S'mores Cupcakes

Winters is still lounging upon us, not yet ready to take it's summer vacation, therefor I can't get out yet to enjoy a nice toasty campfire to build my favorite S'more.  Time to improvise.  In my opinion these are closest to a real S'more as any baked good can get.  It uses real marshmallows, I opted out of doing the marshmallow fluff method (the original recipe calls for) because how often do you make a S'more over a campfire with fluff?  Good luck with that if you do =).  Also, this method is much simpler than making your own marshmallow fluff.  As far as the graham cracker of this S'more Cupcake goes, you will notice the recipe calls for graham flour. This is an ingredient not found in your typical household, but it's an essential ingredient to this recipe because it gives the cupcakes that delicious, authentic graham cracker flavor.  It is an interesting ingredient that's very similar to wheat flour but the grinding process of the flours is different.  You can find it in the health foods section of the grocer and if you can't find it there you can purchase it online here.  One of best part of these delightful cupcakes are, of course, the chocolate!  Martha Stewart's cupcake recipe calls for a chocolate ganache glaze, I don't want a glaze, I want a thick topping of chocolate ganache more like the thick layer of decadent chocolate you'll find in a real S'more.  
I've made these cupcakes twice, once as the fully original recipe and once this way with a thicker ganache and using marshmallows rather than fluff.  I wanted something simpler and also I like to post recipes that don't require fancy kitchen tools, like a kitchen torch (because not very many kitchens have those).  If you'd like to stick with the original recipe, using homemade marshmallow fluff and chocolate ganache glaze you can find the fully original recipe on a blog post here.  I also split the cupcake recipe in half because a dozen is enough for my small family.    
Pretend it's summer, as I did, by making these.  Then sit back on your comfy sofa and dive into one these authentic S'mores tasting Cupcakes while avoiding that potent campfire smoke =). 
If you love S'mores you may also like to try my incredibly easy, super quick S'mores Bites.

Make your own piece of contemporary art (that's what they remind me of =)...

S'mores Cupcakes
Yields 1 Dozen 


Ingredietns:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 1/2 Tbsp graham flour*
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 Tbsp honey
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 recipe Thick Chocolate Ganache, recipe follows (not part of original recipe)
3 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows or 12 large marshmallows (not part of original recipe)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, graham flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, set aside.  In a separate mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together butter, brown sugar and honey until pale and fluffy.  Stir in eggs and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed.  Add in dry ingredients and mix just until combine.  Divide batter evenly among 12 paper lined muffin cups, each cup should be about 2/3 full.  Bake in preheated oven 21 - 24 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.  Allow muffins to cool completely. 
Spread about 2 1/2 tsp thick chocolate ganache over each cooled cupcake (note: I have made these muffins twice and both times about 1 tsp of the center of the cupcake didn't rise level with the rest but it turned out it worked perfectly to have a ganache filled center, if yours do rise level then cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake about the size of a teaspoon to fill with ganache). 
Place oven rack two levels below oven broiler and preheat oven to low-broil.  Generously butter a cookie sheet as well as a silicon or rubber spatula, set spatula aside.  Spread miniature marshmallows in an single layer close together, in the center of the cookie sheet (if using 12 large marshmallows align in a single layer several inches apart from each other so they don't stick together).  Place marshmallow lined cookie sheet in oven, DON'T WALK AWAY, and toast marshmallows until golden rotating pan as needed to evenly toast marshmallows (this may take only a few seconds - 30 seconds so watch them closely the entire time).  Once golden, immediately remove from oven and using buttered spatula scoop up small bunches of marshmallows at a time and lift onto ganache covered cupcakes (if using 12 large marshmallows just scoop and place 1 large marshmallow on each cupcake).  Store cupcakes in an airtight container.


*I had a reader send me an e-mail today (12/4/12) stating that graham crackers can be ground into a find powder in the food processor and used as a substitute for the graham flour. Sounds like a great idea if you're having a hard time finding graham flour. Thanks Sarah!

Thick Chocolate Ganache


Ingredients:
2/3 cup milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips, which ever you prefer (I use milk choc.)
1/4 cup heavy cream


Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl, microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth.


Recipe Source: cupcake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, page 151.

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Bird's Nest Cupcakes

I'm like a little kid on Christmas morning full of excitement over these cupcakes!  Are they not so fun?  These are one of my favorite blogs posts yet.  My daughter and I had so much fun making these, and she like me was thoroughly ecstatic over them.  I would love to claim the idea of these as fully my own, because it is a genius idea.  I come across these on one of my favorite sites marthastewart.com.  Although, the recipe is entirely different from the one they have listed.  I decided to use a different cupcake recipe because people didn't seam to pleased with the results their recipe yielded.  I also wanted to throw my own frosting and topping ideas on there.  I wanted to simplify them a bit.  I realized not everyone has frosting piping tools so I made these to be prepared with basic kitchen tools, such as a ziploc bag =).  
I also need to tell my husband thanks, he came home yesterday with a bag of Mini Cadbury Eggs and I was like noooo we already have so much candy in the house I don't want more candy around for the kids (and me, to be tempted by).  Anyway, I saw these cupcakes when browsing my favorite food sites and it clicked, why not use the blue Cadbury Mini Eggs instead of frosting?  They are easier, they hold up better and they are one of the best, creamiest chocolate candies of all time.  Don't ever give me a bag, because it's likely I wont share with you =). 
These cupcakes are enticingly delicious!  This is definitely a recipe I will be using often.  The cupcake is moist and perfectly tender.  I made the frosting to be a gentle and not overbearing chocolate flavor so they compliment the vanilla cupcake and toasted coconut perfectly without screaming for all the attention.  Another important factor the chocolate frosting plays is how it's color matches the toasted coconut wonderfully. 
I hope you get a chance to make these cupcakes this spring and possibly even for Easter.  They are sure to put a smile on the face of any lucky person who gets one.

Birds Nest Cupcakes
Yields 1 Dozen


Ingredients:
1 Recipe Vanilla Cupcakes, recipe follows
1 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
1 Recipe Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows
36 blue chocolate Cadbury Mini Eggs*
1 Tbsp Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips


Directions:
Prepare cupcakes according to directions listed, allow to cool completely.  Then toast coconut by preheating oven to 350 degrees.  Spread coconut onto a cookie sheet and bake in preheat oven for 8-9 minutes until golden brown, rotating pan halfway through baking and watching closely to prevent over toasting.  Allow to cool.  
Prepare Chocolate Buttercream Frosting as well as the orange tinted frosting for beaks according to directions listed.  Frost cooled cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.  Gently press 3 blue Cadbury Mini Eggs into the center of each cupcake with the pointed end facing down (larger rounded side should be facing top).  Sprinkle toasted coconut around the Cadbury Mini Eggs on each cupcake (try to work quickly doing this before the frosting sets up so the coconut sticks better).
Fill a ziploc bag with orange tinted frosting, then using scissors, cut a very small tip off the edge of the bag and pipe beaks onto Cadbury Mini Eggs (you can practice first on a plate, in the recipe I made it so there's enough for practicing.  Also, you can use a toothpick as a "paintbrush" for mistakes).  
Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth.  Using a toothpick, paint eyes onto the chicks with melted chocolate.  Store cupcakes in an airtight container.  Enjoy!


*It's likely will need to purchase two 10 oz. bags of the Mini Cadbury Eggs if you want to do all blue chicks, otherwise if you only want to purchase one bag you could do half blue and half pink for the girls (or yellow or white).  I had enough blue from one 10 oz. bag to make 7 cupcakes with blue chicks.


Vanilla Cupcakes
Yields 1 Dozen 


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup salted butter, softened and diced into pieces*
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add in butter, egg, egg yolks, vanilla and sour cream then beat ingredients together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds until mixture is smooth (don't over-mix, if necessary, using a rubber spatula stir the batter until the flour is fully incorporated after the allotted 30 seconds).   Divide mixture evenly between 12 paper lined muffin cups (they should each be about 2/3 full).  Bake cupcakes for 20 - 25 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before frosting.


*Original recipe calls for unsalted butter but I make mine with salted butter.


Recipe Source:  Cook's Illustrated, from joyofbaking.com

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting


Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup salted butter, softened
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
Yellow and red food coloring gel


Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together powdered sugar, butter, cream and vanilla for 1 minute until very smooth and fluffy.  Scoop out 2 1/2 tablespoons of the frosting (without cocoa powder) into a small bowl and tint it with yellow and red gel food coloring (you won't need much and a tiny bit of red goes a long way so take it easy with the coloring).  Add cocoa powder to remaining non-tinted frosting mixture and using electric mixer, whip until well combine.   


Chocolate Buttercream Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

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Fruit Punch

It's time to sneak some fruit juice into your kids soda =).  I love this drink because it really is a fruit punch.  It's made of half fruit juice, it's not like those sodas flavored with artificial fruit flavors.  This punch also gets an incredible boost of flavor from the almond extract in it.  This beverage is family friendly because it contains no alcohol so it would be a great homemade drink to make for family parties.  One definite highlight of this drink is it's simplicity, you could have it made in under a minute.  I also love that it tastes surprisingly different than your average fruit punch, in my opinion better.  
Random funny thing, I rarely run out of ice in my home (because I hate exercising without an ice cold glass of water so I always keep it stocked, it's a must, a bare necessity) but the one time I go to take pics to blog this drink of course, no ice  =).  We'll say I did it on purpose though because it's still winter and I didn't want the drink to be too chilled.  Drinks just look prettier with it though don't they?  With or without ice this is one incredible and very simple drink to make.  It's delightfully refreshing, even on a cold winter day.


Fruit Punch
Yields 1 liter


Ingredients:
2 cups apple juice, chilled
2 cups grape juice, chilled
2 tsp almond extract
4 cups lemon lime flavored soda, such as Sprite, chilled


Directions:
In a large pitcher, stir together apple juice, grape juice and almond extract.  Pour in lemon lime soda and give it a quick stir (just don't over-mix after adding the soda or you will stir out the carbonation).


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

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My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (with 5 Secret Ingredients!)

Go now and take your favorite chocolate chip recipe that you "love" and destroy it like it's a bad break up letter you never want to see again.  I'm just kidding.  But really you don't know what chocolate chip cookie love is until you have tried this recipe.  I'm pretty confident these cookies are just that good that you will rid your life of whatever chocolate chip cookie recipe you consider to be the best without ever looking back.  I did.  Search my blog and you will notice I have deleted my old chocolate chip cookie recipe.  It is nowhere to be found, for good reason, these.
Truthfully I cannot believe I am sharing this recipe with the world.  I think this recipe could make millions =).  These are my masterpiece.  I have spent what feels like decades trying every chocolate chip recipe out there and every trick, along with every fancy ingredient.  I have spent hours pondering what would create the perfect chocolate chip cookie.  How could it be done, and what hadn't been done before?  
So, you most likely noticed I mentioned a whopping FIVE secret ingredients, yes five!  Here they are:


1. Chilled butter, nearly every cookie recipe out there calls for softened butter.  Not here.
2. Molasses, I use this because why buy brown sugar when you can make your own brown sugar for nearly half the cost, and fresh?
3. Vanilla bean paste, this gives the cookies that fresh, gourmet vanilla flavor with the fancy vanilla bean speckles.
4. Cornstarch, yes this has been done before, this ones not really so secret anymore.  These lend good texture.
5. I saved the best for last: COFFEE CREAMER POWDER.  Yes coffee cream powder.  These give the cookie an incredible almost creamy texture, keeping them moist and giving them just one more punch of flavor.


It hit me one day, finally, when I was on vacation, to try this ingredient.  It didn't hit me until then because I don't even drink coffee so I never buy coffee creamer powder.  I've tried so many ingredients before, browned butter, sour cream, shortening, melted butter, dry milk, cream cheese, pudding mix and even those long refrigeration required recipes (really who can wait that long for a cookie?).  Then I saw it, the coffee creamer powder and I knew this was going to be good.  
To me the chocolate chip cookie you make says a lot about what kind of cook and baker you are.  Do you play it safe and stick with the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag and just accept it as the best?  Do you buy the pre-made cookie dough at the grocery store?  Do you experiment and add unusual ingredients?  Are you willing to try alternate recipes and tips?  Well, that is one reason I created these.  I want these to show you what I am about as a cook and baker.  I love creating and experimenting!  I'm not afraid of the failures because I know somewhere along the way I will find my successes.  I like to be different and bold.  I like to make cooking exciting for people and help people find confidence in the kitchen.  And mostly I love to see the smile of satisfaction the food I create puts on peoples faces, and how it brings family and friends together to enjoy great times and build memories.  I mean come on, at a party is the food ever not the center of attention =)?  
I hope you thoroughly enjoy this recipe and share it with everyone you know, because good food is made to be shared.

So thick and moist...

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields about 15 cookies (recipe could easily be doubled)


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chilled butter, diced into cubes
1 cup minus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp molasses
2 1/2 Tbsp original or french vanilla coffee creamer powder*
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or substitute 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Directions:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together chilled butter, sugar, molasses and coffee creamer powder until well blended and slightly fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Stir in egg and vanilla bean paste.  Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated (mixture will be very thick).  Mix in milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Form dough into about 2 1/2 tablespoon balls (a bit larger than a golf ball), then drop 8 per sheet onto buttered cookie sheets.  Bake 10-11 minutes, until edges are very lightly golden.  Cool on cookie sheet several minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.  Store in an airtight container.  To enjoy warm cookies later on, pop cookie in the microwave for 10 seconds if desired.


*This is NOT liquid coffee creamer, that would most certainly yield entirely different results.  Also, don't use light.  
I have tried both flavors, original and french vanilla and love both.  The french vanilla adds one more layer of flavor, it's delish.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

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Slow Cooker Pork for Tacos

Surprise!  Another slow cooker recipe from Cooking Classy =).  I can't help it, I love them!  They always yield such incredibly tender, flavorful meat.  The majority of the time I cook my meat for my main entrees in the slow cooker.  If you don't have one, you need one.  I bought mine for $30 (you can find it here for $34), I love it because the lid stays snug while cooking so all the liquids aren't steaming out all day and it's great for transporting.  I had to buy it recently because my other one exploded, yes exploded!  I did the dumbest thing ever.  I washed it then set it on the stovetop to dry, then apparently I turned on the wrong burner when I went to cook something and KABOOM!  It exploded because it was sitting on the hot, wrong burner I had accidentally turned on.  Talk about my dumbest kitchen moment ever, oops =).  Just glad no one got hurt, the breakage didn't go far.  Sorry, I got sidetracked with that, onto the dish...
This recipe is amazingly simple and so versatile.  The pork can be used for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, tamales, sopas, taquitos, empanadas, salads, tortas, tostadas, mexican pizzas okay, okay you get the idea.  Did I mention it contains only 3 ingredients!  Talk about quick and easy.  This meal is likely to become one of your go to favorites, not just for it's simplicity but for its phenomenal, enticing flavors!  It will have you coming back for more and more... and more.
If you love these then you would probably also love my recipe for Shredded Beef Tacos, again another versatile, simple recipe.  Another favorite is my Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce (from scratch), it's also another easy and delicious dish.  Have I said yet how much I love and constantly crave Mexican food?

Slow Cooker Pork for Tacos
Yields about 6-7 Servings


Ingredients:
2.5 lbs boneless pork spare ribs (look for some with less fat)
1 cup apple juice (don't worry this isn't "sweet pork", it just balances out the saltiness)
1 (1.25 oz) package taco seasoning (I use McCormick)


Directions:
Place pork spare ribs in the slow cooker, pour apple juice over spare ribs.  Sprinkle with half of the taco seasoning the flip spare ribs and season with remaining taco seasoning.  Cover with lid and cook on low for 8 hours.  Trim fat from pork and shred, return to slow cooker for an additional 20 - 30 minutes in taco seasoned broth.  Strain broth or remove pork with tongs or fork when plating.   
For serving ideas see my recipe for Shredded Beef Tacos


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

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