Cadillac Cupcakes

Cadillac Cupcakes:

I made these for my own birthday party. It was at a Mexican restaurant, and Mexican always inspires a savory flavor complimented by an acidic fruit: lime, orange or lemon, for example. Another favorite of mine is Mole, which is a chocolate based savory chicken sauce.

I found these cupcakes on Joy of Baking, and the frosting recipe comes from a place in New York called the "Chocolate Bar" (can't say I have ever been there, but thank you genius people). My changes to the recipe include adding orange infused chocolate, grand marnier and godiva liquor.

Chocolate Cupcakes, Ingredients:

1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder (Dutch process has something to do with alkalines. I used regular cocoa powder and had success, in fact, regular cocoa powder has a more intense flavor than dutch process so feel free to go with either without consequence)

1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water

1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I buy the most expensive one at the store, there is no substitute for the good stuff, this is where all the flavor comes from, feel free to buy store brand everything else)

1 teaspoon Godiva liqueur - this will make the cupcake chocolate flavor very intense and more adult.

Chocolate Cupcakes, preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (don't skimp here, do this for about 5 minutes, the sugar punches holes into the butter, which leads to a light and fluffy batter). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and godiva. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16-20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. I like to make cupcakes that go up to the edge of the paper, it makes for easier icing and transporting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting Ingredients:

4 ounces (12 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used half godiva chocolate chips for baking, and half orange infused chocolate - note that it is not orange FILLED, but orange flavored)

2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups (1600 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grand marnier liquor (I may add a bit of orange extract next time as well)

Chocolate Frosting, preparation:

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, in a ceramic bowl. Start on a low heat setting and go about 15 seconds at a time. Let cool to room temperature, if it hardens, a few more seconds in the microwave will melt it again.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract and Grand Marnier. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes). Its not going to be glossy like a ganash, but just make sure its all mixed together for a while.

I like to use a big star tip and a large pastry bag to ice my cupcakes, it looks like you spent a lot more time than you did, but its actually easier. If you get any of the unmelted orange bits stuck, use a toothpic to dislodge it.

Makes about 16 cupcakes (I triple the recipe, why work this hard for only 16 cupcakes!!)

Chewy Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

I co-hosted Thanksgiving at a friends' place this year. I had to buy some crisco to make an amazing apple pie. The crisco came in a box with 4 sticks of the stuff, that I never use. I've actually always been a bit of a butter snob, but had heard that crisco is the key to a good pie crust (true facts). So the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when my husband and I were invited to a second dinner, I searched the Crisco site for a recipe that would 1- allow me to get rid of some of this crisco, 2 - I could make with ingredients on hand.

My husband LOVES THESE COOKIES. I like them too, they are chewy, have a great, rich flavor, and while I am not a huge cherry fan, the chocolate and cherry flavor really works. My hints for this one are to cut the cherries into small bits: about the size of a 1 carat diamond, or a pea cut into four, or a half of the top of a push pin. Any smaller and it will just turn the batter pink, any larger and the cheery piece might fall off the cookie. Use small chocolate chips. Make small cookies, about the radius just a little bigger than a quarter. I find this better for parties, no one wants to eat multiple large cookies, but a small "pop-em" size will clear the plate.

From the crisco website:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening
• OR 1/2 stick Crisco® Butter Shortening Sticks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (I did not use pecans, I usually skip nuts in recipes being brought to a party)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT oven to 375°F.


2. COMBINE shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in sour cream, egg, cherry juice and vanilla. I added another teaspoon of Godiva Liqueur, which enhanced the chocolate and cherry flavor.
   


3. COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Mix into shortening mixture at low speed until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and cherries.


4. DROP rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.


5. BAKE 10 to 12 minutes, or until set (look for the cookies to go from a white to a golden yellow). Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets; transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.