I'm in a really good place right now. I've settled nicely into my new job and really, really like the people I work with. Good people, you know what I mean? The kids are great and we have fun learning everyday. I am happy in my new home with my other half and our canine other half. Just lots of love all around. Not to mention my love for Ugly Sweater Day at work, which was the perfect excuse to wear my favorite purchase from China.
And what better to celebrate love with than cupcakes?! At school this week, as part of a holiday celebration, people bring goodies each day. For my day, I knew I needed to seize the opportunity to BAKE. There were two cupcakes that had been working on my mind lately (this is what I think about WAY MORE THAN ANYONE SHOULD) and it was awesome to finally have the excuse to bring them to fruition.
The first was the well realized cranberry orange cupcake. It really turned out to be quite an elegant cupcake and I was definitely feeling proud of myself. The second was a new technique I have not tried yet, a chocolate peanut butter cupcake dipped in chocolate. I'll need to buy a new piping tip for this one before I unveil it, as they were not as pretty as my perfectionist self would have liked. Very very tasty however!
My apologies for the strange amounts - I needed to make smaller batches so I could be overly ambitious and make different cupcakes on the same night... Not to mention complete them in time to go to the Bulls game!
Cranberry Orange Cupcake with Swiss Merengue Buttercream
Makes 10 cupcakes
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1/3 tbsp Baking soda
1/3 tsp Salt
5 1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 and 2 tbsp Sugar
1 egg and 1 egg white
1 tsp Vanilla
1/3 + 1 tbsp Milk
1 cup cranberries, quartered
Zest of 1 orange
For the Swiss Merengue:
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 (and more depending on your taste) of the Cranberry Orange Compote
Cranberry Orange Compote
2 cups cranberries
1 tsp basalmic vinegar
Juice of 2 oranges
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Line 10 cupcakes tins with liners.
First, combine 3 cups of cranberries, the juice of 2 oranges ( zest this orange and use for it in the batter) basalmic vinegar, and 1/4 cup sugar. Cook down until fruit has broken and is really cooked down. about 20 minutes.
In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until fully incorporated, light and fluffy, about two minutes. At the eggs one at a time and a corporate fully, about four more minutes. Add vanilla.Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the wet. Add in the grated zest of 1 Orange
Fold in the fresh cranberries. Fill cupcake liners about two thirds of the way full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the Swiss meringue buttercream. Heat the egg white and sugar in a double boiler our hot water, whisking. This make sure he needs to reach about 160°F, or just before it begins to boil.
Transfer the mixture once it reaches the correct temperature into a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on high for at least 10 minutes. After the mixer has cooled, continue beating on low as you add the butter tablespoon by tablespoon. Once the butter is fully incorporated, add in the cranberry orange compote and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Frost your cakes, top with candied orange peel (below), and voilà!
Candied Orange Peel
Serves 10
One orange (I took the peel from one of the oranges that I later juiced for the compote above)
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
First, cut the peel off the orange. Cut into thin 1/8 inch slices.
Combine 1 cup of the sugar and one cup of water into a sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until simmering. Reduce heat to low and add in the orange peel. Simmer on low for 45 to 60 minutes or until the orange peel is translucent. I did mine for the full 60 minutes.
Drain from the syrup and toss in a bowl of sugar. Make sure each piece has separated from the next and is covered in sugar. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Save that syrup to make your own orange soda!
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