Mocha Cupcakes with Bailey’s Frosting

Autumn is definitely here and I don’t have to tell you that the days are getting shorter and the warm weather is no longer.  One of my kids even said the “f” word this morning….frost.   It’s time for warmer drinks and comfort foods and I can’t think of anything better than a hot cup of coffee with a Bailey’s shot- or two- in it!  I can think of something better actually…how about a Rich Dark Chocolate Mocha Cupcake with the most amazing Bailey’s Swiss Meringue Buttercream?

When I made these, I also filled them with a chocolate ganache infused with Bailey’s.  I would leave it out.  It’s not necessary because the real star of the dessert here is the icing.  You know about my ongoing love affair with Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  I have to say that the boozy version is absolute bliss and sits right at the top of my favourites list!

I frosted these this morning before going to work.  And you can be darn sure I licked the bowl shiny clean.   I could’ve easily eaten the whole bowl without the cupcakes.  It’s that yummy.  And I had a container of chocolate covered espresso beans for garnish.  So as I was licking the icing bowl I was also munching on espresso beans.  Breakfast of champions.

You can imagine the state I was in when I got to work….

I couldn’t wait to post this recipe today to share with you! Let me know if the Bailey’s Swiss Meringue Buttercream makes your top ten!   Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

*adapted from What The Fruitcake?

Makes 24 cupcakes

3/4 cup strong hot coffee

3 tsp instant espresso powder

3/4 cup dark cocoa

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups brown sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp mayonnaise, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners

1.  Whisk together coffee, espresso powder and cocoa in a small bowl and set aside.  Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder in another small bowl and set aside.  Measure out buttermilk and mix with vanilla extract and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar and salt.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating each egg in thoroughly and scraping the side of the bowl before adding the next egg.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined.  Add 1/2 of the buttermilk and mix until combined.  Repeat, ending with the last of the flour mixture.  Add the cocoa and coffee mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.  Fold in mayonnaise.

3.  Divide equally into prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for 16-18 mins or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Allow to cool thoroughly on wire racks before frosting.

Bailey’s Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 cups of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• pinch of salt
• Bailey’s to taste

1.  Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with two inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2.  In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites and the sugar just until combined.  Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 150 degrees).  The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well.  Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium speed until whites have increased in volume, are thick and glossy and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes!).

3.  Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled.  Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time.  Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick.  It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify.  Add vanilla flavouring, a pinch of salt and Bailey’s (to taste) and beat until combined.  Use immediately.

Garnish with a chocolate covered espresso bean.

Deconstructed Black Bottom Banoffee Pie

I know I’m slightly behind the times on deconstructed desserts, however I’m going to relish in the beauty and simplicity of this dessert for a moment or two….

Really, deconstructing a dish simply means to plate it differently while allowing the individual components of the dish to shine.  Call it what you want, this dessert is stunning and absolutely delicious.   It takes no time at all.  None.  A quick pretzel crust, a few decadent layers and you’re done.

A layer of ganache, a layer of dulce de leche, a layer of whipped cream and some banana spears.   Top it off with pieces of pretzel crust and grin from ear to ear at your creativity.  This is a make-ahead dessert that will wow any guest.

Truth be told, this kind of dessert is perfect for me.  I’ve baked many a pie that looked as though it should be on the cover of Cooks Illustrated, only to discover I needed a jack hammer to cut into the bottom crust.   And, the filling is my favourite part, so just a wee bite of pastry is enough for me.

No one was home when I was photographing these and I’m delighted ashamed to say that I ate one of these for supper and one of these for dessert.  Not a soul around to tell me to get control of myself.  I loved every last spoon licking, glorious bite!

Pretzel Crust

*adapted from Food and Wine

* you really only need half of this recipe for cookie sized pieces as garnish

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed thin pretzels (3 1/2 ounces)
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg

1.  In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with 3/4 cup of the pretzels and the sugar at low-speed until creamy. Beat in the flour and egg. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of pretzels, being sure to leave some pretzel pieces intact. Flatten the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

2.  Roll out dough about 1/4″ and cut with cookie cutters.  I placed the dough back in the fridge before baking the cut pieces (for about 10 minutes).  Bake at 325 degrees for approx 13 minutes or until golden.

Ganache

*I had enough ganache for 7 servings

• 1 1/3 cup of chopped bittersweet chocolate such as Callebaut
• 1 cup heavy cream
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tbsp Bailey’s Liquor (Grand Marnier would work too)

1.  Place cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Pour over chocolate and salt in a medium bowl and let mixture sit, untouched for 5 minutes.  Whisk until smooth and add the liquor.  Mix until incorporated.  Pour mixture into serving dishes and refrigerate.

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tsp icing sugar

1.  Whip cream and sugar on high-speed until whipped cream reaches desired consistency.

Assembly

1.   Pour chocolate ganache into serving bowls or mugs.  Be creative!  I also used ramekins for some of the servings.  Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

2.  Top chocolate ganache with approximately a tablespoon of good quality dulce le leche.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3.  Just before serving, spoon some whipped cream on top of the caramel and add 2 spears of banana.  Garnish with your pretzel cookie.

Enjoy every last morsel!

Glazed Apple Cinnamon Buns with Toasted Pecans and Raisins

A little over a year ago I started making a lot of our bread from scratch.  There is nothing more delicious with a meal than a warm loaf of bread right out of the oven.  See?  My repertoire is more than just dessert!  And, I know exactly what is in it and I can add whole wheat and other healthy goodies to suit everyone’s needs.   I actually have a recipe for a killer loaf of honey and oatmeal bread, but that is another post!

This morning I made some white bread dough and used it for these….

This is one of the few things that propels me to mommy greatness.  A warm batch of Glazed Apple Cinnamon Buns.  All of my kids love cinnamon buns and this recipe is so easy to prepare.  I like to make a double batch and freeze them so I can bake them as a treat before school sometimes.  What a great way to wake up and start the day!

You know how the middle piece is the gooey-est, sweetest part?  Full of cinnamon and brown sugar syrup.  Finger lickin, sticky, sweet….amazing.

Some people are really intimidated by the yeast thing.  Honestly, once you’ve done it, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is.  This recipe uses instant yeast, which makes things even more simple.  This does take some time however, so give yourself 4 hours from start to finish.   You can use this dough to make a plain white bread, cinnamon swirl bread and dinner rolls too.  It’s very versatile.

This recipe is adapted from Cooking With Candra’s Homemade White Bread.  She has a great site and her tutorials are fantastic for newbie bread makers.

*yield is 2 batches of dough, approx 12 rolls in each

• 5 1/2 - 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast, quick rise
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 2 cups warm water, 110 degrees

Apple Filling

*this is enough for one batch of cinnamon buns

• 2 tart cooking apples, peeled and thinly chopped
• 1 tbsp flour
•  1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (use this to spread on dough before adding filling in step 5)

Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups of icing sugar
• 1 tsp milk, more as needed
• a few drops of vanilla

1.  First, make the glaze:  add milk and vanilla to sugar only a few drops at a time until you reach desired consistency.  It should just be thin enough to drizzle, almost syrup consistency.  Keep at room temperature until buns are baked.

2. Next make the apple filling: combine all apple filling ingredients, except pecans and raisins, in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes on low, just until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and add pecans and raisins. Cool to room temperature.

3.  For the bread dough: in a stand mixer, with the dough hook, add 3 cups of the flour, honey, butter and yeast.  Mix for about 1 minute, until combined.

4.  Add the water, salt and 1 more cup of flour.  Mix until incorporated.  Add the egg and one more cup of flour.  Mix until incorporated.  Add the last cup of flour a little at a time.  The dough should be forming a ball and sticking to your dough hook.  It will begin to come away from the sides of the mixing bowl.  Add just enough flour so that your ball of dough is no longer sticky.

5.  Place dough in a large bowl that has been greased with some shortening or olive oil.  Turn the dough around in the bowl for a few seconds so that the top of it is slightly greased as well.  Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and place a tea towel on top.  I usually stick my bowl in the oven with the light on while it rises.  Let it rise for 1 1/2 hours.

6.  Punch down the dough in the bowl and cut it in half.  This will give you enough for two batches of rolls.  One for now and one to freeze!  Roll out one half, on a lightly floured surface.  Make a rectangle, about 10 x 8 inches, with the long end facing you.   Spread rectangle with butter and top with the cooled apple filling.  Start at the long end farthest from you, and begin to roll the dough into one long tube.  Cut the tube into 12 even portions and place side by side in a greased 13 x 9 pan.  Note:  I like to sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon on the bottom of my greased pan before I place the cinnamon rolls on top (about 2 tbsp sugar and a generous pinch of cinnamon).   The creates a yummy gooey sauce on the bottom of the rolls.  Cover again with plastic wrap and allow to rise for another hour.

7.  Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven, invert on a plate if you wish, and drizzle glaze on top.

8.  Repeat with second ball of dough.  This time, you can prepare the rolls and freeze them in a greased pan , covered well with plastic wrap.  Remove from the freezer the night before you want to bake them.  They will do their second rise in the fridge over night.  Just pop them in the oven in the morning.  Or, make dinner rolls!  Roll bread dough into small balls (about 2 inches in diameter) and place side by side in a greased 9 x 13 pan.   Cover and allow to rise for an hour.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.  Remove immediately from pan once done in the oven and allow to cool.

Vanilla Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache and Cranberry Pomegranate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Wow, say that five times fast!

It’s a mouthful  but sooo yummy!  Topped off with a Lindt White Chocolate Truffle.  Glorious.

First, I’m delighted to say that I’ve been asked to do an interview and send some Christmas recipes to Goost.fr a french website dedicated to the pleasures of taste.  It’s part of CBS Interactive France and offers recipes, products, forums and the best culinary practises from foodies all around the globe.    And they liked SweetRevelations!   

I wanted to add these cupcakes to my submission because cranberries are a huge part of Christmas dinners and desserts.  Thanksgiving dinners too for that matter!   The Swiss Meringue Buttercream is flavoured with a delicious Cranberry Sauce made with Pomegranate Juice and sugar.  So simple.

This is only a part recipe.  You make 24 of your best vanilla cupcakes (or white butter cakes would be good too) and I’ll do the rest!  Allow them time to cool.

First, you’ll need to make your Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce.  I found this recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks! and really, it only takes 20 minutes and after you see the beautiful deep cranberry colour of the sauce you’ll never buy that bland canned stuff again!

You’ll have lots left over to spread over those Buttermilk Scones that we made here.

Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

• 16 oz fresh cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 16 oz pure pomegranate juice

1.  Place all ingredients in a medium-sized pan and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.  Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Next, White Chocolate Ganache.  Use quality chocolate here, such as Callebaut or Lindt for the best finger-lickin ganache.   This needs some time to cool before dipping your cupcakes.

White Chocolate Ganache

•  2/3 cup roughly chopped white chocolate
• 4 tbsp heavy cream (more if needed for consistency)

1.  Place a small stainless/glass bowl over a pot of simmering water (about an inch is all you need).  Put the chocolate and cream into the bowl.  When there are only small bits of chocolate left, remove it from the heat and whisk until smooth.  Leave it on the counter to cool while you make your icing.

Cranberry Pomegranate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 cups of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• pinch of salt
• Cranberry Sauce (above) to taste, approx 3/4 cup

1.  Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with two inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2.  In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites and the sugar just until combined.  Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 150 degrees).  The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well.  Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium speed until whites have increased in volume, are thick and glossy and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes!).

3.  Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled.  Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time.  Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick.  It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify.  Add vanilla flavouring, a pinch of salt and Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce (to taste) and beat until combined.  Use immediately

Cupcake Assembly:

1.  Dip cooled cupcakes into cooled White Chocolate Ganache.  If you put a lot of ganache on, it will all drip down the sides, so very little is needed.  Just enough to put a nice coating on top of the cake.  Allow the ganache time to set before you pipe your icing on top.  I put these into the fridge for about 1/2 hour before piping on the icing.

2.  Once ganache has set, pipe on your Cranberry Pomegranate Swiss Meringue Buttercream.   I used a 1M Wilton tip to allow some of those yummy cranberry chunks to squeeze through.  A large round tip would be even better.

3.  Top with a Lindt White Chocolate Truffle and devour.

Enjoy!

Deep-Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes and a Special Birthday

See this little angel?

This is my oldest child when she was a year and a half.  Look at those big blue eyes staring so innocently at me.  Time goes by too fast when you’re a parent.  I remember cuddling at bedtime with this little girl and reading her favourite stories over and over and over…..  She turns 13 today and I wanted the day to be special for her.  You only officially become a teenager once!

At lunch I took her out to have her hair done and for a bite to eat.  Just me and her.  It was awesome to spend time with her like that.  When we came home all of her friends and family were waiting to surprise her.

We always write the kids a poem for their birthday.  They moan and groan when it comes out, but you can tell that they love reading the things we have written about them.  We poke fun at some of their idiosyncrasies and tell them how proud we are of some of their accomplishments.  She’s a good girl with a big heart and I’m proud of the lady she is becoming.

She wanted Criminal Minds cupcakes for her birthday because she loves that show.  I had these cute paper toppers made by Angie over at Etsy.  So cute once glued on to popsicle sticks!  Then I made some other toppers out of Marshmallow Fondant.   The cakes are Deep-Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes.  I iced them with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and I used Chocolate Ganache as a ripple in the icing.   I also made a few with Dulce de Leche rippled through the icing.

I could quite simply just eat a bowl of icing and not think twice about it.  Amazing.

Sorry about the bad photos, but the light was terrible in that room!

It is very difficult to make crime scene cupcakes look pretty!  Thank goodness the taste makes up for it!

Deep-Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

*from Food and Drink

• 4 ounces (120 g) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate or chips
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350°

1. Line 18 standard muffin cups with papers . Over low heat, melt chocolate and butter together in a large saucepan, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, then eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla.
2. Mix flour with baking powder and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture along with chocolate and nuts.  Divide among cups. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or just until cupcake centre is raised and feels slightly firm when touched. Do not over-bake. Cool
   completely on rack.

Chocolate Ganache

*this makes enough to frost all of the cupcakes.  I only made 1/2 of this recipe to use as a ripple in the icing.

• 1 cup chopped-into-bits semi-sweet chocolate or chips, about 175 g (6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Melt chocolate and whipping cream over very low heat in a small saucepan.  When almost smooth, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature and dip or frost cupcakes.  Icing will set in an hour at room temperature.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

5 large egg whites

1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter, very soft

1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1.  Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with a few inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2.  In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites, sugar and salt just until combined.  Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 140 degrees).  The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well.  Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium until whites have increased in volume and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch.

3.  Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Beat on low speed until mixture is completely cooled.  Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time.  Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick.  It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify.  Add vanilla flavouring and beat until combined.  Use immediately.