Nutella Cupcakes

OK, so have you ever tasted Nutella? My mother is a 87 year old chocoholic and she spreads this stuff on everything! You'll find it in the aisle with Peanut Butter. It's made by the Italian candy maker Ferrero, who make those delicious Ferrero Rocher chocolate hazelnut candies in the gold foil you see around Christmas. Nutella has a rich creamy chocolate and hazelnut flavor- spread it on your toast and it's like eating candy for breakfast..... YUM!

Last weekend, I decided to make some cupcakes using Nutella as the secret ingredient in the filling, as well as in the frosting. (note- once you open the just and sample it, you'll be digging your spoon in, so make sure you save enough for the frosting ! )

I started with the basic Cooks Baking Illustrated Yellow Cupcake recipe, because it uses sour cream which always gives a nice tangy flavor to cakes, (and helps keep them from drying out, like milk can). This recipe uses one whole egg and two egg yolks, which also helps to keep the cuppies moist (can you tell I really hate dry baked goods?). Did you know that too many egg whites are what often makes baked products, especially cakes and cookies taste dry ? Egg whites are important because they are the glue to help keep the finished product from falling apart, but it is important to only use large eggs when you bake, - extra large and jumbo will add too much egg white to your batter, making your cake dry. If you have a recipe with at least three eggs, you can usually replace one whole egg with just the egg yolk to keep the batter moister.

I also like this basic cupcake recipe because there's not a lot of prep work- you throw everything into one bowl and mix it up. The hardest part is remembering to take the butter and eggs out out early so they warm to room temperature.

Once I made the cupcakes and let them thoroughly cool ( 9 holes of golf), I used a small knife and cut into the top of the cupcakes and cut out small cones of dough, dropped a small amount of Nutella in the hole, put the cone back on, frosted them and voila ! Nutella cream filled cupcakes !

One other note with Nutella-the frosting is a basic sour cream /confectioners sugar recipe- but because Nutella is soft, I mixed in a 1/2 of teaspoon of unflavored gelatin to give the frosting a stiffer consistency.

As usual, cupcakes always taste best the day they are made. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

Cupcakes

1 1/2 Cups flour

1 Cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

8 oz unsalted butter, softened

1/2 Cup sour cream

1 Large egg plus 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

1/2 Cup Nutella (for filling)

Frosting

1/4 Cup Nutella

2 TBSP butter

1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin (optional)

1/4 Cup sour cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1-1 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350. Line muffin pan with liners

1-Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add butter, sour cream, egg, yolks, vanilla, and beat until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and make sure everything is well mixed and smooth.

2- Divide the batter evenly among the cups using an ice cream scoop, or your 1/4 cup measuring cup. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold, and a toothpick comes out clean, about 20-24 minutes. Use a paring knife to lift cupcakes from tin and cool on wire rack until room temperature, about 45 minutes.

To make frosting- Melt the Nutella and butter in microwave bowl. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then add sour cream, salt, gelatin, and extract. When smooth, add in 1/2 of the confectioners sugar and mix. Keep adding confectioners sugar until spreadable consistency is achieved.

3- Using a paring knife, cut little cones out of the top of the cupcakes. Add a dollup of Nutella from the jar ( i used a 1/4 tsp measuring spoon to scoop it out). Replace the cone top. Frost and put in the refrigerator for about an hour to get the gelatin to solidify the frosting.

Lemon Tiramisu

I found this recipe in Woman's Day Magazine this month, and decided to make it for my Mom for Mother's Day. A non-bake recipe, this is a great spring alternative to traditional Tiramasu because there is no chocolate. The secret ingredient is definitely the ginger preserves, which however was really really hard to find. After searching multiple grocery stores, I finally found it in TJ Maxx in their gourmet food section ! If you can't find it, I would try regular a citrus (orange or lemon) marmalade/jelly/preserve and add about a 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger.
A couple assembling hints:
1- Make sure you use an 8" spring foam pan,or buy an extra packet of them). I used a 9 inch pan, and didn't have enough (of course, it didn't help that I ate two of them also...)
2. The cheese needs to sit to room temperature before you start, so it whips up light and airy.
3. I made this the night before, and at 24 hours, the cream had started to break down, so I would suggest you make this the morning you plan to serve it.
4. The magazine recipe suggested you remove the cake from the bottom of the spring foam pan at the end. I just served mine on the metal plate, so no toppling disaster.

1/2 Cup ginger preserves
1/2 Cup fresh lemon juice ( about two big lemons)
1/4 Cup water
2 pkgs (6oz each)soft ladyfingers
1 container ( 8oz) mascarpone cheese room temperature
1 brick (8oz) cream cheese room temperature
1/3 Cup sugar
1 TBSP grated lemon zest ( about 1 lemon)
1 Cup heavy cream
1 Cup chopped strawberries
1/2 Cup sliced strawberries

1- Microwave ginger preserves in a medium glass bowl for 1 minute. Whisk in lemon juice and water.

2- Stand three strips of ladyfingers ( each strip is 6) around the side of the pan. Place 14 fingers on the bottom, flat side up, cutting to fit if necessary. Set aside 1/3 cup of the ginger syrup. Brush ladyfingers with about half of REMAINING syrup.

3- In a large bowl, beat mascarpone, cream cheese, sugar, until just blended. Beat in reserved 1/4 Cup of ginger syrup and the lemon zest. In your electric mixer bowl, beat heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form- fold gently into cheese mixture.

4- Spread about half of the mixture into the ladyfingers pan. Arrange remaining ladyfingers on top, cut to fit. Brush with remaining ginger syrup. Sprinkle chopped strawberries on top. Spread remaining cheese mixture. Place cut strawberries on top in circular design.

5- Cover and refrigerate for 2 -3 hours. Best served same day.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

Jim's building me a new deck so I need to bribe him with sweets to keep him going. Just made these chocolate cupcakes that are SO moist. The secret ingredient is sour cream which helps keep them moist and gives them a little bit of a tang. I finished off half of them with Jimmies ( not because that's his name) but because I grew up in New England and know that just about anything tastes better with Jimmies on top.

I know that cupcakes are the rage right now, but I'm finding most of the designer cupcakes are a bit dry and look better than they taste. Trust me, these are full of flavor and very very moist.

Cupcakes
2 Cups flour
1 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Cup sour cream
1 Cup coffee, room temperature


Preheat oven to 350, and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners

In a large bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder. Mix in sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In another large bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, and coffee. Add dry ingredients and stir until well combined and no streaks of flour remain visible. divide into prepared pans.

Bake 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on wire racks completely before frosting.

Frosting
6 oz ( 1/2 bag) chocolate chips
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 Cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Cups confectioners sugar

Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler, or in microwave . Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in sour cream, salt, and vanilla extract. When smooth, blend in ( with electric mixer) the confectioners sugar and mix until spreadable consistency is reached.

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken and Carrots

Here's a great weeknight set it and forget it crockpot recipe for chicken ( I like to make it on the weekends when I golf all day and don't want to cook). It's a variation of the old campbells soup chicken recipe that everyone has made at least once in their life. Even though the recipe uses white meat, the chicken stays very moist. The secret ingredient is of course, the lemon juice, which brightens the sauce. I've made this recipe before by coating the chicken in egg and flour, frying it for a couple of minutes, and then putting in crockpot- much more fattening that way.....

2 Cans fat free condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 Cup water
1/4 Cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 small bag of baby carrots
6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Mix first five ingredients in slow cooker. Add carrots and chicken mix to coat.
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

If you want to thicken the sauce, add a little cornstarch mixed in water 1/2 hour before serving.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Chicken- Latin style with Black Beans and Sweet Potatoes

This is an interesting one pot Chicken dish made in the slow cooker. The secret ingredient is sweet potatoes. They absorb the spices and are a nice contrast to the chicken and beans. The picture on the right is one of my favorite Dancing with the Stars past contestants Apolo Ohno. Could he do a mean Salsa !

3 lbs of bone -in chicken thighs, with skin removed
2 Teaspoons cumin
1 Teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 Cup chicken broth
1/2 Cup Salsa
1 heaping tablespoon bottled minced garlic
2 Cans ( 15 to 19 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
1 jar roasted red pepper cut into strips ( 1 cup)
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves- chopped

Sprinkle chicken thighs with 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/3 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
Brown chicken in a large skillet on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate. Remove skillet from heat.
In same skillet, combine paprika, allspice, remaining cumin, broth, salsa, garlic.
In slow cooker, combine beans and sweet potatoes. Place chicken on top. Pour broth mixture over chicken.
Cover and cook, about 8 hours on low, 4 hours on high.
Stir in roasted red pepper strips.
When serving, sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve with lime wedges.

Lemon - Lime Bars Recipe

I love anything Lemon so I was in search of the perfect Lemon Bar Recipe, and got this from my golfing friend Susan; she loves to bake and goes to a lot of cooking classes (lucky dog). I made these over the weekend and I have to admit they are a great version of this treat. The crust is a shortbread texture, and stayed crisp (so many lemon bar recipes get soggy). The secret ingredient is actually LIMES and GINGER which make the flavor pop. Note that these take a little bit extra time versus other bars and brownies to prepare because there is a cooling period between the two bake sessions, so plan accordingly.

A couple of things to point out- 1- these definitely taste best eaten same day or within 24 hours, or else they start to break down. 2- they were a bear to get out of the baking pan. I didn't treat the pan, but next time I am going to try some non-stick spray to try to make them easier to remove. 3- since they are very rich, I cut them into smaller than normal size squares ( about 1 to 1.5 inches). 4- make sure you use large eggs, (no bigger) or else your lemon topping will taste like an omelet.

2 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 Cup confectioners sugar, plus extra for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Cup of unsalted butter, softened ( about 35 minutes)
4 large eggs
2 Cups of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of grated lime zest ( about 1 large lime)
2 teaspoons of grated lemon zest ( 1 medium lemon)
2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons of fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground ginger

Pre-heat oven to 350. Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray.

In your large bowl of your stand mixer, sift together 2 cups of the flour, the confectioners' sugar, and salt. Add the butter, and mix at low to medium speed until thoroughly combined but not too creamy ( do not over-beat or your crust will get tough).

Bake until pale golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature ( about 1/2 hour or so).

While the crust is cooling, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar, lemon and lime zest, lemon and lime juice, ground ginger, and remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Whisk until thoroughly combined, and pour over cooled crust.

Reduce the temperature to 325, and bake until firm, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Allow to cool completely. Dust with confectioners sugar, and cut into bars. If the edges are hard, you might want to cut in 1/2 inch from edge of pan to start the rows of each bar.

Dulce de leche Brownies with Hazelnuts Recipe

I served these at my Masters party yesterday ( go Phil ! ) and they were a hit. These are incredibly moist and fudge-y, my favorite kind of brownie. This recipe is from David Lebovitz - I modified slightly by adding nuts and chocolate chips. The secret ingredient to this recipe is definitely Dulce De Leche, which is a Mexican caramel dessert topping you can find in specialty stores ( check out Whole Foods) . I've read about making it on your own ( it is basically sweetened condensed milk that is cooked to a caramel texture), but I bought a jar for my first attempt of this recipe.

These brownies are very rich, so I cut them into very small pieces ( 1 1/2 inch squares). That way you can have two and not feel guilty :)


8 tablespoons of unsalted butter
6 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips plus a 1/4 cup additional
1/4 Cup of cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 Cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup flour
1 Cup of hazelnuts, chopped ( or your favorite type of baking nut)
1 Cup of Dulce De Leche

preheat oven to 350

1-Line an 8 inch square pan with tin foil ( make sure tin foil covers bottom and all four sides- these brownies rise and stick) . Spray tin foil with non -stick spray.
2-Melt butter in medium sauce pan (you will be mixing everything in this pan, so do not go too small ). Add the 6 oz of chocolate chips and stir constantly over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat.
3- Mix in cocoa, stir until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time and mix, add sugar and mix, vanilla and flour and mix until smooth. Add extra chips and nuts and stir.
4- Pour half of batter into pan. Drop 1/3 of the Dulce De Leche evenly spaced over the batter. Use a knife and drag through the caramel to make swirls. make sure that you swirl to the edges . Spread the remaining brownie batter over this, then drop the remaining Dulce De Leche in spoonfuls on top and swirl slightly. Again, make sure you swirl to the edges.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. These brownies are fudge-y, make sure you don't over bake them. Center feels slightly firm. Edges will get dry if you over bake.
I had a hard time at first cutting these (because they are gooey) so......- cool on a wire rack completely. Then take them out of the pan ( lift out with tin foil) and put in the refrigerator for about an hour before you cut them. They will be much easier to cut.

Store in refrigerator for up to two days ( although I promise, they won't last that long )