Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Adapted from http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/best-birthday-cake/


4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken


Preheat oven to 350°F.


Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.


Pour batter into each well of the muffin tin until it is about 2/3 full. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 14 minutes. Cool in muffin tin on a rack for two minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the tin to cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

From http://annies-eats.com/2010/10/12/yellow-butter-cake-with-chocolate-frosting/

1 lb. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder
6 tbsp. boiling water
3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt

To make the frosting, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 25-30 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine the cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl; stir until the cocoa is dissolved.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add the melted chocolate; beat on low speed until combined, 1-2 minutes.  Beat in the cocoa mixture until well blended. Cool frosting slightly before using if it is too runny.

Pesto Rolls

(adapted from http://www.cookingbread.com/classes/class_pesto_bread.html)

1 cup warm milk (110F)

1 tablespoons sugar

½ tablespoon dry active yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic salt

2 ½ cups bread flour

½ cup pesto

½ cup grated cheese + extra to sprinkle on top (gruyere and pecorino/parmesan)

In a large bowl combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for ten minutes.

Add the olive oil and salt.

Add in a cup of flour and beat with a wooden spoon till smooth. Add in another cup of flour and do the same. Now, sprinkle a half cup of flour onto a flat surface and pour out the dough on top. Begin to knead and slowly add in more flour till the dough no longer sticks to the table. Knead for about 8 - 10 minutes.

Add a little olive oil to a large bowl (about a tablespoon ). Place the kneaded dough into the bowl and turn over a few times to lightly coat all sides of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for an hour or till double in bulk.

Pour out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to a 9 x 14 rectangle. Spread the pesto on top of the dough and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Roll the dough like a jelly roll.

Divide the dough into 12 slices using dental floss or string to cut the dough.

Place each slice in a muffin tin with the spiral side up

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for an hour or till double in bulk. Sprinkle the top with more cheese and place into a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Adapted from Cupcakes! By Elinor Klivans

For the cupcakes:

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cup whole milk

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large eggs

2large egg yolks

2 ½ cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups lemon curd

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until hot (about 150F). Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until thickened and lightened to a cream color, about three minutes. Add vanilla extract. Mix in the flour mixture. Slowly mix in the hot milk mixture until the batter is smooth.

Fill each liner with 1/3 cup of batter, about ¼ of an inch below the top of the liner. Bake for about 18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Recipe makes over 24 cupcakes; more meringue topping may be needed.

Cut a cone-shaped piece out of the middle of the top of each cupcake (save the pieces you cut out for each cupcake!). Fill the holes with lemon curd and replace the pieces of cake that you removed from each cupcake. Place cupcakes 2” apart on a baking sheet.

For the meringue topping:

4 large egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

¼ cup sugar

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar for one minute. Continue beating egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.

Use a butterknife to spread almost 1/3 of a cup of meringue over the top of each cupcake. Gently dip the knife into the meringue to make swirls. Bake until the meringue is light brown, about 12 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes and serve. These can be refrigerated and served cold, with the baking cups removed.

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating cookies
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325F.

Cream the butter and powdered sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans.

Shape a small spoonful of dough into a ball and place onto prepared cookie sheet. Repeat and place cookies 1" away from each other. Bake for 11 minutes. When cool enough to handle but still warm, roll in a mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon. Cool on wire racks. Roll cookies in the powdered sugar mixture again before serving. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Cookies by Hilaire Walden

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups rolled oats

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl mix the butter with the sugars. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until thoroughly blended. Stir in the rolled oats and chocolate chips.

Drop heaped teaspoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet and bake for about 13 minutes.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup blanched hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and butter and flour a large baking sheet.
In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until combined well. Stir in flour mixture to form a stiff dough. Stir in hazelnuts and chocolate chips.


On a prepared baking sheet with floured hands from dough into two slightly flattened logs, each 12 inches long and 2 inches wide, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Bake logs 35 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch. Cool biscotti on baking sheet 5 minutes.


On a cutting board cut biscotti diagonally into ¾-inch slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool biscotti on a rack Biscotti keep in airtight containers one week or frozen up to one month.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

(Adapted from http://fakeginger.com/?p=1632)

For the cinnamon rolls:

6 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch ground nutmeg

5 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg, slightly beaten

Zest of one lemon

3 ½ cups bread flour

2 teaspoons dry active yeast

1 cup plus 2-4 tablespoons milk, warmed to 110F

For the filling:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into small cubes

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon cornstarch

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch ground nutmeg

pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

Powdered sugar

Milk

Maple syrup

Directions:

Combine the yeast and milk. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter on medium-high speed until smooth.  Mix in the egg and lemon zest until incorporated.  Alternate adding the flour and milk to the butter mixture (flour in three additions, milk in two additions).  Knead dough for 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the filling.  To make the caramelized apples, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the apples, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Mix until the apples are evenly coated.  Cook about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Set aside to cool.  In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon to blend; set aside.

Mist a work surface with spray oil.  Roll it out into a rectangle with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the dough with flour if needed to keep it from sticking (about 12 x 14 inches for larger rolls or 9 x 18 inches for smaller rolls).  Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix to blend.  Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the surface of the dough.  Evenly distribute the caramelized apples over the top of the dough.  Starting with the wide edge, roll up the dough into a cigar-shaped log, creating a cinnamon sugar spiral as you roll.  Pinch the seam shut, and with the seam side down, slice the log into your desired number of rolls.  Transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, placing the rolls about ½-1 inch apart.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 75-90 minutes, until the rolls have grown into each other and have nearly doubled in size.  At this point, the rolls can also be covered and retarded in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  Pull the pan out of the refrigerator 3-4 hours before baking to let the dough proof.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool in the baking about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Make the glaze.

Makes 8-12 large cinnamon rolls or 12-16 smaller rolls