freshly grated nutmeg | smilingfrog.ca

I recently received a copy of Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson and was super excited to try the butterfly cupcakes. Using the stencil in the book, I melted chocolate wafers, then piped it out into butterfly wing patterns on parchment paper.

Then, before the chocolate hardened (!!) I used a toothpick to swirl the two colors together to look like this…

After letting the chocolate cool and harden, I baked a batch of chocolate cupcakes using this recipe, iced them with chocolate frosting, using this recipe

I set the butterfly wings on top of the cupcakes using a small piece of chocolate under each wing to prop them up. I also piped some frosting between the wings for the butterfly’s body.
Cute!!! I can’t wait to try some of the other ideas from this book!

View photo on Flickr

Looking for a simple but impressive dessert for entertaining? Pick this!! 

Malted Milk Chocolate Tart

(Adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet)

For the chocolate tart shell:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup flour
• 2 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened Cocoa powder (I used Valharona)

For the ganache filling:

• 10 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 ounces 70 percent dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons malted milk powder (Ovaltine original yellow label, not chocolate flavored)

For the topping

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tablespoon malted milk powder
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• Fresh berries (optional)

Make the tart crust:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar at medium speed, scraping down the bowl with a spatula, as needed, until the mixture is smooth. Add egg yolk and continue to beat well.

2. In another bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa. Add to the butter mixture and mix at the lowest speed, just until combined. The dough should be at a consistency that could be shaped into a tart pan at this point. If it is too sticky, cover it and chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes before shaping it into the pan.

3. Scrape the dough into a 9 inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing the dough firmly and evenly throughout the bottom, building extra dough where the bottom meets the sides. Press the excess dough up the sides of the pan. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour or in the freezer for 30 minutes.

4. Bake the tart shell at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Prepare the ganache filling:

1. Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steam begins to rise and bubbles form at the sides. Remove from heat and whisk in the malt powder. Pour immediately over a bowl filled with the chocolate. Stir to combine, using a rubber spatula, starting to mix from the center until smooth and all of the large pieces of chocolate are melted. Scrape the ganache into the baked crust. Chill in the fridge for at least one hour to set. 

Prepare the topping:

1. Whip the cream with the malt powder and sugar until medium stiff peaks form.  Fill a pastry bag with the cream and pipe onto the top of the tart. Top with fresh berries (optional). Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Always on the lookout for egg-free, dairy free recipes, I came accross this one http://www.chow.com/recipes/10794 and decided to give it a try. WOW! Delicious! So chocolatey and fudgy!!!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

(adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World ) 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with liners ( I made mini ones!) 

2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until smooth and no large lumps remain.

3.Pour into liners, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

And cupcakes need frosting of course! I adapted my vanilla buttercream recipe to create an espresso  flavored buttercream

Espresso Buttercream Icing

•  1 cup butter (at room temperature)
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 2 tsp freshly brewed espresso (or strong coffee) I used freshly roasted and brewed Costa Rican espresso.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar. Add espresso/coffee. Continue beating until smooth and creamy.

The recipe makes enough to ice 48 mini cupcakes or 24 regular size. The icing can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container, but allow it to sit at room temperature before using for the best consistency.

In the last week or so, I’ve tried a couple of different chocolate chip cookie recipes. One chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, and one soft chocolate chip cookie. A few months ago I was watching the food network (as usual) and caught Bobby Flay’s Throwdown against Lavain Bakery’s chocolate chip cookies. I found some copycat recipes online and tried my own. I made a few changes I wouldn’t say they’re a copycat recipe but I like how thick these cookies turn out- staying soft in the middle with a crisp outer shell. I also don’t think nuts belong in chocolate chip cookies. But that may be just me. From making these I learned that by adding an extra tablespoon of flour and using cold butter and egg, the cookies stay thick and don’t spread! (I’m still kinda learning Here is the recipe I used.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold)
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, cold
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. flour (I used Robin Hood Nutri-Blend)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
•  1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (Callebaut!!!)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter with sugars on low speed until just combined (don’t overmix!).

2. Add egg and vanilla and continue to mix on low until incorporated.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet, mix on low speed until blended

5. Add chocolate chips, mixing for another 30 seconds. Drop by spoonfulls onto prepared baking sheet.

6. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until just golden brown at edges.

And the second variety….

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
(from the Frog Commissary Cookbook)

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2  eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups oats (rolled or quick cooking)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (Callebaut!!!)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter with sugars on low speed until just combined (don’t overmix!).

2. Add egg and vanilla and continue to mix on low until incorporated.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. Add dry ingredients and beat on low until just combined. Stir in oats and chocolate chips by hand.

5. Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until just golden brown around the edges.

Sorry no pics! These were enjoyed faster than I thought!

Here is a pic of the next batch….recipe to folllow!

Before Christmas, I bought the December issue of Bon Appetite and wanted the try the recipe for Chocolate Almond Tassies. Baked goods with Amaretto? Yes please! So, I finally got around to trying out this recipe. 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Almond-Tassies-350833

And here are some pics!

Pictured on the plates that I painted at Fire Escape in Calgary