Roy's Peach Melba Macarons

Roy emailed me his Mad for Macaron recipe. It's his first time participating in a blog event! I don't know why.

Peach and Raspberry. Yum. Thanks for the recipe Roy. Any chance you will post them to Australia??

A girl can ask can't she?



Peach Melba Macarons

Peach Macarons

120g egg whites
44g granulated sugar
115g almond flour
15g dehydrated peaches
235g powdered sugar

Raspberry Vanilla Filling
Vanilla Italian Buttercream

8 oz jar Raspberry preserves

The Vanilla Italian Buttercream was made by making a traditional buttercream but creaming the butter with the vanilla seeds before beating into the italian meringue, and using sugar that I had placed the scraped out vanilla pod in the night before so that it had picked up vanilla flavoring. I reduced the raspberry jam and then strained it through a cheesecloth so that there wouldn't be raspberry seeds in the filling. Then whipped in the reduced raspberry jam into the vanilla buttercream.

For the Peach Macarons I used Just Peaches which I ground into a powder, then processed in a food processor with the almond flour and powdered sugar.

Cupcakes for beautiful bones - Kiwi Cupcakes with Strawberry and Kiwi Cream Cheese Frosting

Being Oriental, one of my biggest fears is that I will develop osteoporosis. Not having a lot of dairy in my diet doesn't mean that I don't get my calcium requirements from other sources like tofu, fruit and leafy green vegetables.

Food Blogga is hosting Beautiful Bones this month which if nothing else raised my awareness about calcium rich foods. I will be checking the round up next month to see how I can increase my calcium intake without eating a huge hunk of cheese. Blech.




Obviously I was always going to make cupcakes. The calcium rich foods I chose?

Kiwi fruit, strawberry, lemon, sour cream and cream cheese.

I have heaps of these muffin papers that I need to use. Not a fan. I think I'll stick to the traditional cupcake liners once I've used all these cherry ones.

You don't often see kiwi fruit in cakes. In this cupcake, the kiwi veritably melted in your mouth. I think I will try to come up with more kiwi uses.



Lemon Kiwi Fruit Cupcakes

125g / 1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 ¼ cup SR flour
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream
2 kiwi fruit finely diced

1. Preheat oven to 180 (350).
2. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.
3. Cream butter, lemon zest and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Beat in the flour until just combined, add the sour cream and lemon juice and beat until well incorporated.
6. Fold in the finely diced kiwi fruit.
7. Evenly divide the batter into cupcake liners and bake for 20 - 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Makes 12 cupcakes





Strawberry and Kiwi Cream Cheese Frosting

125g / 1/2 cup butter
125g / 4 oz cream cheese
2 cups icing [powdered] sugar
2 strawberries finely diced
1/2 kiwi fruit finely diced
2 - 3 tbs milk

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the strawberries, lemon zest and kiwi fruit. Beat until fruit is combined with the butter.
3. Add cream cheese and beat for 2 minutes.
4. Add one cup of icing sugar to cream cheese mixture. Gradually add rest of icing sugar and milk until you get the consistency you want.

Chocolate Guinness Icecream Cupcake

It was pretty hard to get into making icecream seeing as we are heading into winter here. But I couldn't stop the creative juices once I found out about the Icecream Cupcake roundup hosted by Cupcake Project, who I feel is a kindred soul sometimes with her creative cupcakes. I don't feel like such a freak with some of my flavour combinations!




Now before we get started, yes I made everything from scratch so this really was a cupcake project. It is fiddly and without an icecream maker it takes a wee bit of patience for all the layers to come together.

I had some paper coffee cups and thought this was the perfect excuse to use them for a cupcake. The quantity of icecream for both layers was enough for the cupcakes I made with the coffee cups. I'm not sure whether it will be enough or too much if you use normal cupcake liners.

I had some plastic bags that I used to package the cupcakes with and as you can see in the very last photo of the post, I included a spoon with every bag to make it easier for all my taste testers.

I have other icecream cupcake ideas so maybe I will trial them when it is summer. And mayhaps I will invest in a icecream maker.

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups plain [all-purpose] flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup raspberry juice
1 tbs white vinegar
1/3 cup raspberry jam [preserves]

1. Preheat oven to 180 (350ºF). Line 2 muffin trays with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, soda, and salt.
3. Stir and make a well in the center. Pour the oil, milk, raspberry juice , raspberry jam and vinegar into the well.
4. Spoon a tablespoon of batter into each cupcake liner.
5. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
7. Prepare cupcakes for next step by freezing.



Makes 24 icecream cupcakes




Guinness Icecream from The Boston Globe

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cup [whole] milk
1 cup thickened [heavy] cream
2/3 cup Guinness stout
2 tbs plus 2 tsp golden syrup [molasses]
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a medium saucepan, scrape in the vanilla bean seeds. Add the pod, milk, and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let the flavors infuse for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the stout and molasses. Bring to a boil and turn off heat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk in a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture, then slowly whisk in another 1/4 cup of the cream. Add the remaining cream in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
4. Stir the beer mixture into the cream mixture. Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes or until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon.
5. Strain the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Process the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.


Makes 1 quart or 950ml




Creamy Orange Icecream from Joy of Baking

1 1/2 cups thickened [heavy whipping] cream
1/2 cup half-and-half (for those of use that can't get half -and -half, make using equal quantities of milk and cream)
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs orange zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl or measuring cup combine all the ingredients. Cover and place in the refrigerator until it is completely cold (several hours or overnight).
2. Transfer the mixture to the container of your ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Once made, transfer the ice cream to a chilled container and store in the freezer. If the ice cream becomes too hard place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving so it can soften.

Makes 1 quart or 950ml




Chocolate Buttercream

125g / 1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups icing [confectioner's] sugar
4 tbs milk

1. Cream butter until light, about 2 minutes.
2. Add cocoa and 1/2 cup icing sugar until well incorporated.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and remaining icing sugar and beat until well incorporated.
4. Add more milk if necessary to get consistency you want.




To Assemble

1. Scoop 1 -3 tablespoons of guinness icecream onto cupcake. Smooth with back of spoon.
2. Put cupcakes in freezer for about an hour.
3. Scoop 1 -3 tablespoons of orange icecream onto cupcake. Smooth with back of spoon.
4. Put cupcakes in freezer for about an hour.
5. Either pipe or smooth layer of buttercream over the cupcakes.
6. Keep cupcakes in freezer - don't store the cupcakes longer than a month before consuming.

Take cupcakes out of freezer 10 minutes before serving.

The Verdict? On the whole most people liked the combination. Icecream cupcakes are tricky dicky to make and probably better in the summer.

Charmaine said;

I just finished the cake - I think I prefer your normal cupcakes. The Guinness/orange ice cream has a bit of a rough texture to it and also I don't think I am a gluten free cake fan.

Nomes said:

I really enjoyed it. I thought the base and the chocolate part at the top were both delicious and the yellow ice cream was nice although I think I would've preferred plain vanilla to set off the other two chocolate bits ... but I am a chocolate-aholic.
It's an 8/10 for me.

Rannie's crew said:

Chocolate cake & Raspberry icecream, lovely combination, absolutely scumptious. Only one comment, we would classify it more as a sorbet than an icecream though.

Triple Play Persian Love Cake

Fearless Kitchen is hosting Triple Play this month.

Pistachio.
Rosewater.
Cardamom.

I use pistachio and rosewater together a fair bit. Cardamom, usually when other spices are used like in an apple cupcake, gingerbread cupcake or chai cupcake.

Having said that this was a perfect excuse to make something I have bookmarked for a long time.

Persian Love Cake from Epicurious. - yes I am in that space at the moment. That Love space.

I left out the saffron and I used a lot more pistachios. I also baked the cake in a sheet pan rather than cake tins because I wanted to make little cakes.




Persian Love Cake as adapted from Epicurious

1 cup cake flour
14 tbs caster [superfine] sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp coarse [kosher] salt
3 large eggs, separated
6 tbs water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp whole cardamom seeds (removed from about 5 green cardamom pods)

1. Preheat oven to 160 (325°F).
2. Butter two 20cm (8-inch-diameter) cake pans with 4 cm (1 1/2-inch) high sides. Line pan bottoms with parchment paper; butter parchment.
3. Sift flour, 7 tablespoons caster (baker's) sugar, baking powder, and salt into large bowl.
4. Whisk yolks and next 4 ingredients (water, oil, grated lemon peel and cardamom seeds) in small bowl until smooth.
5. Add yolk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk until smooth.
7. Beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 7 tablespoons caster (baker's) sugar; beat until whites resemble thick marshmallow fluff.
8. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions.
9. Divide batter between prepared pans.
10. Bake until cakes are golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
11. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks, peel off parchment, and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.)



Frosting

2 cups chilled thickened (heavy whipping) cream
2/3 cup icing (powdered) sugar
1 tsp rose water

1. Beat cream, icing (powdered) sugar, and rose water in large bowl until soft peaks form.




1/4 cup pistachios, crushed

To Assemble

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Sprinkle crushed pistachio nuts. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Garnish cake with rose petals and pistachios.

Gluten Free Flour premixed

I've been experimenting with gluten free cupcakes as you know. I've decided that it is much easier to buy the premixed gluten free flours.

The first one I tried was the White Wings gluten free. I found it to be quite coarse and while the flour was 'white' there was a notable difference between the gluten free cupcakes and the gluten full cupcakes. I found that by adding a little bit of rice flour (rice flour available from Asian grocery stores) and tapioca flour, it helped make the flour a little less coarse and little closer to gluten flours.

I bought the FG Roberts Gluten free flour because I couldn't find the White Wings Gluten Free on the shelf. This one is made by www.soyproducts.com.au so one assumes that this has soy flour in it. It is yellow which is probably due to the maize flour in it. And it seems to be a lot finer as opposed to the White Wings Gluten Free flour.

I didn't check the White Wings Gluten Free flour ingredients.

I will be using the FG Roberts Gluten free flour in a cupcake or two this coming week.

Do you have any preference for gluten free flour brands or do you make up your own mix?

Made of Honor

Apparently this is a male version of My Best Friends Wedding.

That should have been the first warning sign. I didn't really have high expectations for this movie but it still managed to be worse than I expected.

Awful Awful Awful.

The only thing that I can say about this movie is that I soooooooooo identified with Hannah. The relationship she has with Tom is so the relationship I have with my closest male friend. Even down to the way they walked together.

I hear all about the dates, the flaws that these girls seem to have.

Sigh. I don't know what I am going to do if or when he gets a girlfriend.

Hazelnut, Lime and Cracked Pepper Cupcakes

Everyone at work certainly enjoyed a Sugar High Friday today.

Tartelette is hosting Sugar High Friday #43 and she chose Citrus as the theme. Pucker those lips up for the round-up cause I am sure this tart is going to find lots of recipes to try out when it is posted.

I love citrus. The only problem I had was settling on a recipe and finding the time. Next week is going to be C-a-r-a-z-e-e-e as I try and do as many blogging events as I can before I jet off to America in a weeks time.

Excitement aside about my trip, I had a horrendous time deciding what I wanted to do. In the end I based it around the need to use up some hazelnuts.




Hazelnut. Lime. Cracked Pepper.

Odd? Well funnily enough there is a cookie with these ingredients and if it can work for a cookie it can work for a cupcake. You could very easily add white chocolate some where to this - perhaps a white chocolate ganache filling would really set this cupcake off!

People were quite hesitant when I told them the flavour combination, but it didn't stop people from tasting. The pepper isn't overwhelming and the cupcake would actually be nice with a glass of a nice sweet dessert wine.

It's worth trying. And if you don't feel adventurous enough you can leave the cracked pepper out.

I ground some black pepper on the frosted cupcakes to add that little something with each lick of buttercream.




Hazelnut Lime and Cracked Pepper Cupcakes

180g / 6 oz butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup ground hazelnuts
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp lime zest grated
1 tbs lime juice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground back pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350F)
2. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.
3. Beat butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale and creamy, scraping down side of bowl with a spatula when necessary.
4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down the side of the bowl frequently with a spatula.
5. Add flour, hazelnut meal, lime zest, lime juice, black pepper , ginger and sour cream and beat until combined.
6. Evenly divide the batter into the cupcake liners.
7. Bake for 22 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.


Makes 12 cupcakes




Lime Buttercream

125g / 1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup icing [powdered] sugar
1 tsp lime zest, grated
2 tbs lime juice

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add half a cup of icing sugar and lime zest. Beat until well combined.
3. Add the remaining icing sugar and lime juice and beat for another 3 minutes.

You add more icing sugar or lemon until you get the desired consistency.

Hazelnut and Apricot Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

I don't think I really need to say too much about these cupcakes.

Hazelnut. Apricot. With a hint of kumquat in there somewhere. Lemon.

The flavours married each other.

Yum Yum Pigs Bum.

Nathan Fillion Rank HUSBAND

How quickly Channing is replaced in the husband list.

Watched Waitress again. I forgot how much I loved it. It is sweet. And romantic in its own quirky way.

Oh and Nathan Fillion. Didn't you just want to kiss and make him feel better when Jenna ended the affair? Don't blame Jenna for wanting to jump his bones all the time.

Firefly started it all for me.

What are you doing now Nathan?

The Courier has Arrived

Wahoo this got delivered today. Can't wait to use it to transport cupcakes here there and everywhere.

I was going to order one and lug it back with me from America but quite frankly I think I will be carrying enough crap around with me without having to worry about this. It is a little more expensive but the convenience of having delivered makes up for it.

There is only one supplier (for the moment) so if you want one check out The Cupcake Courier.

And I'm spent.

Shia shia oooooooooooh shia

#1 I have to get this issue of GQ

#2 How funny was he on Letterman the other night??? I love a man with a sense of humour.

Spring Carnival has arrived - Sexy in the City

I don't care what ANYONE says. I loved the whole entire outfit that SJP wore to the London premiere of SATC. Love the colour. Love the design. Love the whole ensemble.

Especially the HAT. I really loved the hat.



And the red Vivienne Westwood dress. Va va voom

Caramel Appletini Cupcakes

Had some granny smith apples on their way out. Some sour apple schnapps to use up. Saw this recipe which of course I didn't follow to the letter but the final product was what I wanted.




I got the recipe here. Also home to the Master Baker blogging event which I will enter when I have time.

I filled the cupcakes with the caramel as well as drizzling it over the top of the cupcakes. Instead of apple vodka I used Wild Brumby Sour Apple Schnapps. WORTH IT. It is basically an apple martini on its own.

The only complaint? I didn't make enough for everyone to taste.



Apple Cupcakes from I heart Cuppycakes

2-3 apples, granny smith
2 cups plain [all-purpose] flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven 180C (350F).
2. Rinse and core the apples. Place them on an ovenproof pan or baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until soft.
3. Remove the apples from the oven, let cool slightly, then remove peel and mush the apple with the back of a fork.
4. Measure out 1 cup of apple mush and set aside to cool.
5. Combine flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.
6. Crack the eggs into a separate, medium sized bowl and beat.
7. Add the oil, apple juice, vanilla, and cooled apple mush and mix to combine.
8. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until all ingredients come together.Scoop into cupcake liners. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 12 cupcakes




Caramel Apple Frosting

4 tbs butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
4-5 tbs milk
3-4 tsp apple vodka, to taste
4 cups icing [powdered sugar], sifted

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add brown sugar and 4 tablespoons milk; cook 1 minute or until sugar melts.
3. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
4. Combine butter mixture and apple vodka in a large bowl.
5. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.
6. Add last tbsp milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until spreading consistency.




Caramel Drizzle

1/2 cup evaporated milk
120g / 4oz individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped (I used jersey caramels)

1. Combine evaporated milk and caramels in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook stirring frequently until caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth.
3. Let cool for a few minutes before putting it in a piping bag (or ziplock bag with a small snip cut off in the corner) and slowly drizzle over cupcake.




The Verdict? Everyone loved this. Must be the apple. Or is it the caramel? Actually probably the schnapps. Rannie's crew thought;

Yummo!!! Was that peppermint crisp around the edges??? I loved that there was heaps of icing on it!

REALLY enjoyed the cupcake I had as it had a soft (ish) centre without being too moist (it was not the strawberry one - sorry, but forgot the name of it).

I had a martini half and it was gooey good!

Yum, loved it, the icing was great and texture good.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Balsamic Caramel and Strawberry Balsamic Caramel Cream Cheese

My cupcake mojo has been in force the past couple of days.

I think I have finally worked out the new oven as well.




What was not to love about these cupcakes? The texture was great. Light and intense strawberry flava.

I made my own balsamic vinegar caramel. I wasn't sure how it would turn out and really I should have waited til the caramel was a little more set than it was before filling the cupcakes. But it was all good.

I put the left over balsamic caramel in the strawberry cream cheese frosting.

Strawberri-licious.

The Verdict? Rannie's crew said;

I had half of one that tasted like lemon and half of one that tasted like strawberry - they were both really good! Nice and moist.

Okay, the cupcake was nice but I think that the caramel in the middle made the cupcake too dry, however, the top of the cupcake (above the caramel) was delicious without the caramel overpowering the strawberry.

What can I say but that I am SOOO looking forward to seeing you tomorrow

...had the strawberry and caramel and thought the combination was sensational. We especially liked to gooey centre!! More than yum!! Hope this means more deliveries will come our way!

Nice and sweet!