Joyeux Kitchen: Salted Caramel Buttercream

It shouldn't come as a surprise to any of you that I'm a frosting snob.  I'll just come out and say it: The canned stuff is yucky, and the film it leaves in your mouth is caused by the junk they put in it to make it 'shelf stable' (look at the ingredient list--I'm not lying).  Bleh.  Making your own is cheap and easy; even this recipe, which is more complex than most, hardly takes any time at all.  I put this particular buttercream on espresso cupcakes, creating what I like to think of as a "Caramel Macchiato on a plate".  You could also just serve it in a parfait dish, maybe, with a steaming espresso shooter. :) 

You'll need:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) salted butter, softened/room temp.
• 2 cups powdered sugar

(Double this recipe if you like mounded frosting on your cupcakes, like I do.)  Stir together the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium high heat.  Continue cooking, without stirring, until the mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6-7 minutes.

Remove from heat and slowly add the cream and vanilla (start with a tablespoon or two), stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth.  If the cream you added was too cold, the mixture will start to separate and you'll think all is lost!!  Don't despair, put it back on the still-hot stove top and stir until it comes back together, then remove from heat.  Set aside until cool to the touch, about 30 minutes. 

Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.  Turn off the mixer, then add the cool caramel.  Beat frosting on low to combine, and then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes.  Refrigerate if not using immediately (or to harden the frosting a bit).

Salted Caramel Buttercream originally from Gimme Some Oven!

Hello Spring!

Just sharing a couple spring things that have recently caught my eye...

Can't take credit for these flowers...my mom made them for me. She used milk cartons, fabric, wire, and beads and I love pulling them out every spring!

Family Fun Magazine's March issue has how-to instructions for this Cupcake-Liner Lantern. Love it.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow cupcakes from Parenting.com. Logan saw this picture and said, "Mom...you HAVE to make those!" Super cute.

Always inspired by Hostess with the Mostess. Check out these bright & beautimous eggs :)

Love the idea of these Pottery Barn drink dispensers. Wish they were cheaper. Target seems to have a couple of decent knock-offs. Costco has one for $20. Sarah and I are considering splitting the cost and sharing it...

Martha's craft ideas usually make me say, "yeah...right", but these little chickens are pretty darn cute!

And, finally, the 'why didn't I think of that?' idea of the day - Paint Chip Easter Garland by Amy Atlas.

Happy Spring!

Joyeux Kitchen: Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Amanda-from-kevinandamanda.com's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Lindsay requested these for her birthday.  They looked like a bit of a project and October was a wild month around here, so they got shelved for another date (don't worry, she got somethin' REAL nice--Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites).  Super Bowl Sunday seemed like the perfect excuse to dust off the recipe!

I've been called a lot of things in my day...patient is not one of them.  I like my food and I like it NOW.  For instance, I've never pickled anything because you have to wait sooooo looooong to enjoy the fruits of your labor, and I'm just not built like that.  So when I saw that this recipe really takes two days to finish up and eat, I immediately disregarded the overnight step with a casual "Pssssh, I don't need to freeze that dough, it'll be fine, and this way I can eat it TONIGHT!"  This instant gratification is very American of me, I understand that.  Fortunately this time my impatience was in tune with my baker's instincts--no need to freeze the balls, although I might try it that way someday when I have more time on my hands.

The only other alteration I made to the recipe was probably unnecessary and definitely excessive: I subbed heavy cream for the milk in the frosting.  It was good.  SO good.  In fact, the girls are eating bowls of it right now (because it irks me when I make gourmet cupcakes and they lick the frosting off and throw the rest away, darn kids, no appreciation for the finer things in life, don't they know starving kids in Africa would KILL for these cupcakes!....).  Anyway, just giving them bowls of frosting has resolved my frustration on the matter.

These are amazing--thank you Amanda!--and your Super Bowl guests will be clamoring for the recipe.

Bon appetit, friends.  xo

Side note, post-baking second batch:  This recipe says it makes 24 cupcakes, but both times, for me, it made at least 30.  Also, the second time around, I did freeze the balls.  It extends the cooking time a little bit because the middle is so cold, it keeps the dough from baking evenly.  Just watch them really close and pull them out when the tops get nice and golden.  One more thing: the cookie dough ball recipe makes enough balls for two batches of the cupcakes.  Roll up the rest of the balls and stick 'em in the freezer for next time!

Joyeux Kitchen: MY OH MY Espresso Cakes

Sunny Anderson's Espresso Cakes With Peanut Butter Frosting

These are amazing.  I'm just going to link to the recipe, I made no alterations whatsoever--can't mess with perfection.  I had a little trouble finding the espresso powder but spotted it on the coffee aisle in a little jar; the brand is Medaglia D'Oro with a green lid.  I don't think regular instant coffee would do the trick for intense flavor, but if you try it let me know how it works out.  I doubled the frosting because I'm a frosting-aholic ("Hello, My Name Is Sarah And I'm Addicted To ButterCream").  Also, the recipe calls for four mini-loaf pans.  For me it made four mini-loafs plus seven cupcakes.  You should make these now.  Go.  Do it.  Really.



Joyeux Kitchen: It's All About The Frosting, Baby

This weekend was crazy.  We had an Under The Sea themed joint birthday party for the girls; good food, great friends and family.  The culinary highlight of the evening, I think, at least for the grown-ups, was the Swiss Meringue Buttercream on these cupcakes.  Ooooooh Martha it was good.  I wanted to swim in it, like that old gal on Patch Adams whose life dream was to swim in a pool of noodles.  The cupcakes themselves were great too, all Martha of course, (click here for all the recipes--side note: I added the seeds of one vanilla bean to the Vanilla Cupcake recipe) but I really want to focus on the frosting.

I had no idea how many different preparations of buttercream existed--thank you Wikipedia!  The Swiss is magical, and not for timid beginners.  It took a lot of mixing and I don't know how you would do this one without a stand mixer.  It would be wonderful on any cake, or on sugar cookies, or in a bowl accompanied by a hot cup of coffee... I'm having strong feelings for this frosting.  I'm in love.  So what if the recipe takes two  entire  boxes of butter.  Throw caution to the wind!  Your happiness depends on you tasting this frosting.

From MarthaStewart.com
You'll need:

• 2 1/2 cups of sugar
• 10 large egg whites
• 4 cups (8 sticks) of unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Sheer joy.  This frosting (which isn't even an adequate word to describe it) is perfect for mounding on top of cupcakes or smoothing thin layers on a cake.  Because of the preparation it will never 'dry out' or form a crust on the top layer--it will remain glossy and sticky to the touch.  These directions are straight from the woman herself--I took no liberties with Martha's buttercream.

Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.

Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.

Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

I do have a couple things to add.  As it says in step 3, the buttercream WILL appear curdled after you get all the butter in.  You will panic.  Have a glass of wine and step away from the mixer.  Everything's going to be fine.    It's magic!  Culinary magic!  Also, if you're preparing it ahead of time, there will be more moments of panic.  I pulled it out of the fridge the morning of the party and let it 'come to room temperature' for two and a half hours.  It wasn't long enough.  In the mixer, it turned into something that looked like aqua blue cottage cheese in blue milk.  Gasp.  Not the canned stuff....  I had a Plan B but I wasn't eager to use it.  In Martha I Trust.  I turned the Kitchenaid on Medium/High, put my hands around the bowl of the mixer to warm it, and closed my eyes.  Six minutes later all was well--smooth, creamy perfection. 

I hope you'll try it.  Leave me a note if you do.  It will be a looooove note, I'm sure. xo

Joyeux Kitchen: Cheesecake Peanut Butter Bites

Oh Paula Deen, you've done it again.  Be still my heart.  Reese's pb cups and cheesecake in the same dessert?  Yes please.  I made these for Lindsay's birthday the other night, in addition to a scrumptious Costco pumpkin pie... they were to die for.  She actually wanted Cookie Dough Cupcakes, but that project has been shelved for a later date.  Stay tuned.  Now back to the task at hand...

You'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted
• 12 bite-size peanut butter cups
• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs 

Preheat the oven to 350.  Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of a standard muffin pan.  (Paula's recipe says it should make 12, but it easily made 16 for me.  I used 4 additional cups in a 6 cup small muffin pan and filled the extra 2 cups halfway with water, to make sure everything baked evenly.)  

To make the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a bowl with your fingers until crumbs are evenly moistened.  Press a giant, heaping tablespoon of the crumbs into the bottom of each muffin cup.  For an easy, even, mess-free way to do this, use your espresso packing tool (just learned this is actually called a tamper) -- see above picture.  Love new uses for old things! 

Place one peanut butter cup in the center of each crust.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy.  (Paula says: handheld mixer.  I used my Kitchenaid.)  Add sugar, flour, and vanilla, beating well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Make sure to scrape the sides of your bowl well, as the cream cheese can stick over there and make for lumpy filling.  Spoon cream cheese mixture over peanut butter cups and crumb crust.  Bake, just until set, about 20 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before serving.  (I popped them in the fridge after cooling and served them cold.)

  

The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook. --Julia Child

Joyeux Kitchen: Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (If you call it a muffin it doesn't count as dessert!)

**I know the ingredient list looks long-ish, but I made them with time to spare over naptime while baby-sitting an extra 15 week old.  No worries.**

On Monday morning this week, I pulled eagerly into the Starbucks drive-thru on Kent's East Hill.  I was eighth in line, waited 21 minutes, and was rewarded with a Grande Nonfat Yes-Please-Whipped-Cream Pumpkin Spice Latte and a Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin that looked like it had gone for a roll in the hay with some buttered, sugared, (potentially fried?) pumpkin seeds.  Heaven.

Must.  Find.  Recipe.

 

I looked at a lot of different variations in my quest for the Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, even some claiming to be 'just like the ones from Starbucks,'  and this particular confection from Country Living had everything I was looking for: a rich, cream-cheesy topping, a crunchy element, and just the right amount of spice.  I adjusted the recipe to meet my needs; originally it called for the cream cheese to be placed in the middle of the muffin, like a filling, but fillings disappear in the oven... I like it on top!  Also, I added more butter and less flour to make the streusel more streusel-y.  Grunt: More butter.  (That was a Home Improvement reference.)

(Makes 24 muffins.)

For the cream cheese topping you'll need:

8 oz. brick of cream cheese, room temperature

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

For the crunchy streusel you'll need:
5 tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped (I used my food processor)
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon

For the muffin batter you'll need:
2 1/3 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups solid-packed pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Pop some liners into two 12-cup muffin pans (or spray them with cooking spray, but liners work better).  Mix the cream cheese filling ingredients in a small bowl with your hand mixer and set aside.  Toss the crunchy streusel ingredients in another bowl (actually, I think using your hands works best for streusel--dig in there and mix it up good!) and set aside.  Combine the dry muffin ingredients first (sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon) and in a separate bowl mix the eggs, pumpkin, oil and vanilla together.  Start your KitchenAid and slowly add the wet to the dry.  Fill your muffin cups (about 2/3 full) and top with 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese mixture.  Sprinkle some of the streusel on top of each muffin and bake until golden and a tester, inserted into the center, comes clean -- 20 to 25 minutes depending on your oven.  Cool on wire racks.  Sigh.  Happy September, everyone!