01 January

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January 1, 2013

Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

Posted by HI Cookery under 01 January | Tags: , , , , , |
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Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

 Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

January: National Tea Month

Host a happy new year’s day tea party with a platter of decadent desserts, such as Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes. These royal treats are rich, aromatic, fluffy and moist. The cupcakes are also crowned with a luxurious chocolate glaze with flecks of tea leaves for a unique texture and taste. Serve Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes for a sweet start to the new year and for a celebration of National Tea Month!

Recipe

(Adapted from Real Simple)

For the Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

  • 3 Earl Grey tea bags
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
  • 1 egg, large or jumbo
  • 1 cup sugar, granulated white
  • 2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate (we used Baker’s brand)
  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch salt
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt

Directions

Steep the Earl Grey tea bags in water for five minutes. Discard the tea bags. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in the egg. Melt the chocolate and cool slightly.

Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

Add the melted chocolate into the creamed butter mixture. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into the batter until smooth. Pour in the tea.

Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

Mix in the yogurt. Scoop the batter into a muffin tin lined with a dozen cupcake papers. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

For the Chocolate Earl Grey Glaze

  • 1 2.47-ounce Earl Grey chocolate bar (we used Dolfin brand) or 2 ½ squares (2 ½ ounces) semi-sweet chocolate
  • 4 teaspoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons corn syrup

Directions

In a glass bowl, place the chocolate, butter and corn syrup. Microwave for 1 – 1 ½ minutes. Stir until melted and smooth. Dip the tops of the cupcake into the frosting, swirling around for even coating. Let the frosting set on the cupcakes at room temperature.

Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

We decorated our Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes with leftover fondant flowers. Arrange the flowers on top of the cupcakes. Dab a dot of white icing gel (we used Wilton brand) on the flower center. Drop a silver dragée (we used India Tree brand) on top of the gel, positioning it with a toothpick if necessary. For fondant flower photo tutorials, refer to our posts on Chocolate Cupcakes and Cherry Blossom Cake.

Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

Notes

  • The final food photo of the Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcake features our fine china from our wedding registry, albeit a discontinued pattern (Noritake Sterling Cove).
  • Search our blog for other tea time treats.
 

January 28, 2012

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Posted by HI Cookery under 01 January | Tags: , , , , |
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Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

January 28: National Blueberry Pancake Day

Pancakes are a basic breakfast and brunch fare. Adding fresh blueberries and buttermilk in the batter make them go from boring to better! These fluffy flapjacks are filling enough even for our dinnertime when we eat a stack of them with sausage or bacon and eggs. Prepare pancakes with blueberries and buttermilk for an easy and hearty meal—they are “berry good” any time of the day and especially on its own food holiday, National Blueberry Pancake Day.

Recipes

(Adapted from Simply Recipes)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teasppon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries, plus extra for garnish
  • oil or butter for cooking

Directions

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and sugar. In a larger mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and buttermilk. Stir in the melted butter and mix until the batter is smooth.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake

Gently fold in the blueberries. Heat on medium (not high) a flat pan (skillet or griddle) with a little oil or butter. Pour the batter onto the pan to about 5-inches in diameter. After some bubbles appear on the surface, flip it over and cook for a few more minutes, being careful not to burn the pancakes (they should be golden brown and not any darker). Repeat until the batter is used up, adding a little more oil or butter in the pan, if needed. Serve stacked on a plate with syrup and extra blueberries.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Notes

  • We halved the the recipe for the two of us. It was enough to make about seven 5-inch sized pancakes.
  • Some cooks like to ladle the pancake batter without the blueberries in the pan.  Once poured onto the pan, arrange some blueberries on top. Flip the pancake over and finish cooking.
  • Search our blog for more recipes containing blueberries.
 

January 27, 2012

Flourless Chocolate Cake

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Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

January 27: National Chocolate Cake Day

Chocolate cake is a favorite flavor for many, including us. We have baked (and eaten!) a variety of chocolate cakes to fulfill our chocoholic cravings. But the flourless chocolate cake has been our most decadent dessert—so rich, velvety smooth and intensely chocolaty! Right out of the oven, it looks brown and bland so we coated the cake in luxurious chocolate ganache and topped it with fresh, plump raspberries. It is surprisingly simple to make yet is an impressive treat for special occasions, on Valentine’s Day, which is coming up in a few weeks, and certainly on National Chocolate Cake Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from the Chocolate Bakery)

For the flourless chocolate cake

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
  • 8 squares (8 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate (we used Baker’s brand)
  • 1 ¼ cup sugar, granulated white
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 6 eggs

Directions

Line the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Mist the paper and sides of the pan with cooking spray. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth. In another bowl, mix the sugar with the cocoa powder.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Beat in the eggs to this mixture and blend well. Pour into the melted chocolate-butter mixture, stirring until smooth.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Smooth out the batter into the springform pan. Place foil on the bottom of the pan to prevent leaks. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick. Remove from the oven and let cool for half an hour before removing the cake from the pan. Brush off any crumbs. Invert the cooled cake, bottom side up, onto a wire rack placed over a lipped baking sheet with foil. Prepare the chocolate ganache topping.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

For  the chocolate ganache

  • 4 squares (4 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate (we used Baker’s brand)
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate. Stir until smooth. In a microwave-safe measuring glass, heat the cream for about a minute. Pour into the melted chocolate and mix well. Use immediately.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

To decorate the flourless chocolate cake, peel off the parchment paper. Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Use a spatula to smooth out the top and sides.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Carefully transfer to a cake board or plate. Let the ganache cool over the cake before decorating the edge with fresh raspberries (optional). Refrigerate until ready to slice and serve.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Notes

  • This cake slices neatly and smoothly if the knife is wiped free of crumbs after each cut. As this is a rich cake, we usually slice it into 16 instead of 8 servings.
  • The chocolate ganache topping is optional but lends a luxurious finish to the flourless chocolate cake. A dusting of powdered sugar over the top instead of ganache is another simple serving idea.
  • See the similar Sacher Torte recipe for National Sacher Torte Day on December 5.
  • Search our blog for more chocolate cake recipes.
 

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