugar.

That was the case with these cupcakes. There are still a few in the fridge but at this point I just need to toss them and move on. The cupcake was very dry and crumbly, almost cookie like. That would be great if I was making cookies but I wanted a nice, fluffy cupcake. It made me think of linzer cookies with frosting on top.

I am not even going to post the recipe. I am still on the search for a good peanut butter cupcake recipe. Do you have one? Willing to share? I am sure it exists somewhere.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Butterbeer Cupcakes


We have been fascinated with this drink ever since we read that it was available at Universal. With the opening of Harry Potter World we planned a trip last year and had the joys of purchasing several cups, mugs whatever you call it of this butterscotch, cream soda bliss. Nothing else compares to walking around Harry Potter world, hearing my husband laugh like a little boy and enjoying a nice cool butterbeer in 90+ degree heat. We could have easily spent most of our vacation budget on this drink alone. This drink is worth the trip alone, that should tell you something.

Take a trip down there at least once and enjoy the rides and make sure to have butterbeer in your budget. Think $50 or more if you like butterscotch and cream soda. It is a fabulous addition to the whole Harry Potter experience.

You can read about our adventures here


Now back to the cupcakes...


I have to admit that even though these are very delicious, I really didn't think butterbeer. I don't know if my brain could relate the drink being in cupcake form or what so I can't say they are a true representation of butterbeer but they were wonderful butterscotch cupcakes. I would make them again and probably call them, Triple Butterscotch Cupcakes or something unoriginal like that.

Butterbeer Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Sweet Tooth

Cupcakes:
2 cups flour
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teapoonp baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted room temperature butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1.5 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare your cupcake pan(s. In a bowl, whisk all of the dry ingredients together and set aside. Using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat the eggs in one at a time or be like me and just toss them all in making sure they are fully incorporated. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and then add the butter and vanilla flavoring. At this time you should combine and cream soda and buttermilk together. Start adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk/cream soda mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Fill your cupcake pan and bake for 15-17 minutes. I did my first batch for 15 minutes and they were perfect but my second batch I had to keep them in the oven a little longer. Place the cupcakes on a cooling rack and start on the ganache and buttercream.

Butterscotch ganache:
1 package of butterscotch chips (11 oz)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Using a double boiler, melt the chips and cream together until smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. I didn't have a squeeze bottle so I just kept my ganache in the bowl.

Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted room temperature butter
1/3 cup butterscotch ganache
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/8 tsp salt
l pound of powdered sugar or roughly 4 cups (I think - I just add until it is the right consistency)
Heavy cream or milk, use as needed

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and then add the ganache, flavorings and salt. Turn the mixer to the lowest setting and slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep mixing until the powdered sugar is combined. If the buttercream isn't nice and smooth you can add the cream, a little at a time until you get the consistency that you like.

I used the cone method (cut out a cone shape from the middle of the cupcake) to fill the cupcakes with the butterscotch ganache. I piped a buttercream swirl on top and drizzled the ganache on top. I let my ganache firm up and then didn't get a good drizzle so be prepared to warm up your ganache again at this step.

A lot of work but worth it.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars


The bars are awesome, wonderful, amazing! If you love chocolate chip cookies and you love cheesecake then this dessert is for you. Think chocolate chip cookie and a cheesecake had a love child - IT WOULD BE THESE! I adore cheesecake and would love to have it everyday (in fact, I know I can eat a whole 6 inch even a 10 inch cheesecake in a day, maybe even an hour). If you can't tell my love for cheesecake runs deep then you are not paying attention yet, I don't feel any shame for this....

Onto the dessert, these are great little bars that are worth making at least once and the good news (or would it bad news?) that the recipe is made in a 8x8 pan so there are not a ton of bars. I would say enough to space out for a week or if you are me, just a couple of days.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Recipe Adapted from Beantown Baker

Take a 8x8 pan and prepare it as you will. I put down parchment and used my CK Pan Grease but you can butter the pan and it should work fine.

I made the cheesecake first and put it in the fridge while I made the crust and then the cookie dough.

Cheesecake Layer:
10 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until creamy and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until everything is combined. If you make this first, I would put it in the fridge but you can also choose to make this last.

Crust:
1.5 cups of graham cracker crumbs
5 Tablespoons of butter

Stir the crumbs and butter together, making sure all of the crumbs are moist. Press the crumbs down into the prepared pan. Put the pan in a preheated 325 oven for 6 minutes. Place the pan on a cooling rack to cool.

Cookie Dough:
5 Tablespoons room temperature butter
1/3 cup brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
3/4 cup AP flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Using a mixer, mix the first 5 ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the flour making sure to not over mix. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Once the crust is cool, add the cheesecake layer and then drop/place teaspoon size portions of the cookie dough on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until it set. Place on wire rack to cool.

Don't be like me and be impatient and cut into these while they are still warm. Still delicious but the picture would have been better. I have to learn to be patient, which is impossible when it comes to anything cheesecake.
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