Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

I know this is going to seem awfully long but it's not as bad as you'll think!
** this recipe requires a food processor

What You'll Need (muffin):
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup water
3 lemons

What to do:
1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. sift all dry ingredients together.
3. mix butter and heavy cream into the dry mix.
4. mix in eggs one by one.
5. add water and vanilla.
6. cut lemons into fourths and discard the seeds; with a food processor, put in the lemon pieces, rind and all, and blend until completely minced.
7. add the minced lemon into the batter.
NOTE: the batter shouldn't be thick but shouldn't be too runny either.
8. bake for 20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.

What You'll Need (lemon filling) -recipe from allrecipes.com-
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup water
4 eggs separated
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
3 tbsp butter

What to do
1. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water in a heavy saucepan.
2. Place over high heat and bring to a boil.
3. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to make a smooth paste.
NOTE: I must warn you, the paste is hard to scrape so have it ready and DON'T stop whisking while adding the paste, you'll get chunks.
4. Gradually whisk paste into boiling sugar mixture.
5. Boil mixture until thick and clear, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat.
7.In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and lemon juice.
8. Gradually whisk egg yolk mixture into hot sugar mixture.
9. Return pan to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
10. Remove from heat and stir in grated lemon rind and butter or margarine.
11. Set aside to cool.

What You'll Need (meringue):
remaining egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

What To Do:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine egg whites and salt. Whip until very foamy.
2. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar while continuing to whip. Beat until whites form stiff peaks.


THE ASSEMBLY:
1. Cut a small cross in the cupcake about half way deep.
2. Inject, with a piping bag or bottle, the lemon filling.
3. with a piping bag and a large circle tip, pipe a large ball of meringue on top of the cupcake.
4. place all the cupcakes onto a baking pan and place into the over until the top of the meringue browns.


Garnish Options:
toasted lemon rind
candied rind
graham cracker crumbs
I garnished mine with a home made lemon rind brittle :)

Hamburgers Anyone?

I decided to get a little creative

with combining baked goods

to make a sweet play on the

favorite american food.

Just in time for 4th of July!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (bun):

2 cups of flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 cups of white sugar

2 oranges

1/2 cup of milk

1 cup of water

2 eggs

3/4 cup butter

honey

sesame seeds

WHAT TO DO:

1. preheat over to 350 degrees

1. Sift flour and baking powder together

2. combine sugar, butter, and eggs until well blended

3. combine flour and sugar mixture

4. add zest from both whole oranges and also add juice from both oranges

5. add water and milk to the mixture and mix until a smooth cake batter forms

6. bake in a cake pan with batter only one inch high from the bottom of pan

7. bake until top of cake is a light brown and toothpick comes out clean

8. set aside to cool

WHAT YOU NEED (meat):

instant brownie mix

WHAT TO DO:

1. follow directions on back

2. bake in a cake pan with batter only half an inch from the bottom of the pan

3. bake until tooth pick comes out clean

4. set aside to cool

WHAT YOU NEED (lettuce and tomato):

1 stick of softened butter

1 cup powdered sugar

red and green food coloring

WHAT TO DO:

1. combine butter and SIFTED powdered sugar, mix until well blended

2. divide the mixture in half and place into separate bowls

3. add coloring as desired, one bowl red, one bowl green

FOR THE CHEESE:

I used fondant and colored it a light orange (like cheddar). To color you fondant, grab a baseball sized amount of fondant and add 2 drops of orange food coloring, and knead the color in until the fondant is a solid orange.

Roll the fondant very thin (about 1/16 of and inch) and cut using a knife of square cookie cutter, making small "cheese" single squares.

ASSEMBLY:

1. using a circle cookie cutter, cut multiple brownie and cake circles.

2. cut the cake circles through the middle making a top and bottom "bun"

3. glaze the top bun (the browned top) with a honey/water mixture and sprinkle sesame seeds

4. put red frosting on top of the brownie circle and place on the bottom bun

5. on the "cheese" spread some green frosting on and place on top of the frosted brown round

6. top with the sesame seed top bun

Chai Latte Cupcakes

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (muffins):

2 cups flour

3/4 cup softened butter

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tsp. almond extract

1 cup water

Muffins:

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.Sift together the flour and baking powder in a bowl.

3.With an electric mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar, and beat on high speed until smooth.

4.Add eggs and almond extract to the butter mixture and beat until well blended.

5.Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture and mix until well blended.

6.Add the milk and water to the batter and mix until smooth.

7.Bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until light brown.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (frosting):

Frosting:

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 cup chai powder

1. in an electric mixer on high, beat the eggs and cream of tartar until very foamy, about 1-2 mins.

2. add sugar a tablespoon at a time while blending on high letting each addition blend for about 20 seconds.

3. keep blending until stiff peaks form.

4. add green tea powder and blend at a medium speed.

Garnish Options

Ground Almonds

Graham Cracker Crumbs

Chocolate Curls (use a vegetable peeler and bar of chocolate)

White Chocolate Curls

Pirouette Straws

Easy Fruit Mousse!

WHAT YOU NEED (citrus):

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 orange/5 limes/2 lemons/1 grape fruit

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1.with an electric mixer on high, beat the heavy whipping cream until fully thick and fluffy.

NOTE: make sure that you mix the whipping until it is VERY thick and fluffy. It also helps to use confectioner's (powdered) sugar.

2.with any of the citrus fruits, using a small-holed grater, shave the rinds of the fruit into a bowl.

3.cut the fruits into fourths and squeeze the juices [including the pulp] into the same bowl as the rinds.

4.add confectioner's sugar to the bowl and whisk until confectioner's sugar is dissolved.

5.pour the contents into the whipped cream in SMALL portions and mix at medium speed.

6.serve chilled.

WHAT YOU NEED (berry):

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup: strawberries/raspberries/blueberries/black berries/acai berries/lingon berries

1/4 cup sugar

1 package knox gelatin

1.wash berries and put into a heavy sauce pan.

2.with a potato masher, crush the berries well.

3.on medium eat, bring the berries to a small boil and mix in sugar.

4.turn off the heat and in pinch-sized portions, add and whisk the knox gelatin.

5.while letting the berry mixture cool for 10 minutes, beat the heavy whipping cream on high until fully thick and fluffy.

6.combine the berry mixture and whipped cream, and mix on medium speed until well blended.

7.serve chilled.

WHAT YOU NEED (tropical):

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 mangos/half a papaya/half a pineapple

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1.cut the meat of the fruit into 1-inch pieces and place into a heavy sauce pan.

2.with a potato masher, crush the fruits well.

3.on medium eat, bring the fruit to a small boil and mix in confectioner's sugar

4.turn off the heat and cool for 10 minutes.

5.while letting the fruit mixture cool, beat the heavy whipping cream on high until fully thick and fluffy.

6.combine the fruit mixture and whipped cream, and mix on medium speed until well blended.

7.serve chilled.

Serving idea

try serving these in shot glasses, tea cups. or martini glasses

Garnish Ideas

baby marshmallows (plain or fruity)

citrus zest

mint leaves

left over boiled fruit syrup

small thin cookie/biscuit/crumbs

whipped cream

Green Tea Cupcakes

WHAT YOU NEED (muffins):

2 cups flour

3/4 cup softened butter

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tsp. almond extract

1 cup water

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.Sift together the flour and baking powder in a bowl.

3.With an electric mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar, and beat on high speed until smooth.

4.Add eggs and almond extract to the butter mixture and beat until well blended.

5.Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture and mix until well blended.

6.Add the milk and water to the batter and mix until smooth.

7.Bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until light brown.

WHAT YOU NEED (frosting):

4 egg whites

1/4 cup matcha green tea powder

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1. in an electric mixer on high, beat the eggs and cream of tartar until very foamy, about 1-2 mins.

2. add sugar a tablespoon at a time while blending on high letting each addition blend for about 20 seconds.

3. keep blending until stiff peaks form.

4. add green tea powder and blend at a medium speed.

5. frost the cupcakes and decoratively shave with a vegetable peeler a bar of white chocolate

Topping Options:

White chocolate shavings

Sprinkled Matcha Green Tea Powder

Edible Glitter

Nonpareil Sprinkles

Tiramisu Cupcakes

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (muffin):

6 eggs (separated)

3/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar (divided in half)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In large mixing bowl at high speed, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy.

3. Add 1/2 of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly until stiff peaks form and set aside.

4. In small mixing bowl at high speed, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Gradually beat in the other half of sugar, water, and vanilla until blended.

6. With a sifter or sieve or sprinkle flour over egg white mixture.

NOTE: it's super important to use sifted flour or else the muffin comes out rubbery.

7. Add beaten egg yolk mixture and mix slowly.

8. Fill baking cups 2/3 full.

9. Bake for 10-15 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (Espresso-Rum Sauce)

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/3 cup water

8 tsp. instant coffee powder

3 tbsp. rum

1. In a small, heavy saucepan over high heat, combine the water, sugar, rum, and instant coffee powder.

2. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and let cool.

3. Use a fork to poke a few holes into cupcakes so that they will absorb liquid.

4. Pour at least 1 tablespoon of syrup onto each cupcake.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (frosting):

3 tubs mascarpone

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup marsala wine

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

unsweetened cocoa powder (for dusting)

1. In a bowl using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat together the mascarpone cheese, confectioner’s sugar and marsala until well blended.

2. Add the cream and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

3. Frost cupcakes with mascarpone/whipped cream mixture and dust tops with cocoa powder with a sieve.

Pot de Creme Au Chocolate

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

8 oz. of Guittard milk chocolate morsels (or dark chocolate!)

1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream

4 egg yolks

4 tbsp. of sugar

1 tbsp. of instant coffee

1 tsp. of vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler while constantly stirring on low/med temperature.

2. Add the sugar and heavy cream to the chocolate and stir until well blended.

3. Beat the egg yolks and add in small portions to the chocolate mixture.

NOTE: it's very important to add and mix the yolks in small portions because adding all of it at once can cause curdling and lumps.

4. On medium heat, constantly whisk for 5 minutes.

5. Whisk in the instant coffee, vanilla extract, and salt until well blended.

6. Pour into little ceramic or glass cups and chill for approximately 2 hour or until set.

Garnishes

>mint leaves

>coffee bean

>whipped cream

>fruit reduction sauce (raspberry, strawberry, lemon, orange, etc.)

>small peeled chile (boil then carefully remove the skin)

>small piece of fruit

>dab of lemon curd

Love at first morsel

So this is the first suggestion post about chocolate. I don't know if any of you have tried Guittard chocolate chips, but let me just tell you that you haven't lived if you haven't had just one smooth, silky morsel of Guittard milk chocolate.

Let me brief you with some history of the Guittard company. The company was founded around the

time of the California Gold Rush by a French chocolatier name Etienne

Guittard. He came to San Francisco in his twenties and he traded his desserts for mining equipment. He became popular and went back to France to work for his uncle and he kept a journal of his recipes which he brought back with him to San Francisco to open his own place. His business grew and has been around for 135 years.

I've always used Nestle but I was never completely satisfied with the texture and the taste. I discovered Guittard by accident at a sale at Vons about 3 years ago. When I came home and opened the package, I had one morsel and it was like my eyes opened wider and I started salivating. It's like nothing I've ever tasted.

I really encourage all of you to try it and let me know your reaction.

Here's their website: GUITTARD

Look at some of there recipes.

Personally they go wonderfully in a Pot de Creme. I'll post that recipe in 2 weeks.

Love and Sweets,

Melissa

Apples and Caramel Cupcakes

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (muffin):

2 cups flour

3/4 cup softened butter

1 1/2 cup diced apples

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

1/3 cup extra brown sugar

1/2 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup whole milk

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/3 cup water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl.

3. With an electric mixer, combine the softened butter and brown sugar, and beat on high speed until smooth.

4. Add eggs to the butter mixture and beat until well blended.

5. Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture and mix until well blended.

6. Add the milk and water to the batter and mix until smooth.

7. Add the diced apples and mix on low speed.

8. Fill each baking cup half way, sprinkle a large pinch of extra brown sugar and swirl with a toothpick.

9. Bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until light brown.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (frosting):

1 cup of sweetened butter (softened)

3/4 cup of caramel (melted)

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream

4 lady fingers/butter cookies (well crushed)

NOTE: You have to work quickly with the caramel because it cools and hardens quickly.

1.With an electric mixer, whip together the butter and caramel until well blended.

2.Add the confectioner's sugar and heavy whipping cream and whip until fluffy.

3.frost the cupcakes and sprinkle cookie crumbs over the top.

Other Topping Options

Crushed apple chips

Granola

Cinnamon

Amaretto Meringue Cupcakes

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (muffin):

2 cups flour

3/4 cup softened butter

1/4 cup amaretto

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

1 tbsp. creme de almond

1/2 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 whole milk

sliced almonds

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. sift together flour, cinnamon, and baking powder in a bowl

3. With an electric mixer, combine the softened butter and brown sugar, and beat on high speed until smooth

4. Add eggs to the butter mixture and beat until well blended

5. Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture and mix until well blended

6. Add the milk and water to the batter and mix until smooth

7. Add amaretto, creme de almond, and sliced almonds, and blend slowly until well mixed

8. fill cups half way and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (frosting):

4 egg whites

2 tsp. creme of almond

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. amaretto

extra sliced almonds

1. in an electric mixer on high, beat the eggs and cream of tartar until very foamy, about 1-2 mins

2. add sugar a tablespoon at a time while blending on high letting each addition blend for about 20 seconds

3. keep blending until stiff peaks form

4. add amaretto and creme of almond while blending at a medium speed

5. frost the cupcakes and decoratively arrange 2-3 sliced almonds on the cupcake

NOTE: make sure not to "bang the meringue" on the side of the mixing bowl to remove the frosting from the whisk tool. Instead, gently bob the whisk head up and down in the center of the bowl or use a spatula.

6. refrigerate for 30 minutes

Goes Perfect With Tea or Coffee