chocolate

August 30, 2017

Chocolate Soufflé with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream.

I love living in the city. I’ve probably mentioned this in the past, but I’m gonna reiterate it. It’s odd how I became a city girl, because I was actually a small-town kid at heart for the majority of my formative years. You see, I grew up in a small, central Illinois town: one of those towns where all you really had in terms of buildings were churches and bars. The towns were separated by corn fields and soybean fields, and everyone pretty much knew everyone else’s business.

The catalyst for me was when I spent a summer in Philly for an internship during my undergrad days. It was total culture shock for me: a small-town, naïve Midwestern girl, suddenly thrown into a row house, living in West Philly and dealing with internship life at a huge company, plus crazy East Coast traffic? It was pure insanity, and very uncomfortable at times. But it ultimately changed me for the better, and that, my friends, is why I now consider myself a city gal.

I’ve come to appreciate the city living because I adore the culture and history. I love the old brick buildings, the microbreweries, the eclectic, hipster-y mix of it all. I love that I can find Thai food, vegan comfort food, and Afghan food all on one street. The chaos and randomness of the people and places is fascinating to me.

{A few notes on these babies: They will deflate a bit, and the larger sizes will crack. It’s okay. I imagine you could use a water bath to prevent the cracking, but we didn’t. I know it’s not as pretty, but it still tastes awesome, and I like to think the cracks give it character. So don’t fret if you end up with a slightly deflated or cracked souffle!}

But every now and then, there comes a time in which even the most seasoned, accidental city girl needs a break from all the bricks and culture. For times in which I just need a change of scenery, I’ll often take a solo road trip back to Illinois to visit friends and family.

This past weekend, I visited Belle, who is one of my best friends and mentors, an instructor I had during my undergrad days. Of course I always like to plan a baking project when I have my city breaks, so I asked Belle what she’d like for us to bake together.

“Chocolate soufflé,” she said. I’d heard of soufflés before, but I’d never made one. They sound intimidating, but I did my research and figured out that they’re more simple than they seem. So, Belle and I spent Sunday afternoon conquering the chocolate soufflé. It was a fun learning experience for both of us, and of course ending up with a rich, chocolatey dessert certainly doesn’t hurt.

You’ll see in the photos throughout this post that we served our soufflé with homemade whipped cream and fresh raspberries. I liked how the whipped cream – while rich in its own way – helped to cut some of the sweetness of the chocolate soufflé. Plus, fresh raspberries just pair so well with chocolate, so that was pretty much a given.

{Note: I didn’t really change up The Kitchn’s instructions, listed below. I think they do a good job of spelling it all out for you. Mostly, I just wanted to share this experience and add a few of my notes mixed in. Enjoy!}

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Chocolate Soufflé with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream.

Yield: Six individual soufflés in ramekins, or one large 1.5qt-sized dish.

For the soufflé:

Ingredients:
– 2 TBSP. unsalted butter, plus extra to grease the soufflé dishes
– 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped [I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao, and I think it worked well]
– 3 large eggs yolks
– 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided, plus extra to coat the soufflé dishes
– 6 large egg whites
– 1 tsp. vanilla extract
– 1/4 tsp. coarse salt

Instructions:

First, heat the oven to 375°F. You want your oven to be fully heated up and ready when it’s time to put the soufflé in.
Prepare the soufflé dishes: Rub the insides of the ramekins or soufflé dish with butter. Coat with sugar by sprinkling a tablespoon of sugar in the bottom of each ramekin (or a scoop of sugar in the larger soufflé dish), and then tilting and tapping the dish to work the sugar into the corners and up the sides of the dish.
Melt the chocolate: Combine the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of butter in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a small saucepan of barely simmering water; make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the surface of the water. (Alternatively, use a double-boiler.) Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until completely smooth.
Cool the chocolate slightly: Remove the chocolate from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Let the chocolate cool until still very loose, but just slightly warm to the touch [you don’t want scrambled eggs, so make sure it’s cooled before you add the yolks].
Whisk together the yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar: Transfer the yolks to a mixing bowl. Measure out 1/4 cup of sugar and sprinkle over the yolks. Whisking by hand or in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the yolks and sugar together. They will start off bright yellow and will gradually lighten. The eggs and sugar are ready when light yellow in color, and the mixture forms ribbons that hold for a few seconds on the surface.
Combine the chocolate and the yolks: Pour the yolks over the chocolate. Use a spatula to gently fold the chocolate and the yolks together until completely combined.
Beat the egg whites until frothy: Clean your mixing bowl thoroughly and make sure it is dry and free of any grease. Add the egg whites. Beat at gradually increasing speed until the whites are quite frothy and opaque.
Add the sugar to the whites and beat until stiff peaks form: With the mixer running at medium speed, gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar to the egg whites. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to high and beat the whites until they form stiff peaks.
Lighten the chocolate base: Scoop about 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the bowl with the chocolate base. Stir them in until no visible egg whites remain. This lightens the base and makes it easier to add the rest of the egg whites without deflating them too much.
Gently fold the egg whites into the base in two batches: Scoop half of the rest of the egg whites on top of the chocolate base. Using your spatula, cut through the center of the mixture, scoop the spatula underneath, then gently lift and flip the mixture over onto itself; this is called folding the egg whites into the base (it helps prevent deflating them too much). Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the folding motion. Once this batch is nearly incorporated, add the remaining whites. Continue until you see no more visible egg whites in the base.
Divide the soufflé batter between the prepared ramekins.
Bake until the soufflés are puffed and the tops look dry: Bake small soufflés for 18 to 20 minutes, or one large soufflé for 35 to 40 minutes [it took about 32 minutes for ours to finish baking].
Serve immediately; it is best eaten right away.

For the whipped cream:
Ingredients:
– 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
– 3 TBSP. powdered sugar, or to taste
– 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste

Instructions: Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix until medium peaks form. Store in the fridge until ready to use [homemade whipped cream is also best eaten the day it’s made].

+ Recipe resources: The chocolate soufflé recipe is from The Kitchn, and the whipped cream recipe is adapted from KitchenAid.

January 6, 2016

The Best Chocolate Cupcakes [With Cocoa Buttercream].

I have made quite a few chocolate cupcakes in my baking days, but I think this recipe takes the cake {pun totally intended}. While I’ve never really met a chocolate cake that I totally hated, there are, of course, several requirements for my ideal chocolate cake. Those requirements are as follows:

It has to be moist. Dry cake is just…Ugh. No one has time for that.
It must have a sinfully rich chocolate flavor. I don’t want a mere hint of chocolate; I want to be hit IN THE FACE with the chocolatey goodness.
It should have a nice balance of being light ‘n fluffy but also a tiny bit dense.
It should almost always be topped with some kind of chocolate frosting [I’ll accept vanilla bean frosting, though].

cupcakestopviewchoc — {Obligatory aerial view!}

Yup. Just like the ultimate vanilla cupcakes recipe from The Cupcake Project, this recipe was also tirelessly tested by tons of bakers all over the Interwebs. Obviously, I had to test out the recipe myself, and of course I was pleased with the end results. I can’t even recall for whom I made these cupcakes, but I’m pretty sure I ate at least two or three in one sitting regardless. I’d say that this is definitely my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe at this point in my baking life. The cupcakes hold up really well, and they’re super rich, moist, and perfectly chocolatey. No doubt, they satisfy my crazy chocolate cravings. If you’re craving some chocolate cupcakes, you should definitely make these. I’m salivating just thinking about them right now…. I guess that means I need to make them again soon. 😉

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The Best Chocolate Cupcakes with Cocoa Buttercream Frosting.

Yield: Sixteen (16) regular-sized cupcakes.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
– 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 2 ounces of your favorite chocolate [I like semi-sweet Ghirardelli for this, but you can use whatever as long as it’s pure chocolate and doesn’t contain any add-ins.]
– 2 large eggs, at room temperature
– 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
– 1/2 cup + 1 TBSP. (4 1/2 fluid ounces) vegetable or canola oil, measured in a liquid measuring cup
– 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
– 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– 1/2 tsp. salt
– 1/2 tsp. baking soda
– 1/2 cup cocoa powder [I prefer dutch-processed for this, but regular unsweetened cocoa powder will work as well.]
– 1 tsp. espresso powder [This is optional, but I prefer to add it for more caffeine and a deeper chocolate flavor!]
– 1/2 cup room temperature water, measured in a liquid measuring cup

Instructions:
For the cupcakes:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line two muffin tins with sixteen liners; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter and sugar until completely combined; it will look like wet sand.
3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave according to instructions, or over a double boiler. Allow the chocolate to cool to touch. Once cooled, add it to the butter/sugar mixture, and mix until it’s just combined.
4. Add in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, and mix until just combined.
5. Next, add in the oil, vanilla, and sour cream. Mix until just combined.
6. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, sift together the dry ingredients [flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa powder, and espresso powder]. Use a whisk to ensure that the dry ingredients are all well-incorporated after sifting.
7. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing until just combined after each addition.
8. Add in the water, and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to ensure that everything is properly incorporated.
9. Fill prepared cupcake liners about 2/3rds of the way full, and bake for about 18 minutes. Check for doneness at the 18 minute mark; a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake should come out clean (or with a few moist crumbs is also fine). If not done, bake for another minute or two until done.
10. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack, then frost as desired once they’re completely cooled.

*For the frosting: I used The Cupcake Project’s Vanilla Frosting Recipe. I simply doubled the recipe, and added probably about 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, plus some heavy cream to make it extra creamy. Feel free to play around with any frosting recipe that you like!

+ Chocolate cupcake recipe via The Cupcake Project.

cupcakesammich — {A cupcake sammich! Yaaaassss.}

December 8, 2015

RBE // Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake Doughnuts.

I’m very fortunate and grateful to be able to say that I had a good childhood. In fact, one of my fondest childhood memories involves doughnuts. [Then again, any memory that involves doughnuts should be classified as a good one!]

chocdonescover — {Yes, we made a “D” doughnut. D is for Dani, Darcie, and Doughnuts!}

When I was a kid, nearly every Sunday before or after church, my parents would take us to this little local doughnut shop called Royal Donut. And every time we went there, I always consumed three doughnuts in one sitting (RIP Darcie’s childhood metabolism). Out of the three doughnuts I snarfed down, one of them had to be a double chocolate fried cake doughnut. Yes, every time I visited this doughnut shop (which was frequently), a double chocolate was a requirement.

clearglazedchocdone — {Doughnut with clear glaze.}

These fried chocolate cake doughnuts are reminiscent of my childhood. My favorite recipes are those that tend to have some kind of sentimental value. Whether the recipe is one that I actually did grow up making, or if the recipe reminds me of something I ate as a kid, there’s just something extra special about these kinds of recipes.

My roommate, her boyfriend, and I whipped up these doughnuts as an “RBE” (roommate baking endeavor) one Sunday a few months back. While I didn’t like them quite as much as I enjoy the old-fashioned sour cream doughnuts, this chocolate version is still pretty fantastic. They’re rich and cakey, and they fry up beautifully. The glaze is probably what makes them, as it seals in the moisture. We made a clear glaze to dip the entire doughnut in, plus I had to make a slightly thicker chocolate glaze to go on top of some doughnuts. The end result reminded me of my childhood, and I think that’s my favorite part about these doughnuts. I wish I could still inhale three doughnuts and not gain ten pounds, but alas. It’s still super neat that you can fry up a relatively small batch of doughnuts in your own kitchen – and let it take you back to your childhood.

doneholetrio — {Cute little doughnut holes!}

chocdonesaerialview — {An aerial view of our dones.}

Isn’t it just beautiful how recipes and food can evoke so many pleasant memories? <3

doublechocsprinkles — {This is the doughnut that basically symbolizes my childhood: A fried chocolate cake doughnut with chocolate glaze + sprinkles.}

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Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake Doughnuts.

Yield: About fourteen doughnuts, plus doughnut holes.

Ingredients:
For the doughnuts:
– 2 cups (226 grams) cake flour [We used a cake flour substitute.]
– 1/2 cup (40 grams) cocoa powder
– 1 1/2 tsp.baking powder
– 1 tsp. fine salt
– 3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
– 1/2 cup granulated sugar
– 3 TSBP. unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 2 large egg yolks
– 1 cup (full fat) sour cream
– Canola oil, for frying
– Equipment needed: deep-fry thermometer
For the clear glaze:
– 3 1/2 cups (350 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
– 1 1/2 tsp. light corn syrup
– 1/4 tsp. salt
– 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
– 1/3 cup hot water

For the chocolate glaze:
– 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
– 4 TBSP. unsweetened cocoa powder
– 3 TBSP. milk or water
– 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

Make the doughnuts:
1. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until a sandy consistency is achieved. Add the egg yolks, and mix until light and thick.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl in three editions, alternating with the sour cream, and ending with the dry mix. The dough will be pretty sticky.
4. Once the cohesive dough has formed, remove the dough from the mixer bowl and form a disc of dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap up the dough tightly, and chill for at least one hour, or until it’s a bit more firmed up.
5. When ready to make the doughnuts, roll out the chilled dough to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Use a doughnut cutter (or two different sized biscuit cutters) to cut out as many doughnuts as possible. Dip the cutters into the flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking. {Note: Don’t worry about imperfections; these things are not meant to look perfect.}
6. Pour two inches of canola (or vegetable) oil into a heavy-bottomed pot, and attach the thermometer to the pot. Heat the oil to 325 degrees F.
7. Fry the doughnuts a few at a time; be careful to not overcrowd the pot. You’ll need to fry each doughnut on each side for about two minutes. Allow the doughnuts drain on a paper bag to soak up the excess grease.

Make the glazes:
1. For both of the glazes, the process is basically the same: Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk until smooth. Feel free to add a bit of corn syrup to the chocolate glaze for extra smoothness/shine.
2. As your doughnut are fried, immerse each doughnut into the glaze of choice.
3. Place the glazed doughnuts on a wire rack above a sheet pan to catch any excess glaze. Allow them sit for 20 minutes until glaze is set.
4. Doughnuts are best served the day they are made, but may be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for a few days. Enjoy!

+ Old-fashioned chocolate doughnuts recipe from Handle the Heat.
+ Chocolate glaze recipe from Joy the Baker.

October 18, 2015

Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake.

Chocolate Irish whiskey cake. Oh yes. This cake combines two of my favorite things: chocolate and booze. Okay, I’m actually not that into the booze. I mean, I enjoy a nice adult beverage (or three) on occasion. But there’s just something about baking with booze. Booze-infused baked goods are just extra special because the alcohol adds an extra layer of richness and deepness to desserts. Trust me when I say this; you’re not gonna get drunk off this cake. Sorry to [maybe?] disappoint? 😉

I made this cake for a work potluck awhile back. We had a “Taste of IT” day – in which my team of IT people brought in desserts from different countries. Immediately I knew I had to represent Ireland [my heritage is mostly Scot-Irish], but then it was a matter of trying to think of what to make. I briefly contemplated Irish scones, but obviously this chocolate cake won out. I’m a huge scone fan, but I mean… let’s be honest. Scones or boozy chocolate cake? Boozy. Chocolate. Cake. Enough said.

This cake is chocolatey and the Jameson and coffee make it extra rich. I topped it with homemade whipped cream, and then sprinkled it with some cocoa powder, and that was a most wise decision. Perhaps the best part about this cake is that it’s not overly sweet. I think that most European desserts tend to have less sugar than American desserts – which is probably for the best. Regardless, this was a fun cake to make, and I prefer to eat it cold. I made the cake with Kerrygold Irish butter, but you can use regular, unsalted butter if you like. The thing about European butter is that it has a much higher fat content, making it much more rich and tasty than your typical butter in the American grocery stores. That being said, if you can find Kerrygold, use it. It’s pretty awesome butter, if I do say so myself.

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Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake.
Yield: One 8×8″ (or 9×9″) round cake.

Ingredients:
– 2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
– 6 TBSP. Kerrygold unsalted, at room temperature
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder [I used regular because it’s all I had on hand. This is okay, but Dutch-processed will make the cake more rich and dark.]
– 1 tsp. baking powder
– 1/2 tsp. baking soda
– 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
– 3 large eggs
– 1/4 cup fresh brewed espresso or strong coffee
– 1/4 cup Irish whiskey, such as Jameson
– Optional: Powdered sugar, for dusting
– Optional: Homemade whipped cream, for topping
– Optional: Extra cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F, and ensure that the oven rack is in the middle. Grease an 8 or 9-inch baking pan with butter or spray, and coat the pan with flour. Be sure to remove any excess flour.
2. Place the chopped chocolate into the bowl of a double boiler, and allow it to melt over fairly low heat. Once melted, remove from the heat to cool.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until it becomes pale yellow, thick, and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through. This will take about four minutes.
4. While the butter and sugar are mixing, sift the dry ingredients [flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt] into a medium bowl.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, until they are well incorporated. Slowly add the melted chocolate and mix until combined.
6. While the mixer is still at a lower speed, carefully add the dry ingredients, and mix until combined. Next, add the espresso/coffee and the whiskey.
7. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and scrape down the entire outside and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Ensure that all the ingredients are incorporated.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes (I think my oven only took about 35-40 minutes, but baking times may vary).
9. Remove the cake from the oven, and let it cool for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before ready to serve.
10. To serve: Dust the top with powdered sugar, or top with homemade whipped cream and cocoa powder. Enjoy!

+ Recipe from Kerrygold USA.

May 22, 2015

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cocoa Buttercream Frosting.

This past Saturday, I taught a cupcake decorating class as a networking event for my day job. [Yikes!]

Basically, I just taught people how to make buttercream and frost their cupcakes using decorative pastry tips and bags. Except, as my luck would have it, I had a hard time getting the buttercream to proper piping consistency. Then I had an extra double batch of buttercream when I got home… So what was I going to do with it? Make more cupcakes and frost them. Duh. And wouldn’t you know it: The consistency of my frosting at home was much better than the frosting in the class. Whoops. Sometimes, I’m just garbage at doing things in front of other people.

Since I have never officially taught a group of people anything, it was definitely a learning experience. I’ve been stepping out of my comfort zone a LOT lately, and although it’s been interesting [and kinda uncomfortable], it’s a great way to help myself grow as a person. Even if I don’t get something exactly right the first time I demonstrate in front of others, to me that should just serve as a reminder that I’m always constantly learning. And that’s okay. It’s easy to get embarrassed and start doubting myself and thinking of myself as a “fraud” – not a “legit baker.” But it’s important to remember that the fact that I occasionally make mistakes with baking does not invalidate my experiences. I am a baker. Why? Because I bake. It’s that simple. The same goes for you: do you write? Then you’re a writer. Do you run? Then you are a runner. Do you bake? Then YAY! We’re both bakers and we should be friends! 🙂 {See what I mean, though? We get too caught up in “what it means” to “be something,” instead of just focusing on doing what we love and not thinking about labels or comparing ourselves to others.}

Okay, life lesson aside… Let’s talk about these cupcakes. This chocolate cake is actually a vegan recipe. It contains neither eggs nor dairy. It’s just a good chocolate cake recipe, to be honest. I have made cupcakes using this recipe several times, and for vegans or non-vegans, it’s just good. As for the frosting, well, it’s definitely not vegan since it contains butter. But I love chocolate frostings more than regular buttercreams, so I decided to add cocoa powder to the buttercream I had leftover from the class. The result is rich, fragrant chocolate cupcakes [due to the almond and vanilla extracts in the cake] with a light, fluffy cocoa buttercream! So, if you’re in need of some chocolate cake, but not feelin’ the usual vanilla buttercream, make these! They’re gooood cupcakes. And they’re great for fulfilling a fierce chocolate craving. 😉

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Chocolate Cupcakes with Cocoa Buttercream Frosting.
Yield: Twelve regular-sized cupcakes.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
– 1 cup non-dairy milk [I used unsweetened almond milk]
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil [I just used canola oil]
– 1 TBSP. apple cider vinegar
– 1 TBSP. pure vanilla extract
– 1/2 tsp. pure almond extract [Optional, but awesome!]
– 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
– 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
– 1 tsp. baking soda
– 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, to taste

For the cocoa buttercream frosting:
– 1 cup unsalted butter, softened- 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
– 1 tsp. milk, or more, depending on consistency
– 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
– 2 TBSP. cocoa powder

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners, and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with an electric hand mixer), beat together the following ingredients: non-dairy milk, oil, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and the extracts. At medium speed, beat the ingredients together for a minute or two.
3. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt). Mix everything well, until all the dry clumps are gone.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3rds full. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs, is fine too). I think I baked mine for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
5. For the frosting, beat butter on medium-high speed for about 3-5 minutes, or until it’s light and fluffy. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add the vanilla extract and milk. Continue to beat and add more milk, if necessary, until the frosting is light and fluffy. Pipe or spread frosting on cooled cupcakes. Enjoy!

– Cupcake recipe from Oh She Glows.

– Frosting recipe barely adapted from Food.com.

May 1, 2015

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream Frosting.

Working for a huge corporation is a funny thing. It takes a while to adapt to that kind of environment [*cough* bureaucracy *cough*], especially straight out of college.*

One of the things that has probably helped me the most when adapting to the “real world” – especially in a huge company – has been mentors. My company is pretty big on mentoring anyway, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have about five great mentors [some formal and others informal] thus far. Some people might find it silly, but I find mentoring to be one of the best tools out there for those who are pursuing any career – regardless of your field.

There’s just nothing that can compare to establishing a relationship with another person in your field. A person that you can pretty much call your friend – but who’s also an expert in the same field. I am able to go to my mentors for help needed, advice in general, to rant… Or to just talk about baked goods. And for all of my mentors, I am very grateful. So this post is dedicated to all y’all: Thanks for being there for me. Thanks for teaching me. Thank you for putting up with my crap. And thanks for simply being awesome; you all know who you are!

mintchoccupcakesonstand1 — {I LOVE mint green. Best color ever. If you don’t agree, you’re just plain wrong.} 😛

I’m dedicating this post to all of my IT career mentors because well, I’m pretty sure you all love mint and chocolate, so it just seems fitting. And who can blame ya? Now, I will fully admit that mint + chocolate is actually not my favorite combination. I love chocolate, obvz. But mint hasn’t ever been my favorite. {Of course, that won’t stop me from shoving it in my face when it’s put in front of me. Especially in the form of cupcakes!} However, I really enjoy these cupcakes. I love making them for my mint fiend buddies, and of course, I always have to sample at least one.

The cake is rich and chocolatey, and it has a subtle mint flavor. The frosting is creamy, sweet, and has a hint of mint. I had to add a bit of green food coloring to it, just to give it that pretty mint green hue! So yeah. Enough said. Make these, and enjoy!

carryingcontainer — {Yes, I own a cupcake carrying container. #BakingNerd} 😛

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Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream.
Yield: The original recipe says 18 cupcakes, but I got more like thirteen… So your mileage may vary!

Ingredients:
For the mint chocolate cupcakes:
– 1 cup plus 1 TBSP. granulated sugar
– 3/4 cup plus 2 TBSP. all-purpose flour
– 7 TBSP. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
– 3/4 tsp. baking powder
– 3/4 tsp. baking soda
– 1/2 tsp. salt
– 1 large egg, at room temperature
– 1/2 cup milk [I used 2%.]
– 1/4 cup vegetable oil [I used canola oil.]
– 3/4 tsp. peppermint extract
– 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
– 1/2 cup boiling water

For the mint frosting:
– 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
– 4 TBSP. unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 3 TBSP. heavy cream
– 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
– 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
– 1/2 tsp. salt
– Green food coloring, if desired
– About 5-9 Andes chocolate mints, halved

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two standard muffin pans with 18 paper cupcake liners. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer [or small bowl], mix together the egg, milk, oil, peppermint, and vanilla extracts. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet, and beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then continue to beat on medium speed for a minute or two. Add the boiling water, and stir to combine. {Note: The batter will be pretty liquid-y… That’s normal.}

4. Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4ths of the way full with the batter. Bake until the tops are firm, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for ten minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pans and allow to cool completely.

5. To make the frosting, beat the powdered sugar and butter until the mixture is crumbly, for about one minute. Add the heavy cream, vanilla and mint extracts, salt, and food coloring [if you’re using it], and beat on high until smooth, for about three minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip, and pipe frosting onto each cooled cupcake. Top each cupcake with half of an Andes mint.

– Recipe from Handle the Heat.

*You’ve probably noticed that I don’t discuss my day job too much on this blog. I do that for a reason, and that reason is twofold: 1) I have no desire to think about my 9-5 job on this blog – this is my creative, personal space that has absolutely nothing to do with my IT career; and 2) I want to be as professional as possible, so while I do enjoy my day job, I don’t feel the need to discuss it in depth on here. 🙂

April 15, 2015

{Homemade} Cosmic Brownies.

One of my fondest childhood memories involves summers spent at my friend Emily’s house. These summers consisted of drinking a lot of Capri Sun, and eating massive amounts of snack cakes and fried bologna sandwiches. I am going to go ahead and admit that between the ages of about ten to fifteen, I probably consumed five times my weight in snack cakes. Per year. No, I’m not joking, and no, I am not sorry.

I wasn’t really picky about what snack cakes I’d eat. Fudge Rounds, Star Crunch, Nutty Bars, Swiss Cake Rolls… if it involved chocolate, I would probably snarf it up in a heartbeat. But I did have one snack cake to which I was especially partial: the Cosmic Brownie. [Oh, the 90s…]

cosmicbrownies_cover

Now, at the ripe old age of twenty-six, you’ll rarely see me eating any snack cakes, Cosmic Brownies included. This is due to two reasons: 1) my metabolism isn’t what it used to be, and 2) I don’t really like the taste of most packaged treats anymore.

Anyway. Several summers ago during my second internship in St. Louis, I made the most magical discovery of my life: I came across a recipe for homemade Cosmic Brownies. You’d think I would have rushed to the kitchen to make them immediately, but no dice. There was one small problem: where was I going to find the vibrant, candy-coated mini chocolate chips that adorned the glorious Cosmic Brownie? Yeah, I could have just topped my copycat brownies with brightly colored sprinkles. But anyone who knows me knows that I care wayyy too much about silly details, and that the average, run-of-the-mill sprinkle just would not do.

And so the search for the rainbow, candy-coated miniature chocolate chips began. It might have taken me a month or two, but I finally found them at my local Joann Fabric & Craft store. I imagine I probably looked like a crazy person when I spotted them in the baking aisle. But seriously, check them out. Aren’t they the bomb.com? [And I’m someone who doesn’t say “the bomb dot com” very often…]

rainbowchips — {Look at how pretty they are!}

After I finally found these awesome candy-coated chocolate chips, I made Cosmic Brownies one time. They were good, but then I somehow forgot about them for a few years. Finally, now that I actually have a somewhat decent food blog, I decided that I should readdress them. The recipe that I found is definitely interesting. These are awfully close to the real thing; they’re super rich and fudgy. They don’t mess around; it’s just like, BAM! CHOCOLATE IN YO FACE! when you eat one. I’m a chocoholic, and I took two bites of one, and thought to myself, “Yup, that’s enough for now!”

All that being said, I wouldn’t advise stuffing your face with the entire pan in one sitting. However, my coworkers loved them, and I do too. Plus, they are not artificial-tasting, nor do they have that slight cardboard-esque aftertaste like their packaged counterparts.

And if you can find these rainbow chips, please do everyone a favor and splurge on a bottle of them. They make the brownies that much more cosmically delicious. The added color and crunch just makes the brownies out of this world. [Hurrrrr. I’m punny today.]

But if you want to use regular sprinkles, I won’t judge you… Maybe.

browniebite — {And have fun reminiscing about the good old days of the 1990s while you eat these mofos.}

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Homemade Cosmic Brownies.
Yield: One 8×8″ pan of brownies.

Ingredients:
For the Brownies:
– 10 TBSP. unsalted butter
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
– 3/4 cup plus 2 TBSP. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
– 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
– 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
– 1 TBSP. corn syrup
– 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
– 1 TBSP. cornstarch
– 1/4 tsp. salt

For the Frosting:
– 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
– 1/2 cup heavy cream
– Wilton Rainbow Chip Crunch, or mini M&M’s, sprinkles, or other candy

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-by-8-inch (or 9×9″) baking pan with foil or parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.

2. Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl for about 90 seconds. Stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. If it’s still super hot, wait a few minutes before adding the next ingredients [you do not want sugary scrambled eggs… gross].

3. Add the vanilla extract, eggs, egg yolk, and corn syrup. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.

4. Add in the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely in the pan.

5. To make the frosting, heat the cream in a small microwave-safe bowl on high for about a minute. Add in the chocolate chips. Let it sit for about three minutes before stirring it until smooth. Pour it over the cooled brownies, and smooth it out evenly. Sprinkle the Rainbow Crunch chips over the top as desired. Refrigerate the brownies for about 1-2 hours, or until the frosting is set. Cut and serve. Brownies will keep for about 4 days at room temperature, and for about on week in the fridge.

– Recipe from Handle the Heat.

April 12, 2015

{Vegan} Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Muffins.

Three fun facts about me:

1. I have had bananas getting overly ripe and taunting me from the counter for quite awhile now.

2. Also, I was out of eggs for about a week.

3. In addition, I go through extremely lazy phases in which I don’t even want to drive ten minutes to get some eggs from Trader Joe’s. {Please tell me I’m not the only one?}

So what’s a girl to do in such a dire situation? Make vegan nanner muffins, that’s what!

Personally, I’m not vegan, but I do love experimenting with vegan baking from time to time. It’s especially convenient during times in which I am too lazy to go buy eggs/milk/real butter, as aforementioned. I’m a sucker for a good muffin, but I am also somewhat of a muffin snob. You won’t see me eating just any muffin. To me, muffins need to be flavorful, relatively light, and definitely moist. {Sorry for the usage of the word “moist,” but there’s really no other way to describe a good muffin…} Dry or dense muffins can get outta here.

muffinopen — {Just look at that melty chocolate chip dripping down. In the words of the Koolaid Man: OHHH YEEEEAAAHHH.}

These muffins are my ideal muffins: they’re moist, they’re packed with flavor, and they are not overly dense. They prove that vegan baking is, in fact, awesome. Vegan baked goods (well, vegan anything, really) often still get a bad name, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that they are vegan unless you already knew. They’re bursting with enough banana flavor, and the oats and chocolate chips add just a little extra somethin’ to them. I also added a bit of cinnamon, just because any type of banana bread-related baked good that I make has to have cinnamon. But you don’t have to add it if you’re not feeling it. You should make these muffins if ya know what’s good for ya. They are very tasty, even if you aren’t vegan. Perhaps best of all: they are quite healthy, aside from the brown sugar. But there’s not much sugar in them, and they still taste great!

muffinsstand — {I love how the muffins look on my jadeite cake stand!}

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Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Oat Muffins.
Yield: About 10-12 regular sized muffins, depending on how full you fill the cups.

Ingredients:
– 2 flax “eggs” {Note: To make a single flax “egg,” combine 1 tablespoon of ground flax meal with 2.5 tablespoons of water. Stir it around, then allow it to sit for about five minutes so it thickens up. Just double that to make two “eggs.” This is the binding ingredient in the muffins, as we’re not using real eggs.}
– 4 medium ripe bananas [don’t worry about measurements – it’s forgiving]
– heaping 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
– 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon {I had to add it; I can’t have banana bread/muffin anything without it!}
– 2 tsp. baking soda
– 1/2 tsp. salt
– 1/4 cup vegan butter [such as Earth Balance] or coconut oil, melted
– 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
– 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour {I used whole wheat pastry flour, but I’m guessing most people don’t exactly keep it lying around their pantries… So regular, unbleached all-purpose flour will work fine too!}
– 1/2 cup rolled oats
– 1/2 to 3/4 cups chocolate chips

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, and set aside.
2. Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl; set aside for five minutes to thicken.
3. Add bananas and mash, but leave a bit of texture.
4. Next, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and then whisk those ingredients for about one minute.
5. Stir in the vanilla and melted “butter,” and mix until combined.
6. Add the flour and oats, then stir with a spoon until it’s just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, if you’re using them.
7. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins, and fill them about 3/4ths of the way full.
8. Bake for 17-22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool for several minutes.
9. Remove from muffin tin, and serve warm. Once they’re completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. You may also freeze them for longterm storage.

– Recipe slightly adapted from Minimalist Baker’s Vegan Banana Crumb Muffins.

singlemuffin

March 19, 2015

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes.

As usual, I am a day late – or more like four days late – and a dollar short.

I know St. Patty’s [or is it Paddy’s? I don’t really know…] Day has already passed, but I wanted to share the Irish car bomb cupcakes that I made for the occasion anyway. I guess I’m a rebel like that.

cupcakeinsides — {I just had to show you the insides of these cupcakes. Ohhhh yeahhhh!}

This recipe is pretty much the same as the previous chocolate stout cupcakes with whiskey ganache filling and Bailey’s buttercream frosting that I have shared here before. I just cut this recipe in half so that it only makes twelve cupcakes. And then I topped them with pretty green sprinkles and cute little St. Patrick’s Day cupcake toppers from Bake it Pretty. Aren’t the cupcakes just so adorably festive?! I am happy with how they turned out, and of course, as always, this is a solid cupcake recipe. I loooove using stout beer in chocolate cakes, as I’ve mentioned before. And these are just my favorite boozy cupcakes. ‘Nuff said.

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Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes.
Yield: I reduced the recipe in half to make just twelve cupcakes!

Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes:
– 1/2 cup stout beer [I used 4 Hands’ Chocolate Milk Stout, as usual]
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 6 TBS. Dutch-process cocoa powder
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 3/4 tsp. baking soda
– 1/4 tsp. salt
– 1 large egg
– 1/3 cup sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:
– 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate [I used a Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate bar]
– 1/3 cup heavy cream
– 1 TBS. unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 1 tsp. Irish whiskey, such as Jameson

For the Bailey’s Frosting:
– 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
– 3 TBS. Bailey’s Irish Cream

Instructions:
1. For the cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line twelve cupcake cups with liners and set aside. Bring the stout and butter to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until it’s smooth; remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until combined. Using an electric mixer [or in the bowl of a stand mixer]. beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until they’re combined. Add the cooled stout/chocolate/butter mixture to the egg mixture, and beat until just combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the flour mixture. Beat briefly, then fold the batter with a spatula until completely combined.

3. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, and bake the cupcakes for about 15-17 minutes, or until a thin knife/toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.

4. For the whiskey ganache filling: Chop up the chocolate, and place it in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until it’s just starting to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute, then using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center toward the outside until it’s smooth. Add the butter and whiskey, then stir until combined. Allow the ganache to cool until thick but still soft enough to pipe.

5. To fill the cupcakes: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter or a knife, cut the centers – about two thirds of the way down – out of the cooled cupcakes. Set the small pieces of cake aside. Spoon or pipe the whiskey ganache into the cupcakes, then top them with the little cake pieces that were removed.

6. For the Bailey’s Frosting: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer [or with an electric mixer], whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low, then gradually add the powdered sugar until it’s completely incorporated. Add in the Bailey’s, then beat at medium-high speed for another 2-3 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Pipe or spread the frosting onto the filled cupcakes and top with sprinkles as desired.

– Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker.

March 9, 2015

Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache.

My 26th birthday was two days ago, and I knew I had to bake something epic to celebrate. Some people think it’s weird and/or sad that I make my own birthday dessert. But honestly, that’s half of the fun! I love picking out something special and different to make each year for my birthday.

Plus, if anyone is hatin’ on it, I just tell them [jokingly, of course… I’m not actually that confident}: “Well, I have to be the one to bake my own birthday cake from scratch. That way I know it’ll be awesome!”

Needless to say, I always suggest making your own birthday cake. Even if other people think you’re silly, just let them know that it’ll be awesome. It’s a great way to treat yoself.

{I got gold candles from Shop Sweet Lulu. They’re amazing.}

chocstout2 — {I think I should rename my blog to “Windowsill Baker.” I seem to love taking pictures on the windowsill!}

I just love Bundt cakes. They’re so effortlessly gorgeous. And I absolutely love using stout beers in chocolate cake. Once again, I used my favorite local St. Louis stout – 4 Hands Brewery’s Chocolate Milk Stout. It has cacao nibs in it, and it’s just the most amazing stout I’ve ever had. No joke.

You cannot taste the beer in the cake [although I’d be happy if you could!]; the stout just adds a lovely deep, rich, nuttiness to the cake. As for the chocolate ganache – what’s not to love? Ganache sounds so fancy, but it could not be more simple. It’s just plain dreamy.

Screen Shot 2015-03-09 at 9.21.39 PM — {Holding my cake on my beautiful jadeite stand.}

4hands choc stout — {This is an old IG photo from when I first tried the chocolate milk stout. I’m pretty sure I didn’t know how to properly pour beer into a pint glass back then…}

This chocolate stout Bundt cake with chocolate ganache drizzled over it makes a lovely birthday cake. It reminds me of a giant double chocolate donut. And I’m okay with that.

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Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache.

Yield: One 12-cup bundt cake.

Ingredients:
– 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 3/4 tsp. baking soda
– 1/2 tsp. salt
– 1 cup [2 sticks] unsalted butter [Plus more for the pan]
– 3/4 cup stout beer
– 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
– 3 large eggs
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
– 1/2 cup sour cream
– 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. {Note: With Bundt pans, you really need to butter/flour the pans very well, unless you like torn up, not-so-pretty cakes.}

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Set a small saucepan over medium heat, and heat up the butter and beer. Stir it and keep heated until the butter melts. Remove the pan from the heat and add eight (8) ounces of the chocolate. Stir until it’s smooth.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugars on medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture, then add the sour cream. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Be careful to not overmix.

5. Pour batter into the prepared pan, then bake approximately 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. {Note: Oven times/temperatures will vary, but mine only had to bake for about 40-45 minutes.} Allow the cake to cool 30 minutes in the pan [set pan on a cooling rack], then invert it onto the wire rack so it can cool completely.

6. To make the chocolate ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan just until it starts to boil. Remove it from the heat, then add the remainder of the chopped chocolate [4 ounces] and let it sit for five minutes. Stir until it’s smooth, then drizzle it over the cooled cake. Cover and store at room temperature.

– Recipe from Handle the Heat.

cakeslice2 — {One more cake slice picture for good measure.}