Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for a double baby shower at Bob's work. One woman was having a girl, and one was having a boy, so I decided to make Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and use Royal Icing Decorations to give them blue or pink accents. These cupcakes were really, really good. They are definitely more dense than a box chocolate cake mix; my mom compared them to a chocolate muffin texture, but the flavor is amazing. I would eat them plain! Adding the Vanilla Buttercream made them even better. Bob said these went over very well with his coworkers. I was happy to see how cute the Royal Icing decorations turned out - I have since used this technique again and love the results!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes; Note: this recipe does not double well; it is best to make two separate batches and bake each separately.

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa (1 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup sour cream (4 ounces)

Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan (cups have 1/2-cup capacity) with baking-cup liners.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

5. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

7. Store leftover cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in the refirgerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving.

Source: America's Test Kitchen Cookbook

I love these cupcake liners by Reynold's:

They have aluminum foil on the inside so the grease doesn't soak through the liner, and the design stays perfect. It also makes it easy to scrape the crumbs off the empty liner, if you like to do that!

Royal Icing Decorations

Note: this isn't exactly a tutorial on how to make these decorations but rather the steps involved if you are familiar with royal icing.

1. Prepare a batch of Royal Icing.

2. Add very small amounts of warm water to reach a medium consistency.

3. Pipe desired shapes onto waxed paper and immediately add a sugar pearl to the center of the shape, if desired.

4. Allow to try overnight, uncovered.

5. Gently peel off the decorations off the waxed paper and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Garlicky Shrimp Pasta

Bob and I usually stay in on Valentine's Day and make a special dinner together. This year we decided to make this Garlicky Shrimp Pasta that we've been eyeing for a long time. This was a simple, quick dinner that was every bit as good as it sounds. I'm glad to add another shrimp pasta to our dinner repertoire!

Garlicky Shrimp Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients:
5 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons), plus 4 medium cloves, smashed
1 pound large shrimp (21-25), peeled, deveined, each shrimp cut into 3 pieces (we just did 2)
3 tablespoons olive oil
table salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound pasta in short, tubular shapes, such as fusilli, campanelle, or mezze rigatoni
2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine
3/4 cup clam juice (we used vegetable stock)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice plus 1 lemon, cut into wedges
ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Toss 2 teaspoons minced garlic, shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Allow shrimp to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. Heat 4 smashed garlic cloves and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is light golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove garlic from skillet; discard garlic. Set skillet aside.

3. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and transfer pasta back to Dutch oven.

4. While pasta cooks, return the skillet with oil to medium heat; add the shrimp with marinade to the skillet in a single layer. Cook the shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to bubble gently, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to medium bowl.

5. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons minced garlic and pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute; stir in vermouth and cook for 1 minute. Add clam juice (or vegetable stock) and parsley; cook until mixture starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Off heat, whisk in the butter and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and sauce to the pasta, adding reserved cooking water if sauce is too thick. Season with black pepper. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

Source: America's Test Kitchen Complete TV Show Cookbook

Chicken Francese

When looking for a main dish to go with the Mashed Potatoes and Root Vegetables, Bob and I decided on Chicken Francese - a lightly coated chicken with a lemony sauce. In the words of Ina Garten, "How bad could that be?" Well, it's delicious! The chicken has a nice coating, and the sauce is very flavorful. I pretty much knew by reading the recipe that I'd like this chicken, and it definitely delivered. This was a great main dish to go with the potatoes, and one we'd like to make again and again.

Chicken Francese

Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the Sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 very small onion, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/3 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Table salt and ground black pepper

For the Chicken:
1 cup all-purpose flour
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each), tenderloins removed, breasts trimmed of excess fat, halved horizontally, and pounded to even 1/4-inch thickness
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack on rimmed baking sheet and place sheet in oven.

2. For the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour and stir until light golden brown, about 1 minute. Whisk in wine, lemon juice, and broth; increase heat to high and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Lower heat to medium-high and cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain sauce through mesh strainer, return to saucepan, and set aside.

3. For the chicken: Set second wire rack on second rimmed baking sheet on counter. Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk eggs and milk until combined. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Using tongs and working with 2 cutlets at a time, coat cutlets in seasoned flour; shake off excess flour. Transfer cutlets to egg mixture; coat evenly and let excess run off. Return cutlets to seasoned flour; coat evenly and shake off excess flour. Place coated cutlets on wire rack on counter.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, place 4 cutlets in skillet. Cook until well browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip cutlets and continue to cook until lightly browned on second sides, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer chicken to wire rack in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat, using remaining 1 tablespoon each butter and oil to cook remaining cutlets in now-empty skillet. After transferring chicken to oven, wipe out skillet with paper towels.

5. To finish sauce: Transfer the sauce to now-empty skillet and set over low heat; cook until the sauce is heated through, about 1 minute. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter; add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve: Remove baking sheet with chicken from the oven; transfer 4 cutlets to the skillet, turn to coat with sauce, then transfer each serving (2 cutlets) to individual plates. Repeat with the remaining cutlets. Spoon 2 tablespoons additional sauce over each serving and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, passing extra sauce separately.

Source: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook

Easy Vanilla Buttercream

Wow - it has been a long time since I last posted! I have been super busy writing grants for work and hosting my sister's bridal shower!!! I can't wait to share all the details in upcoming posts. For this one event I did my first entirely fondant-covered cake and my first dessert table! I was so pleased with how everything turned out, and my sister loved it, which made all of the work completely worthwhile.

In my last post, I spoke about the 1st birthday party my friends threw for their son. I did his small cake and these cupcakes for the rest of the guests. I used a yellow cake box mix here, and am so glad I did because everyone raved about how light and fluffy the cupcakes were.

I'm not a huge fan of canned frosting, probably because my aunt makes the best homemade buttercream frosting ever (my grandma's recipe). I have never tried to replicate her recipe since she adds a little of this and a little of that until it's perfect. I decided to turn to the Test Kitchen for this Easy Buttercream recipe. I have to say, it's delicious and very, very easy! It's not quite as light and smooth as Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but takes much less time and was actually preferred over the Swiss version by my husband. This is now my go-to buttercream recipe when I need something quick and delicious.

Easy Vanilla Buttercream

Yield: makes enough buttercream to frost 12 cupcakes or a 1-layer cake; double this recipe for a 2-layer cake

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (5 ounces)
pinch of table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions:

1. In standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. NOTE: if using a hand-held mixer, increase mixing times by at least 50%.

2. Add powdered sugar and salt, and beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds.

3. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla extract and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds.

4. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

5. Tint frosting with gel food coloring, if desired. Use immediately or store in refrigerator. If refrigerated, allow frosting to come to room temperature before use.

Source: America's Test Kitchen Complete TV Show Cookbook

1st Birthday Cake - 1st Try with Fondant!

My very good friends Jenny and Jeff recently threw a party for their son Andrew's 1st birthday. I was honored when she asked if I would make his cake. After making the monkey cookies for her baby shower last year, I wanted this cake to be very special for such a big occasion. We decided that I would make a small cake for him to get into and cupcakes for the rest of the guests. Jenny went with a train theme for the party - she decorated the tables with red table clothes and used black streamers to make "train tracks" down the length of each table. Andrew wore a shirt featuring a train and a big "1." There were pictures up around the room of Andrew from each month of his life. It's amazing to see how much he's grown!

Like most babies, Andrew had never had many sweets before. He was timid at first but then enjoyed running his tiny hands over the surface of the blue buttercream frosting. He particularly liked the fondant decorations, which was surprising and a little worrisome given their chewy/gum-like texture, so we gently encouraged him to focus more on the frosting. When he got his first real taste of the buttercream, his little legs started shaking up and down - seriously the cutest thing! Andrew seemed to enjoy his cake, and his guests really liked the cupcakes. The party was so much fun for everyone, and I hope Andrew will look at pictures and the video someday and be so proud that his parents put forth the effort for his 1st birthday . . . or at least Jenny and Jeff will have happy memories of this major milestone in the life of their first child! :)

Here are a few details on the cake:

I decided to cheat and used a box mix for the cake and cupcakes for 3 reasons, 1) the amount of cake batter I needed for 36 cupcakes and a 6" double layer cake, 2) the party was on a Saturday meaning everything had to be made on weeknights after I got home from work, and 3) cake mixes are just so darn moist and stay that way even when the cupcakes are refrigerated for a few days.

I used 2 boxes of Duncan Hines yellow cake mix (the only brand my aunt, who is the designated birthday cake baker in our family, uses). This made 36 cupcakes and 2-6" layers. I also made a double batch of Easy Vanilla Buttercream (recipe coming soon!). The cupcakes were frosted with buttercream, and these adorable toothpick toppers that Jenny made were inserted at the party:

The buttercream was used to bind the 2 layers and coat the entire cake. I piped more buttercream around the top and bottom of the cake using a large star tip (I believe it's a Wilton 1M). Then I set out to conquer fondant . . .

I have been wanting to try Annie's recipe for Marshmallow Fondant for a while now, and I used her Fun with Fondant tips as a guide. I cut the recipe in half and still had much more than enough for making the decorations. I used an X-acto knife and free-handed the decorations. I just added a little more buttercream to the back of each before "pasting" them to the cake - not sure if it was necessary but I wanted to make sure they would stick.

I used store-bought black gel icing to draw a train track around the cake, and Jenny found a "Thomas the Train" toy that we put on the track at the party. Coincidently, she discovered that all Thomas the Train's have a "1" on them - perfect for a 1st birthday party!!!

I think that's it! I consider my first run at fondant a success, and I'm exciting to use it again.

Like I mentioned, I'll be posting the Easy Vanilla Buttercream recipe soon! :)

Marshmallow Fondant

(Note: This is a half batch)

Ingredients:
vegetable shortening, for greasing bowls
8 ounces plain marshmallows (1/2 bag)
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon clear flavoring (such as vanilla extract)
1 pound powdered sugar, divided
pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Using the shortening, generously grease a large microwave-safe bowl, the bowl of the stand mixer, a spoon/spatula (or two), and the mixer dough hook.

2. Add the marshmallows and water to the prepared microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 60 seconds. Stir with the greased spatula/spoon. If not all the marshmallows have melted, microwave for 30 more seconds. Stir in the flavoring.

3. Reserve 1/2 cup of the confectioners’ sugar and add the rest to the bowl of the stand mixer, along with the salt. Create a well in the center. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the well and turn the mixer on to the lowest setting. When the mixer sounds strained, turn the speed up one setting. Turn off the mixer once all the sugar has been incorporated. If the fondant is sticky, add the reserved sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until it is no longer sticky. (I did not need any of the reserved sugar!)

4. Turn the fondant out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Rub a bit of shortening on the outside of the ball. Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap, place it in a resealable plastic bag and let rest for at least 2-3 hours. Keep the unused portions covered when not in use. If the fondant becomes stiff, microwave for 20 seconds at a time until it becomes pliable.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Homemade Turkey Soup

Turkey soup is one of my favorite winter meals. It just screams cold weather to me, and nothing is as warm and comforting as a big bowl of this soup. Whether you come down with a bad cold virus or come in from a day of playing in the snow, this soup is the perfect remedy.

After hosting our first Thanksgiving, I was completely wiped out and the thought of making turkey soup was too daunting to tackle, but I absolutely could not give up the opportunity to make my beloved turkey soup. I threw the turkey carcass in the freezer and saved it for another day. On one of my days off after Christmas, I invited my mom over to teach me how to make her turkey soup. She doesn't have a written recipe, so I tried to document what we did along the way.

Much of this recipe is adaptable to your personal taste; put in what you like! I like to just make enough of the soup with noodles for one meal to avoid the noodles getting overly soft. I love the texture of al dente wide egg noodles in this soup. Cooking the noodles in the soup itself gives them a fantastic flavor, adds a little starch to the broth, and omits the use of an extra pot - added bonus! As I mentioned earlier this week, it may be March but I'm not convinced the winter weather is behind us, so there are plenty more turkey soup days left!

Homemade Turkey Soup

Ingredients:

For the stock:

1 tablespoon oil (I used extra-virgin olive oil)

4 carrots, peeled and rough chopped

2 sweet yellow onions, rough chopped

5 ribs of celery with tops, rough chopped

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

leftover turkey parts, with some meat left (I had the carcass of a 22 pound turkey)

chicken bouillon, optional

parsley (dried or fresh), thyme, poultry seasoning, to taste

For the soup:

Amount vary according to taste:

carrots, cut lengthwise then chopped into 1/4" thick slices (or however you prefer)

yellow onion, chopped

celery, chopped (optional)

wide egg noodles

Directions:

1. Make the stock: In a 10-quart stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook until vegetables are softened slightly.

2. Add the turkey parts and fill the pot to the top with water. Heat to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer for approximately 2 hours or more.

3. Using a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pour the stock into the strainer to remove vegetables and turkey parts. Return the stock to the pot and set aside.

4. Assemble the soup: Carefully pick through the stock solids/turkey parts to remove the turkey meat. Add it back to the stock. At this point, add any other veggies you would like in your soup (I added a little yellow onion and some carrots). Season to taste with poultry seasoning, thyme, parsley, salt, and/or pepper. If the stock lacks a bold poultry flavor, you may add some chicken bouillon to bump it up (I did not have to do this).

5. Return pot containing soup to a burner and heat to a simmer until veggies are cooked through. Remove the pot from heat, let cool slightly, then place in refrigerator. The fat will rise to the top of the soup and can be skimmed off later.

6. Finish the soup: When ready to eat the soup, make sure fat has been skimmed off, add as much soup as you'd like to a pot and heat to a boil, add dry egg noodles and cook until al dente. Taste to make sure seasoning is to your liking, and serve soup immediately. The longer the soup sits, the softer the noodles will be.

Source: My mom

Mashed Potatoes and Root Vegetables

I realize it's now March (how did that happen?!), but it's still chilly in these parts so I have a few more winter recipes for you. I wanted to make these mashed potatoes the moment I first flipped through my America's Test Kitchen cookbook last March, but decided to wait for winter for the seasonal produce. Although the recipe calls for some vegetables I have NEVER worked with (or eaten for that matter!), it just sounded so wintery and hearty.

I am SO glad we made this recipe because these mashed potatoes are the BEST ever!!! Bob and I both agreed that they are our favorite mashed potatoes of all time - better than any restaurant or homemade version. The root veggies are caramelized in butter, which brings out a distinct sweetness. The potatoes are unbelievably creamy in texture (thanks to the butter and half-and-half), while still maintaining small chunks of potato so you know it's the real stuff. We served these with a delicious chicken recipe I'll be posting soon!

Mashed Potatoes and Root Vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

8 ounces carrots, parsnips, turnips, or celery root, peeled; carrots or parsnips cut into 1/4-inch thick half-moons; turnips or celery root cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)*

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; rinsed well in 3 or 4 changes of cold water and drained well

1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Table salt

3/4 cup half-and-half, warmed

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, optional

Ground black pepper

*I used all 4, approximately 2 ounces of each.

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the root vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is browned and the vegetables are dark brown and caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes. (If after 4 minutes the veggies have not started to brown, increase the heat to medium-high).

2. Add the potatoes, broth, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and stir to combine. Cook, covered, over low heat (the broth should simmer gently; do not boil), stirring occasionally, until the potatoes fall apart easily when poked with a fork and all the liquid has been absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes. (If the liquid does not gently simmer after a few minutes, increase the heat to medium-low). Remove the pan from the heat; remove the lid and allow the steam to escape for 2 minutes.

3. Gently mash the potatoes and root vegetables in the saucepan with a potato masher (do not mash vigorously). Gently fold in the half-and-half and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Source: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook