Choco Peanut Pleasure

After the hundreds of cupcakes I made last Christmas season, I went on a baking hiatus. Napagod kasi.  Hehe.  But that was only until the end of January when the baking diva inside me started doing a SuperPoke, reminding me that I hadn't practiced in a month!  So off I headed to the kitchen where I saw an unopened jar of peanut butter waiting to be used in an experiment. Napakanta pa ako... 'Lily's lang talagaaaaa' a la Daniel Padilla.  Hahaha. =D  Now it's pretty obvious what I did next.  I started baking!  

First, I baked moist chocolate cuppies using a new recipe that has mayonnaise.  It's much better than my old recipe! The cupcakes are much more moist and delish.  The caveat, however, is the fact that they don't rise as much.  The choco cuppies may be smaller, but I think the flavor well compensates for the size. :)  I decided I'm sticking to this recipe from now on.  

Now let's go to the peanut butter frosting.  As usual I didn't want it to be more sweet and sinful than it already is, so I paired it with cream cheese.

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 8-ounce cream cheese

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

Directions:

1. Sift powdered sugar into a large bowl.  

2. Add the cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture until smooth.

4. Start piping! :)

Here they are, my Moist Chocolate Cuppies with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese frosting! :)
Choco Peanut for short! ;)

Cheers,

Banana Caramel Craze

It was afternoon of November 27, Wednesday.  My invisible bell was about to ring signaling my time to leave the office after a long, tiring day.   I knew my plan come four o’clock.  Get my things, log out, drive to the salon at Dusit to get a haircut and unwind.  However, things suddenly came running through my head.  FLOUR. SUGAR. EGGS. BUTTER… FLOUR. SUGAR. EGGS. BUTTER… FLOUR. SUGAR. EGGS. BUTTER… Oh man… I couldn’t ignore this inexplicable urge to bake!  I got my things, logged out, and drove… not to the salon but to our house instead.  This was the perfect way for me to relax --- convert STRESSED to DESSERTS!

That afternoon, my pink whisk felt like it wanted to whip up some banana cupcakes, and I found myself giving in. Here's the recipe that I used:

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp softened butter

1 cup sugar

4 pcs overripe bananas

1 medium egg

2 tbsp sour cream or milk 

3-4 tbsp nuts

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
2.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg, mashed banana, and sour cream or milk.  (In the case of this unplanned baking session, I used milk.)
3.  Slowly add in the flour mixture.  The batter will be thick and sticky.
4.  Line a 12-piece cupcake tray with 3oz. liners and fill each up with batter 2/3 full.  Top each with your favorite nuts.

Because the batter is thick, it's easier to fill the cups using an ice cream scoop. :)

5.  Bake for 18 minutes (yes, just 18, not 20) or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

See why you hafta put these in the oven for only 18 minutes?  They easily get baked...
and burnt (!!!) if you're not alert enough to 'rescue' them as soon as the 18-min alarm rings.

Now let's talk about what I "clothed" these naked banana cuppies with --- salted caramel frosting!  Making this may not be very challenging especially to expert bakers out there, but I found it less easy than all the icings I've made in the past.  One reason is the fact that you need to make caramel sauce first before you can start with the creaming and mixing and whipping!  If you know how to make caramel sauce, then good for you.  If not, I'll share with you how.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
1/4 tbsp salt

Directions:

1.  Add the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a heavy saucepan.
2.  Heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking it as it begins to melt.
3.  Stop whisking once all of the sugar has melted, and swirl the pan occasionally while the sugar cooks.
4.  Continue cooking until the sugar has reached a deep amber color.  It would look almost reddish-brown with a slight toasted aroma.  If you have an instant-read thermometer, cook until the sugar reaches 350 degrees F.
5.  Add the butter all at once.  Whisk until it is completely melted.
6.  Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour the cream into the caramel.  Whisk until the sauce becomes smooth.  Add the salt and whisk to incorporate.
7.  And you're done!  Set the sauce aside and let cool before using. :)  

After the sauce has cooled down, you're now ready to make the frosting! :)  Ugh, too many steps right?  I told you this is relatively tedious.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup salted caramel sauce
1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1.  Beat together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
2.  Pour in the salted caramel and beat until combined.
3.  Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, until all has been incorporated.
4.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat some more, until light and fluffy.
5.  Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake and drizzle with some additional salted caramel sauce.

Presenting the now dolled up banana cupcakes! :)

Banana beauties! :)

Happy happy happy! :)  These bananas didn't die in vain after all, 

for they served a yummy purpose. ;)

*****

Cheers,

Oreos and Cream Cupcakes

Yesterday was October 31st, one day before All Saints' Day... Undas as we call it here in the Philippines.  I took the day off in anticipation of the heavy traffic I wasn't brave enough to endure, so I had the entire day all to myself (hubby still went to the office because he's got no more VLs left)!  And what do I usually do in my free time?  BAAAAAKE! =)  This time, the superstar of my cupcake wasn't blueberries or yellow yema filling.  This time, the center stage belonged to the world's favorite cookie.  OREO.

 

Wanna know how I baked my new Oreos and Cream cuppies?  If you're interested, read on. :)

For the cupcakes, it's very simple.  Just follow my Moist Chocolate Cupcake recipe here and you're good to go.  However, do not miss this very important step after you're done preparing the batter:  Put one oreo cookie into each baking cup as shown in the photo above. You'll be burying it under the chocolate batter you just made. Yes, we are going to hide the sandwich cookies! The twist, lick, and dunk Oreo way won't do here. :)

After you've covered the cookies, be ready to get them into the oven pre-heated at 350 degrees F.  Bake for approximately 18 to 22 minutes.

Now we're ready to make the cookies and cream frosting.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or shortening

1 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3-6 tbsp milk

2 cookies crushed into crumbs (you can use a food processor, but I crushed mine only manually)

Directions:

1.  Beat the butter or shortening in a mixer until smooth.

2.  Add vanilla and mix until combined.

3.  Add the powdered sugar in 3 batches, scraping down the sides after each addition.

4.  Add a tablespoon of milk at a time and mix together until you achieve the consistency you like.  As for me, 3 tablespoons was perfect.

5.  Add the cookie crumbs.  Since I crushed the cookies manually, I sifted the crumbs to make sure they're really fine and won't form lumps in the frosting.  You can do the same if you want. :)

6.  Place frosting in a decorator bag and swirl any way you want. I always use Wilton's disposable piping bags so I never have to deal with washing anything anymore. =P

7.  Do not forget to put the star of the show on display.  Insert the Oreo cookie on top of each cupcake.

Oh well, you can still twist, lick, and dunk the Oreo on top if you want to.  But instead of dunking it into milk, do so into the frosting.  It's way cooler, not to mention, much more delicious. ;)

 Cheers,

My Brazo de Mercedes Challenge

Back when I still lived with my mom and she was out, she'd always ask me what I wanted her to take home.  4 out of 5 of the time, I would tell her to bring me something saccharine for my sweet tooth.  And 3 out of that 4, it would be an image of a cake in my mind's eye.  Not just any cake, mind you. It was always specific. Nooo, it's not chocolate cake.  It's Brazo de Mercedes, my super duper ultimate favorite!

This afternoon, I challenged myself to bake one, but not in its usual rolled form.  Since I'm into cupcakes, why not make a cupcake version of this dessert of soft meringue with custard filling? You'd think it would be easy since I already had a recipe to follow (thanks to Rolly's officemate, Mira, who gave me the link to the recipe).  To me, however, it was a relatively tall task since I know that I am no good at anything involving egg whites. But what the heck.  There's no harm in trying (except for the ingredients which would go to waste, just in case). Hehe.  Oh well, I'm glad I did it because otherwise, I wouldn't have created these drop-dead dainty cuppies! :)

Here's the recipe I got from bakehappy.net, just in case you want to bake Brazo de Mercedes, too.

Ingredients:

FOR THE FILLING:
8 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/4 cup cornstarch
300ml condensed milk
300ml water

FOR THE MERINGUE:
8 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

FOR THE FILLING/TOPPING:
1. Pour condensed milk in a pan.
2. In a bowl, mix water and cornstarch.  Add the mixture to the condensed milk and start heating up the pan.
3. Whisk in the egg yolks gradually while the pan is still not too hot. 
4. Whisk continuously until very thick.  The texture should be of piping consistency before you turn the burner off.
5. Set aside to cool down.

FOR THE MERINGUE:
1. Beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the vanilla and cream of tartar.
2. Gradually add the sugar while beating the egg whites.  Mix until stiff peaks form.
3. Pipe to prepared baking cups.  Leave a hole at the center of each cup for the custard filling/topping (but don't pipe in the custard yet!).
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 7 minutes, or until the top of the meringue turns slightly brown.  After baking, set aside for a few minutes to let it cool.
5. Finally, pipe the custard into the center and on top of each meringue cuppy.  You may dust the cupcakes with powdered sugar if you want to. :)

And there you have it - your Brazo cuppies! :)  If you're not as bad as I am with egg whites, I bet this recipe will be easier for you. ;)  Good luck!

Cheers,

Blueberry Frenzy

To our close friends, Rolly and I are probably the epitome of cheesiness. *GRIN*  But he's the cheesier one.  And he likes blue.  And strawberries.  That's why I baked blue-berry-cheese cakes! 

Huh? (?!$#@?>%&!!)

Hehe.  I'm pretty sure I didn't make any sense in that intro paragraph.  But really, all I wanted to say is... 

I baked blueberry cheesecake cuppies and they were a hit! Yipppeeee! :)

It was Sunday last week.  Rolly had been asking me to learn how to bake a blueberry cheesecake, so being the good wife that he thinks I am (haha), I researched for a newbie-friendly recipe that I could follow.  I found one from talentadongchef.wordpress.com but adjusted it a little bit.  And the result?

Ta daaaaah!

They looked pretty, but I wasn't very sure how they would taste.  It's the first time I baked cupcakes without flour; everything just depended on the 'glory' of cream cheese (and a bit of crushed graham).  I even thought, sayang naman if these would fail, ang mahal kaya ng cream cheese!  But you know what my family and friends said?  "MASARAAAAP!"  Yaaaaaay!  The comments made me soooo kilig! :)   

The blueberry frenzy didn't end here. 

After my boss tried my cheesecake come Monday, she asked me to bake some for her daughter (who's very kagigil adorable by the way) who's celebrating her birthday the same week.  I felt extremely giddy because that only meant my cheesecakes were really good diba.  Hehe.  (Sorry I really had to say that =P). So I said yes without batting an eyelash!  And then she said she needed 48 pieces.  Waaah!  Haha.  That's too many and I felt scared and pressured, but there was no turning back.  And it was for baby Anika anyway who's very close to my heart.  Eventually, I willingly and happily took on the challenge.

I realized the task was not at all easy as pie, especially since this was the first time I would be selling my cupcakes. Meaning, the "consumers" weren't my friends and family.  In fact, these would be people who do not know me at all (baby Anika's party guests).  There was pressure, yes, for the cupcakes to really taste good! Ang dami daming pumapasok sa isip ko as I was baking. =|  But in the end, everything paid off. :)  I even got a text from my boss after the party saying that no less than her daughter's school directress loved the cupcakes!  She said they were tastefully done, literally and figuratively.  Wooooow!  I flew to seventh heaven!  

Grabbed from my boss' instagram. :)
It was her who packaged the cuppies like this.  Lovely! :)

This was a first.  And it was a superb first.  Saying that I was overjoyed is an understatement. :)  

Cheers,