Salted Almond Praline Tart

 Here's the creation that WON "Pies & Tarts" night at Dessert Club, which is no small feat.  But it was pretty awesome.  I think the Salted Almond Praline, that went on as a garnish, and was both addictive and super easy to make, was the kicker that pushed it over the edge.  Stunning with creamy almond-scented filling, fresh raspberries, and spicy-salty crust and praline, I humbly admit it did stand out. 

Better Homes and Gardens teamed up with the Almond Board of California for a "Crowd-Pleasing Almond Dishes" contest, and you guessed it, this was one of the winners.  So now it's a two-time award winner.  So you should make it this week.  And maybe every week after.  Definitely for your next recipe contest.  Yum.

  
Salted Almond Praline Tart (print recipe)
Makes 12 servings

Almond Crust:
2 1/2 cups broken cinnamon graham crackers (or cinnamon Teddy Grahams)
1 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup softened butter

Almond Tart Filling:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 1/2 oz. white baking chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 egg and 1 egg yolk

Salted Almond Praline:
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup sugar
2 T melted butter
1 T water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

Garnish:
Whipped cream
Fresh raspberries

1.  Preheat oven to 325F.  Prepare crust:  In food processor, combine grahams, almonds, and sugar.  Cover; process until finely ground.  Add butter.  Pulse to combine.  Press into bottom and sides of 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom.  Chill 15 minutes.  Place on foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned; cool.

2.  Prepare filling: In saucepan combine 8 oz. cream cheese and white chocolate.  Stir over low heat until melted.  In bowl beat remaining cream cheese on medium to high for 30 seconds.  Beat in sugar until smooth.  Beat in melted mixture until combined.  Beat in sour cream and extract until combined.  Beat in egg and yolk until combined Pour into crust.

3.  Bake in 325F oven 35 minutes or until center is nearly set when gently shaken.  Cool on rack 30 minutes. Loosen crust from side of pan, but do not remove.  Chill at least 2 hours. 

4.  Make Salted Almond Praline: Heat oven to 325F.  Line a baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  In bowl combine 1 cup sliced almonds, the sugar, melted butter, water, cinnamon and salt.  Spread evenly in pan.  Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely on rack.  Break into pieces.

5.  Remove tart from pan.  Top with whipped cream, Salted Almond Praline, and raspberries.  Serve.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, July 2012

Orange & Coriander Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blackberry Swirl

Here is the insanely good, truly deserving winner of Dessert Club - Herbs & Spices night.

Orange and Coriander Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blackberry Swirl (print recipe)

Coriander Cheesecake Ice Cream:
1 1/2 teaspoons ground roasted coriander
3/4 cup whole milk
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
8 oz crème frâiche
3/4 cup sugar

Combine the coriander and milk in a small sauce pan. Bring to a light simmer, turn off the heat, and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes.

In the food processor or blender, pulse the cream cheese, crème frâiche, sugar, and milk together until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. 

Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream:
2/3 cup sugar 

Peel of 3 oranges (peel oranges with vegetable peeler and scrape the pith off with a paring knife) 

1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (from 4 or 5 large oranges) 

1 cup sour cream 

1/2 cup half-and-half

In a blender, pulverize the sugar and orange peel until the peel/zest is fine. Add the orange juice, sour cream, and half-and-half and blend until the sugar is completely dissolved. Chill at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. 

Blackberry Sauce:
2 cups (16 oz) blackberries
3/4 cups sugar

Place blackberries and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat, mashing with a potato masher when they are really soft. Simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Strain the fruit and juices in a fine mesh sieve until most of the liquid is separated. Put the solids into a blender and blend to make a thick sauce. If you don't want seeds (I didn't) put back through sieve into a separate bowl. Add back the liquid to the solids until it is about the consistency of melted sorbet (I still had about a half cup of the liquids left that I didn't use - which was great on pancakes).  Cool completely if it's not already, then chill for at least 1 hour.

To Assemble:
Churn the coriander ice cream in your machine according to manufacturers instructions. When it is finished, transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer. Strain out the zest from the orange creamsicle ice cream then churn in your machine according to manufacturers instructions until it is the consistency of soft serve. If you have two ice cream makers you can churn both flavors at the same time, just make the coriander as thick as you can get but leave the orange just a little soft. 

To swirl both flavors with the sauce, gently fold scoops of coriander ice cream into the orange ice cream. Then scoop BIG scoops, a few at a time, of the two flavors together into a large airtight container and pour blackberry sauce over to cover, then more scoops and more sauce, repeating until all ice cream and sauce is used. Cover with plastic wrap and container lid then freeze until solid.

Adapted from cannellevanille.com and The Perfect Scoop via feltandhoney.com
by Dessert Club member S.W.

1 year ago:  Cranberry Cream Pie
2 years ago:  Marmalade Nut Brownies
3 years ago:  Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

 It is always the right time and season for another banana bread recipe.  We have a couple go spotty at least once a month, and while we often turn to our favorite recipes - this, and this - we never turn down a new one that looks promising.

 Like, say, if it has both cocoa powder and chocolate chips.  Promising.

This one kept its promise - as you can see, moist beyond description - I do hate to overcook, so I pull it out a minute or two early, and happily enjoy the fudgy results.  But, you know, there are bananas, too, so these are totally healthy-ish.  Make a good teacher's gift, too.  I brought them in to parent-teacher conferences last month.  Can't hurt.  Bananas and chocolate - a timeless combination.

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (print recipe)
Makes 2 mini loaves or one 9"x5" loaf

1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 T cocoa powder
1/2 cup soft unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mashed banana (about 2-3 medium)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, mini preferred

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly grease two 3 1/4" x 5 3/4" mini loaf pans, or one 9" x 5" loaf pan. 

2.  Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa.

3.  In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy.  Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla, banana, and sour cream.  Gently mix in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips until well incorporated.

4.  Pour the batter into the pan(s) and bake for 45 minutes for mini loaves or 60 minutes for a large loaf, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

5.  Remove the bread(s) from the oven, and allow to rest in the pan(s) for 10 minutes.  Turn the bread(s) out onto a rack to cool completely.

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

1 year ago:  Banana After-School Cake
2 years ago:  Coconut Lime-Curd Bars

3 years ago:   Fresh Lime Chiffon Cake

Chipotle Brownies

 

 As promised, here are my smoky spicy oh-so-chocolatey chipotle brownies!  It's like you take my favorite combo - chocolate, cinnamon, red pepper - and add that very slight smokiness that makes chipotles (smoked peppers), and wow!  We have a NEW favorite that is more than the sum of its parts!

 

And not that this recipe needs any more in its favor than that, but it also has FOUR kinds of chocolate, sour cream, and three times more sugar than flour.  All signs of a recipe to die for.

Chipotle Brownies (print recipe)
Makes 9 to 16 servings

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup sour cream
4 ounces (2/3 cup) chocolate chunks

1.  Heat oven to 325.  Butter and flour an 8 x 8-inch baking pan (I doubled the whole recipe for a crowd and made it in a 9x13.)  Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, chipotle powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2.  In a medium saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a simmer.  Add butter, unsweetened chocolate, and semisweet chocolate to a metal bowl large enough to sit on top of the saucepan.  Melt ingredients, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir until smooth.

3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Whisk on high speed until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.  Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and whisk on medium for 30 seconds.  Add the flour mixture and whisk on low for 30 seconds.  Add sour cream and whisk on medium for 30 seconds.  Stir in chocolate chunks by hand. 

4.  Bake at 325 for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack 10 minutes.

Recipe from Family Circle, February 2012

 

1 year ago:  Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Bread
2 years ago:  Toasted Coconut Cupcakes
3 years ago:  Toronto Blueberry Buns

Blackberry-Swirl Pound Cake

 This amazing concoction was a bit of a happy accident.  VERY happy.

Over spring break I cleaned out the fridge, freezer, and cupboards and made an effort to use up some older stuff.  I had four bags of frozen blackberries in the back of the freezer, that I'd gotten last summer on a BOGO deal, and forgotten about.  I knew had a couple of blackberry recipes in my files, so I went hunting.

SO GLAD I went with this one.  Because this pound cake is UH-MAZING.  Light, tender, buttery, and sweet.  Everything a pound cake should be.  And with a blackberry swirl?!  So delicious.

Blackberry-Swirl Pound Cake (print recipe)
Makes 9 servings
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 ounces blackberries (1 1/3 cups)
1 1/4 cups plus 2 T sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly butter a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang.  Butter parchment.  Good luck with this.  I just use my really good nonstick spray and skip the parchment.

2.  In a food processor, puree blackberries with 2 T sugar.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.

3.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 5 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed.  With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

4.  Transfer half the batter to pan and dot with 1/2 cup blackberry puree.  Repeat with remaining batter and puree.  With a skewer or thin-bladed knife, swirl batter and puree together.  Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours.  Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes.  Lift cake out of pan and place on a serving plate.  Let cool completely before slicing.

Recipe from Everyday Food, July/Aug 2010

In fact, after making it with blackberries, I thought, this is so easy, I could make it with any fruit!  So the next week, I made it with strawberry swirl.  And with had it for strawberry shortcake.  Heaven. 

Sassy Cake

 This was one of the cakes I made for Dessert Club this month.  I got Warren Brown's cookbook from the library and wanted to give some of his recipes a go.  I don't love the stuff from Cake Love shops, but I was curious.  It was fun to make, and tasted pretty good - hello, cayenne and mango!, but it was kind of involved, and by the time I'd finished it, I didn't really feel like eating it. 

Kind of like this post.  I spent my entire Sunday afternoon just getting the recipe typed up.  So now that it's time to do the fun part - writing the blog post - I kind of don't feel like it.  But I did do the work.  So you get the post.

Sassy Cake (print recipe)
11 ounces all-purpose flour
1 T potato starch
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1/2 cup mango puree (recipe below)
1 cup sour cream
2 T fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp pure orange oil (if you can find it) OR 1 tsp orange extract

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
21 ounces extra-fine granulated sugar
1 T orange zest
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

 1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Set the rack in the middle.

2.  Weigh/measure the dry ingredients (flour, potato starch, salt, baking soda, pepper) into a mixing bowl and whisk to blend.  In a separate bowl, combine the liquid ingredients (mango puree, sour cream, orange juice, orange oil) and whisk to combine.

3.  In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar and orange zest on the lowest speed for 3 to 4 minutes.  The acids from the orange zest will break down the sugar and the creamed mixture will appear a little wet.

4.  With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the two yolks, fully incorporating after each addition.  Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.

5.  Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture.  Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter.  Don't wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next.  This step should take a total of about 60 seconds.

6.  Stop the mixer and scrape the sides.  Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter's structure.

7.  Prepare the pan.  Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray.  Fill it about three-quarters full by depositing the batter with the rubber spatula in small clumps around the prepared pan instead of by pouring it into one spot.  Level the batter with the rubber spatula.  Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the top doesn't jiggle, and test for doneness using a bamboo skewer or cake tester - there should be just a touch of crumbs.  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes.  Invert onto a flat surface and allow to cool to room temperature.

Mango Puree
1 ripe mango
1/4 cup extra-fine granulated sugar

1.  Cut the flesh of the mango into even-sized pieces and combine with sugar in a 2-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan.

2.  Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over low to medium heat and cook for 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.  Strain the syrup and reserve for another use.

3.  Place the cooked fruit in the bowl of a food processor and puree until totally smooth, 1 minute.

4.  Transfer the puree to an airtight container.  Refrigerate until needed, up to 10 days.

Serving
You can serve this cake dusted with powdered sugar, adorned with Apricot Preserve Glaze, or sliced horizontally and filled with Orange Italian Meringue Buttercream.  The choice is yours.

Apricot Preserve Glaze
1/2 cup apricot preserves
3 T confectioners' sugar
1 T cold water

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Place the cake on an oven-safe plate.

2.  Heat the preserves in a saucepan over low heat until the preserves liquify, about 3 to 4 minutes.

3.  Transfer the heated preserves to a sieve placed over a bowl and press with a rubber spatula to separate the liquid from the solids. 

4.  Brush a light coat of the warm preserve liquid onto the cake with a pastry brush.

5.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and lightly brush the mixture onto the preserve-coated cake.

6.  Bake for 5 minutes to seal in the glaze.  Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before serving.

Orange Italian Meringue Buttercream (you only need HALF this recipe to fill the Sassy cake)
5 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups extra-fine granulated sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 tsp pure orange oil or extract

1.  Measure 1 cup sugar and the water into a 1-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Gently stir to combine.  Measure the remaining sugar into a small bowl and set aside.  Cut the butter into Tablespoon-sized pieces and set aside. 

2.  Place a candy thermometer in the saucepan and heat the mixture over medium-high heat.  Partially cover with a lid to capture the evaporating water - this helps to moisten the sides of the saucepan to prevent sugar crystals from forming.

3.  With the mixer on high speed, begin whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks.  When the peaks are stiff, you have a meringue.

4.  Keep the mixer running and pour the 1/4 cup of sugar into the meringue.  Raise the heat under the sugar syrup to bring the syrup to 245 degrees Farenheit, if it is not there already.  When it is at 245, remove the thermometer and slowly pour the syrup into the meringue.

5.  After 1 to 2 minutes reduce the mixer speed to medium for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the meringue is cooled.  Add the butter 1 Tablespoon at a time.  Increase the mixer speed to high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the butter is fully incorporated.  Mix in the orange oil/extract.

Recipes adapted from Cake Love: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch by Warren Brown

Cardamom Sour Cream Twists

These were a hit at our March Dessert Club meeting - a yeasted sour cream pastry dough is rolled out, sprinkled with cardamom and sugar, and folded multiple times to achieve those flaky layers us pastry-lovers love so much.  A drizzle of cardamom-infused icing tops it off for the perfect breakfast beverage dunker this side of India.

Cardamom Sour Cream Twists (print recipe)

Makes 2 dozen twists

1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup cold butter
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp cardamom, divided
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup half-and-half

1.  In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat in the egg, egg yolks, sour cream, vanilla and yeast mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Place three ungreased baking sheets in the refrigerator.

2.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar over a clean work surface. On the sugared surface, roll half of dough into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle (refrigerate remaining dough until ready to use). Sprinkle rectangle with 4 teaspoons sugar and 3/4 tsp cardamom; fold into thirds.

3.  Give dough a quarter turn and repeat rolling, sugaring and folding two more times (don't repeat the cardamom in the subsequent sugar fillings.) Roll into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Cut into twelve 1-in.-wide strips; twist. Place on chilled baking sheets. Repeat with remaining sugar and dough.

4.  Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

5.  For icing, combine confectioners' sugar, 3/4 tsp cardamom, and half-and-half. Dip twists into icing or drizzle icing over twists.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home by Dessert Club member R.Y.

Chai Spice Carrot Cake with Vanilla Bean-Cream Cheese Frosting

 It was my friend's birthday, and her husband was going to be out of town, so I was afraid she might not get a cake.  I emailed to ask him what was her favorite, and his response was immediate: carrot. 

Which is good.  Because I haven't made a lot of carrot cakes, so it was good experience for me.  AND also good because I just got a new workbowl for my food processor, and I'd been rip-roaring to use it!

When looking for the quintessential no-fail carrot cake recipe, I went straight to Baking Illustrated.  Sure enough, there was a recipe, two variations, two pages of explanation, and three pictures of "failed" carrot cakes, with notes on why they failed.  This, I knew, would give me a great cake.

So I was disappointed and a little torn when I read they make it in a 9x13 pan.  I was hoping for something a little more birthday-worthy, a layer cake.  I scoured the explanation to find out why and came up only with "ease" and "simplicity", not my top priorities when making a birthday cake.  So I cautiously strayed from the formula to make two 9-inch layers. 

The cake was delicious (I made the chai-spiced version.)  The frosting as well.  Though the frosting was slightly soft, and therefore maybe better on a rectangle than trying to spread around the sides of two layers darker than itself.  But I tried to hide those unsightly edges from the camera, for the most part, in the hopes of conveying the fabulousness this carrot cake is.  (And no, I didn't make my own marzipan carrot.  Got it at the local European bakery for a couple of bucks.)

 Chai Spice Carrot Cake with Vanilla Bean-Cream Cheese Frosting (print recipe)
Serves 10 to 12

Carrot Cake:
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 T ground cardamom
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 pound (6 to 7 medium) carrots, peeled
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups safflower, canola, or vegetable oil

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 vanilla beans, halved and seeds scraped
8 oz. cream cheese, softened but still cool
5 T unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 T sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) confectioners' sugar

1.  For the Cake: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position; heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray the parchment.

2.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

3.  In a food processor fitted with the large shredding disk, shred the carrots (you should have about 3 cups); add the carrots to the bowl with the dry ingredients and set aside.  Wipe out the food processor and fit with the metal blade.  Process both sugars with the eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds.  With the machine running, add the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream.  Process until the mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer.  Scrape the mixture into a large bowl.  Stir in the carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.  Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through the baking time.  Cool the cake to room temperature in the pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours.

4.  For the Frosting: When the cake is cool, process the cream cheese, vanilla bean seeds, butter, sour cream, and vanilla extract in a clean food processor until combined, about 5 seconds, scraping down the workbowl with a rubber spatula as needed.  Add the confectioners' sugar and process until smooth, about 10 seconds.

5.  Run a paring knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan.  Invert cake onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment, then invert it again onto a serving platter.  Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the surface of the cake.  Cut into squares and serve. 

Recipe from Baking Illustrated

Leprechaun Muffins

 Well I didn't quite get these up for St. Patrick's, did I?  But anyone who loves pistachios as much as I do won't mind because these are great any day of the year.  A delicious sour cream batter surrounding a rich sweet pistachio filling that, in every muffin, turns out like a little smile. 

I had to hunt this recipe down like a bloodhound.  See, when I made my Frozen Pistachio Tarts, I had to buy a 3-pack of pistachio paste.  Which means I had a whole lot of pistachio paste left over.  So naturally I started looking for recipes.  In the KAF forums I saw mention of a Leprechaun Muffin, which was achingly intriguing, but I couldn't find the recipe anywhere.  I finally figured out it was published in their own publication, The Baking Sheet, but not available online.  So I went and ordered myself a back issue and waited with great anticipation.

What a gem, too.  Not only did it have this recipe, but also a Pistachio-Chocolate Chip Pound Cake (using more pistachio paste, woo-hoo!), a Daffodil Cake (a yellow-and-white sponge cake flavored with orange), Tourtiere (French meat pie), Hot Cross Buns, and more.  It's a little expensive, but I'm seriously considering a subscription.

In the meantime, here's a freebie for you, for no pistachio lover should be without Leprechaun Muffins.

Leprechaun Muffins (print recipe)
Makes 16 muffins

Batter:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Filling (makes enough for two batches of batter):
1/2 cup pistachio paste
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 drop green food coloring

Streusel:
1/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts, optional

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with papers and spray the insides of the papers.  Put the extras in another tin or the same one after it cooks.

2.  To make the dough:  In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions and stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl after each egg.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to the egg mixture in thirds, alternating with the sour cream.  Beat in the extracts.

3.  To make the filling: Combine the pistachio paste, cream cheese, and sugar until smooth.  Add the flour, mix to combine, then beat in the egg, almond extract, and a drop of green food coloring, if using.

4.  To make the streusel: Combine the ingredients, mixing well with a fork or your hands.

5.  To assemble muffins: Scoop 2 T of batter into each of the wells of the muffin tins.  Spoon a Tablespoon of filling on top of the batter, then scoop another 2 T of batter on top.  The wells should be filled to just below the tops of the papers.  Sprinkle the streusel on top, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack for 5 minutes before taking the muffins out of the pans to finish cooling completely.

 Coffeecake variation: Butter and flour two 8-inch round pans or a 9x13 pan.  Spread half the batter in the prepared pans; spread the filling over it, and then spoon the remaining batter on top.  Sprinkle with the streusel, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack, or cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from The Baking Sheet, Spring 2010

Raspberry Tea Cake with Mascarpone Cream Filling

 

 It's crazy, I am still finding fresh raspberries on sale at the store, even in October!  And they're good ones.  So as long as I am finding them, we are eating them.

It was my friend's birthday a few weeks ago, and I know she loves creamy stuff, and fruit, so I thought this would be a nice birthday cake for her.  I love this size for when you just have a small gathering, or a family, and you don't need a huge cake with leftovers for weeks.  And you know what I always say, if it's not frosted you can eat it the next day for breakfast.  Which they did!

 

The raspberry tea cake would also be delicious on its own, as an actual tea cake.  It's just a fabulous sour cream loaf flavored with almond extract, or you could use vanilla, with raspberries folded in.  But if you happen to have a cake leveler and know how to use it, or a VERY steady hand with a bread knife (partially freeze the loaf for less chance of it falling apart), then go for it - slice it into four horizontal layers and slather on this dreamy creamy mascarponey filling!  Either way, you will boost your popularity.  And maybe even mine.

Raspberry Tea Cake with Mascarpone Cream Filling (print recipe)

Cake
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup fresh raspberries

Cream Filling
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
confectioners' sugar for garnish

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well and set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and the almond extract. Slowly add the dry ingredients, alternating with the sour cream. Beat until well moistened, then very carefully fold in the raspberries. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes on a rack to cool, then remove the pan and cool completely.

2.  The Cream Filling: Beat the whipping cream and 1/3 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, cream the mascarpone cheese and remaining 1/3 cup sugar, vanilla and Chambord until creamy. Add the cheese mixture to the whipped cream mixture.

3.  Trim the brown edges off the top and sides of the cake. With a serrated knife, slice the loaf lengthwise into 3 to 4 thin layers. Place one layer on a serving plate, top with some cheese filling, then another layer of cake and more filling, then repeat the next two layers, leaving a cake layer on top. Sift confectioners' sugar over the top layer. Cover and refrigerate. (*I placed the loaf pan back over it while in the fridge to help it from sliding or losing shape.

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Banana Whoopie Pies

This is one of those posts where the pictures pretty much speak for themselves. I made these for a "light" dessert for a dinner party we attended - they are portable, there is kid appeal, but mostly they're just fun, really delicious, and not too big or heavy.

I made Martha's proscribed cream cheese filling and yeah, it was good, but I just felt it needed something to be real good whoopie pie filling. So I added some marshmallow creme - can that ever go wrong? (don't answer) - and in this case it was just the thing.

Sometimes I think I should start another blog just for banana recipes. They are all so good, I never get tired of them. And hey, these are even good in lunches! Wrap individually and store in the fridge for up to a week - send them in kids lunches and won't they be the envy of the table!
Banana Whoopie Pies (print recipe)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup mashed banana (1 large or 1 1/2 small)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup marshmallow creme1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Combine banana and sour cream in another bowl.

2. Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla, beating until incorporated. Add banana mixture in 2 additions, alternating with flour mixture.

3. Transfer batter to a pastry bat fitted with a 1/4 inch plain tip (or a gallon size Ziploc, then snip off a corner.) Pipe batter into 2-inch rounds on baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart.

4. Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. Slide parchment, with cookies, onto wire racks. Let cool.

5. Beat cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in marshmallow creme until the filling is homogenous. Pipe or spoon 1 T cream cheese filling onto the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve immediately. Makes about 2 1/2 to 3 dozenRecipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Devil's Food Cake with Black Pepper Boiled Icing

Tee hee hee, this is me beating the system. Just a little. Dessert Club is tonight. The theme is "VGP" which means, make something off this blog. Most awesome theme ever. But I really really really wanted to try this cake from Bon Appetit, so here I am posting it like an hour before our meeting. I've made it but don't have a picture (hence the photo from their website) and I haven't brulee'd it yet because I bought the wrong fuel for my *NEW* kitchen torch so I gotta run out super quick to Sur La Table and get some butane before our meeting! Busy evening. But this cake promises to be killer. Black Pepper Icing, are you kidding?

And not only did I get a torch just for the occasion (it will get plenty of use, hello, Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream made easy) but I got to get two new ingredients, too - creme fraiche (Whole Foods) and cocoa nibs (The Spice House.) I love expanding my repertoire. Here's the recipe!

Devil's Food Cake with Black Pepper Boiled Icing (print recipe)
Filling:
3 1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (60%-64% cacao), chopped
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream, divided
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 T sugar, divided
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup crème fraîche

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups boiling water
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp instant coffee or instant espresso, optional
10 T unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 T cocoa nibs

Black Pepper Icing:
1 cup sugar, divided
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Make the Filling: Combine chocolate and salt in the large bowl of an electric mixer; place a fine-mesh strainer over bowl and set aside. Pour 1 T cream into a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over and let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring remaining cream and 1 T sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Whisk yolks and remaining 1 T sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture; return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens slightly and your finger leaves a path on the back of a spoon when drawn across, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Add gelatin mixture to cream mixture; stir to dissolve. Pour through prepared strainer into chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute; whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Whisk in crème fraîche. Using an electric mixer, beat filling until well blended, about 2 minutes. Press a sheet of plastic wrap onto surface of filling; chill overnight.

3. Make the cake: Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, then dust with cocoa powder and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the boiling water, chocolate, cocoa powder, and instant espresso together until smooth.

4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla until incorporated.

5. Reduce the speed to low and beat in one-third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the chocolate mixture. Repeat with half of the remaining flour mixture, and the remaining chocolate mixture. Beat in the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated.

6. Fold in cocoa nibs with a rubber spatula to make sure it is thoroughly combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, smooth the tops, and gently tap the pans on the counter to settle the batter. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating and switching the pans halfway through baking.

7. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the edge of the cakes, then flip them out onto wire racks. Peel off the parchment paper, flip the cakes right side up, and let cool completely before assembling, about 2 hours.

8. Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Stir filling to loosen. Spread half of filling over cake in an even layer. Place second cake layer on top of filling. Spread remaining filling over in an even layer. Place remaining cake layer on top. Chill cake for 1 hour.

9. Make the black pepper icing: Mix 1 T sugar and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Attach a candy thermometer to side of a small saucepan; add remaining sugar and 1/2 cup water to pan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down side with a wet pastry brush, until thermometer registers 240 degrees, about 10 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at medium speed until frothy. With machine running, gradually add reserved sugar and salt from small bowl. Gradually add hot syrup from saucepan to egg whites, beating at medium-high speed and allowing syrup to drizzle down sides of bowl. Continue beating whites until stiff and cool, about 20 minutes. Add pepper; beat until well blended. Immediately spoon topping onto cake. Smooth over top and sides. Working quickly, swirl icing decoratively. (Cake can be iced one day ahead. Cover with a cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. To brûlée the icing, use a kitchen torch to toast icing in spots.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, September 2011

La Diva Chocolate Cake

Just in case you have never made a really divine chocolate cake, or at least not in awhile, I give you La Diva!

She is sweet, deep, and greater than the sum of her parts. She keeps nothing a secret, layering milk, and then dark, chocolate ganache on the outside, in an undeniable, and irresistable, attempt to bring you hither.

A word about grating chocolate. It goes seriously static! It flies everywhere and there is no containing it, I don't care how many tricks you know. The best way I've found is to lay my grater on a very shallow paper towel-lined rimmed plate or tray. The fly-aways go to the paper towel, which you can then fold up and use for pouring. Sheesh, what a mess! But as always, it is worth it. I never lead you astray.La Diva Chocolate Cake (print recipe)
Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated semisweet chocolate

Milk Chocolate Ganache:
2/3 cup whipping cream
6 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

Dark Chocolate Ganache:
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 T unsalted butter, cut into bits

Finishing Touches:
Confectioners' sugar
Chocolate curls

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Generously spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and place pan on baking sheet.

2. For cake, in a large bowl, hand-whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In a medium bowl, place chopped chocolate and butter and cover with boiling water, whisking to blend and melt chocolate. In a mixer bowl, on low speed, blend sugar, eggs, and vanilla very well until light, about 3 minutes. Fold in sour cream and then dry ingredients, melted chocolate, and grated chocolate. Blend well, scraping bowl often to ensure evenly blended batter, about 2 to 4 minutes. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake until cake springs back when lightly pressed with fingertips, about 55 to 65 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes before unmolding. Wrap and freeze 1 hour before garnishing cake.

3. To make milk chocolate ganache, in a small saucepan, bring cream to just simmering. Quickly stir in chopped milk chocolate and continue stirring until it melts, turning off heat as you do so. Mix well and chill until very firm. Then whip in a mixer on high speed to fluff.

4. For dark chocolate ganache, in a small saucepan, bring cream to just simmering. Quickly stir in chopped chocolate and continue stirring until it melts, turning off heat as you do so. Mix well. When it is thick, stir in butter to blend in. Let cool to room temperature. Chill until it can be poured over cake as a thick glaze.

5. To assemble and garnish cake, invert cake onto a serving platter. Spread milk chocolate ganache on top of cake. Chill cake 20 to 30 minutes. Then pour dark chocolate ganache over top of cake. Chill briefly and then garnish with confectioners' sugar, chocolate curls, or a pesticide-free red rose.Recipe from A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman

Bacon and Gruyère Muffins

Maybe it's time for something a little different. Savory. Unexpected. Something with bacon.
These have the craggy look of a biscuit, but the tender crumb of a muffin. Gorgeous pockets of melted nutty Gruyère cheese and yummy big bits of smoky, salty bacon make an elegant but very satisfying breakfast package. Serve 'em with eggs, fruit and cocoa. Or grab one for a breakfast-on-the-go. Whatever you choose, these are just the thing. Everything's better with bacon.
Bacon and Gruyère Muffins (print recipe)
8 thin slices smoked bacon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
4 T unsalted butter, melted*
1 cup milk
2 T sour cream or plain yogurt
3/4 cup finely diced Gruyère or Swiss cheese (about 3 to 4 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease 11 standard muffin cups with butter, spray or paper liners. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon slices until crisp, 6-8 minutes, turning as needed. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain. Let bacon cool, then crumble. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter, milk and sour cream until blended. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the bacon and cheese just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. Do not overmix.

4. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it level with the rim of the cup. Bake until golden, dry and springy to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 11 muffins

*For added bacon flavor, hello, replace 2 T of the melted butter with 2 T of the bacon fat.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Muffins

Braided Lemon Bread

This bread is amaaaaazing. Do I say that too much? Need some new adjectives? I can't help it, it is delightful and delectable. Goes for breakfast, snack or dessert, don't you love things like that? AND it makes two loaves so you don't feel like it was a waste of time. Big loaves, did I mention? Look:
And it's really only faux-braiding so don't think you can't do it. You just lay the cream cheese and lemon curd fillings down the middle (I KNOW! Sounds great already!), then cut the dough on both sides into strips and lay them alternately across the filling so they overlap and look like a braid! Easy and beautiful, perfect combination. And did I mention you could make the dough in the bread machine? It's an option, see step 3.

It says to sprinkle sparkling sugar on the bread - you can totally use turbinado or any coarse sugar - I got this jar at Michael's by the sprinkles.
That filling! Well as you know anything with lemon curd is destined to be fabulous unless you seriously screw something up. But you won't. Because this recipe comes from King Arthur Flour and they have a trustworthy test kitchen. Plus I also tested it for you so you're all set. Yeasty, lemony, super comforting but also elegant. I can't think of a single occasion this wouldn't be good for, so whip it up and go impress someone.Braided Lemon Bread (print recipe)
Sponge:
3/4 cup warm water
2 tsp sugar
1 T instant SAF yeast or rapid-rise yeast
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough:
all of the sponge
3/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract OR King Arthur Buttery Sweet Dough Flavor
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
egg wash for brushing braid
pearl sugar or sparkling white sugar for sprinkling on braid

Filling:
2/3 cup (5 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup prepared lemon curd, whisked smooth (store-bought or homemade, recipe follows)

1. In a small bowl combine the sponge ingredients. Stir well to combine, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to proof for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. (*If using a bread machine, skip to step 3a.) If mixing by hand, in the bowl of a stand mixer combine the sponge, yogurt, butter, eggs, sugar, salt and flavoring. Add 4 1/2 cups flour and mix with the paddle attachment until the dough is a rough, shaggy mass. Switch to the dough hook and knead on speed 2 until a soft, smooth dough forms, about 5 to 6 minutes, adding 1/2 to 1 cup more flour if needed to achieve the correct consistency.

3. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until quite puffy and nearly doubled.

3a. If using a bread machine, place ingredients in the pan and set the machine on the dough cycle. Be sure to check the dough as it kneads and adjust the flour or water as needed to achieve a soft, supple consistency. Let the cycle complete itself.

4. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Combine all the filling ingredients except the lemon curd in a small bowl, mixing until smooth and lump-free. Reserve the filling and lemon curd until ready to fill the braids.

5. Gently deflate the dough and divide it in half. Cover half with plastic wrap and set aside as you roll out the first piece into a 10" x 15" rectangle. (Rolling on parchment paper makes moving the bread to the baking sheet much easier. I roll mine out, fold it in fourths, move to a parchment-covered baking sheet, unfold to full size, and continue with the braid on the baking sheet.) Lightly press two lines down the dough lengthwise to divide it into 3 equal sections. Spread half the cream cheese filling down the center section, and top with half the lemon curd, leaving 1" free on all sides of the filling.

6. To form the mock braid, cut 1" crosswise strips down the length of the outside sections, making sure you have about the same number on each side. It will kind of look like a centipede. Beginning on the left, life the dop dough strip and gently bring it across the filling diagonally. Repeat on the other side with the top dough strip, so that the two strips cross cross each other. Continue down the entire braid, alternating strips to form the loaf. Tuck ends into braid so filling won't spill out.

7. Repeat the rolling, filling, and braiding steps for the second piece of dough, using the remaining cream cheese filling and lemon curd. Set both loaves aside, lightly covered, to rise for about 60 minutes or until quite puffy.

8. Preheat oven to 375. Brush the loaves with egg wash (one lightly beaten egg, 2 tsp water and a pinch of salt), and sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar. Bake for 22 to 30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes before serving. Makes 2 loavesRecipe from KingArthurFlour.com

Lemon Curd
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

3/4 stick (6 T) unsalted butter, cut into bits

1. Whisk together juice, zest, sugar and eggs in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubble appears on surface, about 6 minutes.

2. Transfer lemon curd to a bowl and chill, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 1 hour. Makes about 1 1/3 cups

Russian Cream

So here is Dessert Club's winner for May. If you were to read the recipe without tasting it, you might wonder, "Really? There's nothing to it." And maybe that's the beauty of it - cream, sour cream, sugar, vanilla. And gelatin to give it form. So it's basically the most comforting comfort food ever - CREAM! - in a cool elegant presentation. Seriously, we all simply loved it. And you will, too.
Russian Cream (print recipe)
1 cup water

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 envelopes Knox gelatin

3 cups sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups whipping cream (unwhipped)

In a saucepan, mix gelatin and sugar. Add water and mix well. Let stand for 5 minutes. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour in whipping cream. Mix sour cream and vanilla together. Whisk into whipping cream mixture until no lumps remain. Put mix into bowl or mold that has been sprayed with PAM. Cover and chill well in refrigerator until firm--overnight. Unmold (a tip from my mom was to put a steaming hot towl on the mold that has been turned onto a plate). Serve with fresh berries or berry puree.

Recipe from Dessert Club member A. M.'s Mom

Red Hot Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Phew, made it in time for looove day. I've been hanging onto this one, waiting for Valentine's Day but with all the birthdays around here, plus Bread Week, it kind of snuck up on me!

Last year I posted Red Velvet Cookies which were sooo good because, hello, they had chocolate chips in them and cream cheese frosting on top! And this year, well, I've got a thing for whoopie pies and one cannot ignore the association they must have with Valentine's Day. Plus these ones are red and chocolate and sweet and spicy.

Speaking of, are you having a red hot shortage where you live or is it just here? I went to three different stores, NO red hots! I finally went to World Market, where I got the manager to sell me their last bag out of a pre-packaged gift basket. Pretty sure I got the last bag in the DC metro area.

Just for you - XOXOXO!
Red Hot Red Velvet Whoopie Pies (print recipe)
Cookies:
1 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 oz. milk chocolate, chopped
12 T unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 T red food coloring*
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Red Hot Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 T unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 cup red hot cinnamon candies, crushed**

*1 T is for regular grocery store food coloring. If you use intense-colored paste coloring, about 1/2 tsp is sufficient.

**Crush candies by sealing in a plastic bag, placing on a cutting board, and carefully smashing with a hammer. Good fun! If you prefer vanilla filling instead of red hot, substitute the seeds scraped from one halved vanilla bean for the cinnamon candies

1. Make the cookies: Preheat to the oven to 375. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Combine the semisweet and milk chocolates in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted, 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between. Whisk until smooth.

2. Whisk the melted butter, sour cream, eggs, vinegar and food coloring in a bowl until combined. In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in four equal batches, whisking each batch completely before adding the next. Stir in the melted chocolate.

3. Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets and smooth the tops with a damp finger. Bake until the cookies spring back when lightly pressed, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and crushed candies. Sandwich a heaping tablespoonful of filling between 2 cookies; repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Makes 18 pies

Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine

Poundcake Cupcakes with Lemon-Lime Glaze (an open-minded post)

I have this cupcake book I bought off the bargain shelf at Barnes and Noble. You know the one. Those $3.98 price tags just suck me in! Plus I know the girls love to look at all the pretty pictures. And if a few recipes turn out to be good, it was worth it.

Last week, during winter break, they wanted to make cupcakes, so I let them each choose a recipe from this book. Most of the recipes make small batches - 6 cupcakes - so it was perfect. Of course little girls choose recipes based solely on the pictures so I was surprised when Ginger chose this somewhat sophisticated treat over, say, the super pretty raspberry cream cupcakes or the ooey-gooey sundae-looking after-dinner mint cupcakes. But she's the boss so we made them.

And here's the thing. I didn't think they were that good. Not bad per se, but just kind of hard, dry, and not very sweet unless you got a good amount of glaze in your bite. They had what I call "British crumb." In the same family with British-style scones - not very sweet, not especially tender, maybe a bit crumbly. Definitely needs a glaze and a glass of milk or cuppa tea. This assessment is further supported by 1) the metric measurements in parentheses, 2) the use of terms such as "icing sugar" and "double cream", and 3) the publisher being based in Australia.

Actually, here's the thing. My mom liked them. I had written them off as not worthy of posting but my mom's praise gave me pause. I know she likes hard, crumbly treats, like scones and biscotti, more than I do but I also know she has good taste. It was like an epiphany. Not everyone has the same palate as me. Amazing.

So here I am posting something that, in full disclosure, is not my total favorite, but for what it is (British teatime treat), it is very good. And Ginger was so cute and proud, I think that made them even better.
Poundcake Cupcakes with Lemon-Lime Glaze
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
2 T sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tsp each freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice
1 tsp each grated lemon and lime zest

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs together with the sour cream and vanilla. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until well blended. Beat in about a third of the egg mixture, then half of the dry ingredients; then another third of the eggs, then the remaining dry ingredients; and finally the remaining egg mixture until completely blended.

3. Divide the batter equally among 6 standard greased or lined muffin cups.

4. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly tapped, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and lemon and lime juices and zests (we saved out the zests and sprinkled them on top instead.) Turn out the cupcakes, place the wire rack over a sheet of waxed paper, and return them to the rack. Spoon citrus glaze generously over the warm cupcakes, allowing some to run down the sides. Serve warm or cooled.

Recipe from Perfect Cupcakes: Delicious, Easy and Fun to Make

Click here for printable recipe