Whatever it is, I manage to bake something special for my beloved Cook... A recipe I've been wanting to try and I think the colours would match the occassion.. The recipe required 6 eggs, so I got a bit scared and decided to half it.. So here is it...
Cranberry White Chocolate Cupcakes (taken from Chockylit http://cupcakeblog.com)
My notes and comments are in red
7 ounces white chocolate (4 oz white chocolate)
2 sticks butter (1 stick, 110g unsalted butter)
1 1/2 cups sugar (slightly less than 3/4 cup sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla (1 tsp vanilla)
6 eggs (3 eggs)
1 cup flour (1/2 cup flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder (1/2 tsp baking powder)
1/4 teaspoon salt (approx 1/8 tsp salt)
3/4 cup dried cranberries (slightly more than 1/2 of 3/4 cup of cranberries.. :) )
2 sticks butter (1 stick, 110g unsalted butter)
1 1/2 cups sugar (slightly less than 3/4 cup sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla (1 tsp vanilla)
6 eggs (3 eggs)
1 cup flour (1/2 cup flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder (1/2 tsp baking powder)
1/4 teaspoon salt (approx 1/8 tsp salt)
3/4 cup dried cranberries (slightly more than 1/2 of 3/4 cup of cranberries.. :) )
1. Chop chocolate and transfer into the bowl of a standing mixer
2. Add butter to the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts and butter is combined.
3. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Note that when you add the sugar the mixure will separate and look pretty funky. This is ok.
4. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. (While the mixture is cooling, I sifted the flour, baking powder and salt)
5. Add the vanilla. Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Mixture will thicken and you should no longer see butter floating on the top. (The butter was still floating evern after 3 minutes of mixing and the mixture was really stiff but it's ok.. So don't worry..just proceed)
6. Add one egg at a time, mixing for 10 seconds between each. (The mixture turn out to be ok[normal looking batter] after the eggs has been added)
7. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture, return to the electric mixer and mix until blended. (I just added the sifted ingredients that I had earlier prepared and mix together)
8. Roughly chip the cranberries. (Made the dried cranberries into smaller pieces by randomly cutting it with scissors) Stir into batter.
9. Scoop into cupcake cups 2/3s full and transfer to a 375 F oven. (approx 180 deg cel)
10. Set your timer for 5 minutes. When the 5 minutes is up, turn the oven down to 350 F. (approx 170 deg cel)
11. Set your timer for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes is up, rotate the pans. (move the bottom to the top rack and front to back).
12. Set your timer for 7 minutes more. When the 7 minutes is up, test one of the top-center cupcakes with a toothpick and remove the cupcakes once it comes out clean.
Note: The batter is pretty liquidy and the cranberries very heavy, so they will fall to the bottom. If you aren't into that idea, I recommend two options. Either dust the cranberries in flour before mixing into the batter or drop some into each individual filled cupcake before baking.
Cranberry, Clove, White Chocolate Buttercream
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped (5 oz white chocolate)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature (55 g unsalted butter)
2 cups powdered sugar (1 cup powdered sugar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
[optional] 1/4 teaspoon ground clove (omit)
1. In a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, gently melt the white chocolate. Allow to cool for 2 minutes or so.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy.
3. Beat in the melted white chocolate.
4. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, vanilla and clove and beat at low speed, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl, until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar to arrive at the consistency and sweetness you like. 2 cups worked for me.
The cupcakes were nice.. Crisp top, dense, soft and very sweet especially the frosting but I think the cranberries made it a bit refreshing and tone down the sweetness of it all.. You can lessen the sugar if you want it less sweet as white chocolate makes everything very sweet.. Whatever it is... I love the cupcake and I would do it again.. But I think I will coat the cranberries with flour first so that it won't fall to the bottom of the cupcake.. Well, he loved it but not as much as the Strawberry Banana cupcake cos he loves cream cheese frosting..
~May.. Put your arms around me..
What you feel is what you are..
What you are is beautiful.. ~
What you feel is what you are..
What you are is beautiful.. ~
