Daring Bakers: January Challenge--Tuiles

Cannolli shaped Tuiles with chocolate mousse

Semi-Napoleon layered Tuiles with chocolate mousse and tuiles freehand heart

Tuiles hearts topped a red velvet cupcake

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

"Traditionally, tuiles are thin, crisp almond cookies that are gently molded over a rolling pin or arched form while they are still warm. Once set, their shape resembles the curved French roofing tiles for which they're named. The Dutch angle: traditionally this batter was used to bake flat round cookies on 31st December, representing the year unfold. On New Years day however, the same batter was used but this day they were presented to well-wishers shaped as cigars and filled with whipped cream, symbolizing the New Year that's about to roll on. And of course the batter is sometimes called tulip-paste..."

Recipe:

Yields: 20 small butterflies/6 large (butterflies are just an example)

Preparation time batter 10 minutes, waiting time 30 minutes,

baking time: 5-10 minutes per batch

• ¼ cup softened butter (not melted but soft)
• ½ cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
• 1/2 cup sifted all purpose flour
• 1 table spoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice
• Butter/spray to grease baking sheet

1. Oven: 350
2. Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not over mix.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as the butterfly. Press the stencil on the baking sheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes.
5. Mix a small part of the batter with the cocoa and a few drops of warm water until evenly colored. Use this colored batter in a paper piping bag and proceed to pipe decorations on the wings and body of the butterfly.
6. Bake butterflies in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from baking sheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time or maybe put them in the oven to warm them up again. (Haven’t tried that). Or: place a baking sheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.If you don’t want to do stencil shapes, you might want to transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe the desired shapes and bake. Shape immediately after baking using for instance a rolling pin, a broom handle, cups, cones….
   
   

Red Velvet Kŭp’kāks w. Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

My dear friends George and Vanessa are tying the knot this November, and they are throwing their engagement party this Valentines Day. I was asked by Vanessa to bake cupcakes, I knew right away that I wanted to bake red and pink velvet cupcakes. Since I had some extra time last night I decided to do a trial run, however, only baking red velvet. I used Paula Deen's recipe for red velvet from her restaurant, the lady and sons . I really enjoyed the recipe, I actually ate a cupcake, and for those who know me you know I just try each component individually...it was amazing! For those who are close to me they even received text messages from me expressing how damn good this cupcake was. Besides the yummy cake I made the traditional frosting component, cream cheese frosting, however, I added my Madagascar bourbon pure vanilla bean paste from Lyndsay Zoratti's sweet cuppin cakes online store. I know I have been writing a lot about sweet cuppin cakes but I cannot tell you enough how great Lyndsay and her products are. I also used my chocolate brown cupcake liners and glassine red cupcake liners that I purchased back in December. When I bake the cupcakes in February I am planning on adding pink fondant hearts, but I am having a tough time deciding what liners to use. What do you think? Red or Brown? I really hope Queen V loves her cupcakes as much as I do!

Cupcake Recipe:

(Recipe Adapted from Paula Deen)

• 2 cups sugar


• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature


• 2 eggs


• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder


• 2 ounces red food coloring (I only used 1 ounce, because that's all I had left)


• 2 1/2 cups cake flour


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1 cup buttermilk


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda


• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


2. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well.


3. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla.


4. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.


5. Cool completely before Icing.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 stick butter, at room temperature


• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature


• 6-7 cups powdered sugar


• 2 teaspoons madagascar bourbon pure vanilla bean paste

1. Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.


2. Beat in one cup of powdered sugar at a time until you have desired consistency.


3. Add in vanilla bean paste.


4. Pipe using desired tip, I used a 1M.

Enjoy!

Lemon Buttermilk Cupcakes w. Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting and Blueberry Linzer Cookies

Back in December Lyndsey from sweet cuppin cakes bakery sent me a flower linzer cookie cutter set to create a cookie/cupcake combo. Well, with being sick for almost the entire month of December I finally got around to making the combo. I will admit that I was a little distressed about pairing the two because I couldn't come up with a good combo. I decided to do one of my and my taster's favorites: a lemon buttermilk cupcake with blueberry cream cheese frosting and a buttery blueberry linzer cookie. This cupcake is probably one of the best ones I have made in a while. The cake is super moist, creamy frosting and a crisp cookie. Plus, I absolutly loved the linzer cookie cutter and its recipe. The set came with a recipe card and directions, which made it easy to use and follow. I think I will be creating a lot more with the this cookie cutter. Visit sweet cuppin cakes bakery to see her online store, there is a great selection!

The cupcake on the left is lemon with a traditional cream cheese frosting, and the one on the right is lemon with blueberry cream cheese frosting.

For Christmas, my Mother gave me a mini giant cupcake pan, I thought that the large flower cookie would look better in this giant cupcake.

Recipe:

Lemon Buttermilk Cupcakes:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated white sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup Buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 large lemon
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
yellow food coloring-to desired color

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven.
Butter, spray or line cupcake pan.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale in color (about 3 minutes).
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and then add to the batter along with the lemon juice, zest, food coloring and buttermilk. Mix only until incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Bake about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Place on a wire rack to cool.

Blueberrry Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 stick butter, at room temperature
8 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
5 c. powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons Blueberry Preserves
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

In electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar.
Once all powdered sugar is incorporated add in blueberry preserves and vanilla. (Make frosting to desired consistency).
Frost cupcakes as desired. I added purple sprinkles and fresh blueberries.

IC: Challenge--Pink Champagne Cupcakes w. Raspberry Bavarian Cream and Champagne Buttercream

For this month's Iron Cupcake Earth Challenge: Wine, I decide to whip up Pink Champagne Cupcakes with Raspberry Bavarian Cream filling. There is over 2 1/2 cups of rose champagne and champagne extract in these babies. The cake is super moist and resembles a chiffon cake with smooth creme filling and perfectly sweet champagne buttercream.

This month's challenge prizes are brought to us by:

a t-shirt from ETSY shop Dog Bone Art, A Polka Dot Apron from Sweet Cuppin Cakes and Cupcakery Supplies and a timely treat from UpWithCupcakes.com AND Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com. NEW, BEGINNING IN JANUARY; our new friends at UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/ will be providing our winner with one of their cute cupcake attitue t's! Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .

When the voting opens I will let ya'll know so you can place your votes...

Recipe:

Champagne Cake:
(recipe adapted from Sandra Lee)

• 6 egg whites
• 3 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 to 10 drops pink or red food coloring
• 2 cups pink champagne (or regular champagne)

1. Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line muffin tin with liners. I used pink foil liners from sweet cuppin cakes.
2. Preheat oven to 350.In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, food colorling and beat until well combined.
4. Gradually add egg whites beating well after each additon. Alternately add flour mixtue and champagne to beaten mixture starting and ending with flour just until combined. (batter will appear curdled after champagne additons, but smooth after all of the flour mixture has been added.
5. Pour in prepared cups and bake for 15-18 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Creamy Champagne Frosting

• 1 cup softened butter
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup Champagne
• few drops of red food coloring (I used around 5)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 3-4 Drops Champagne extract
• Additonal 5 cups of powdered sugar

1. Beat butter for 30 seconds gradually add powdered sugar, milk, champagne and vanilla.
2. Beat in an additonal 5 cups powdered sugar until of spreading consistency.

Raspberry Bavarian Cream

• 1 (1/3 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract

1. In a double boiler combine gelatin, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar.
2. Stir in egg yolks. Then slowly add milk. Cook over boiling water, stirring until moisture coats the spoon. Remove at once. Refrigerate until slightly thicker than unbeaten egg whites.
3. Beat egg whites until they form moist peaks when the beater is raised. Gradually add 1/4 cup of the sugar, beating until stiff. Fold into yolk mixture along with whipped cream, vanilla and raspberry extracts.
4. Leave in bowl until ready to use.

Assembly:

1. Cut out a well in each cupcake with a serated knife. Add in one teaspoon cream and cut off cupcake top so it resembles a lid. Make sure that cream does not spill over.
2. Frost cupcakes with desired tip or spread.
3. Decorate with small silver dragees and edible glitter.
4. Enjoy!

Semisweet-White Chocolate Mac-Nut Cookies

Last week I mentioned that I would be utilizing ingredients in my pantry. This week I opted to use my Toll House swirl chocolate chips and macadamia nuts for a twist on one of my favorites, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. I thought they would turn out a little bit more cakey, like the previous post but they flattened out after coming out of the oven. They are still super chewy and slightly crisp around the edges.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts, optional
• 2 cups semisweet/white chocolate swirl chips
  

Preparation

1. Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
3. Stir flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Fold in macadamia nuts and chocolate chips.
4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Flatten each cookie slightly.
   Bake at 350° for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool in pan for a minute then move to rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen semisweet-white chocolate macadamia nut cookies

Milk Chocolate Scotchies

Now that the holiday season has passed I am trying to use ingredients that did not get utilized during any of my holiday baking. Today I decided to use milk chocolate and butterscotch chips. I have never combined the two, and I now am eagerly waiting for them to come out of the oven for a taste. The recipe calls for pecans, and I really wanted to add them but once I pulled everything out I realized I have every nut under the sun except pecans. I am sure they will be scrumptious no matter what!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 cup butter, room temperature


• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed


• 2 large eggs


• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


• 1 cup chopped pecans, optional


• 1 cup butterscotch chips


• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation

1. Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.


2. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.


3. Stir flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Fold in pecans, butterscotch chips, and chocolate chips.


4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Flatten each cookie slightly.


5. Bake at 350° for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool in pan for a minute then move to rack to cool completely.
   

Makes about 3 dozen butterscotch chocolate chip cookies

Cupcakes!

Today I was perusing Barnes and Noble with my friend Cassie and I stumbled on this new cupcake book, Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans. I have only thumbed through the pages but there are definitely some recipes that look great to bake. The book is similar to the others on the market; offering cupcake advice, going through the basics and most importantly great looking recipes with awesome pictures. They also offer the Cupcake Deck, which has recipes with pictures on a card. . .very chic for this cupcake obsessed culture. Once I bake a few up I will write a review.