Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

I don't know why I've been procrastinating writing up this recipe for so long! It's a really yummy one! Who doesn't love chocolate + caramel?? I used one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes- from my Reese's Cupcakes. I wanted to make a true caramel buttercream, but after my caramel ice cream burn fiasco last year, I wasn't quite ready for that ( I still have the scar to prove it!). This frosting is more of a brown sugar buttercream. It was good, next time I might just buy some caramel sauce and whip it into some buttercream frosting. We'll see how I'm feeling. These cupcakes did get great reviews though- yum yum eat em up!

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes
From Ina Garten

• 1 1/2 sticks (12 TBSP) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature*
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 TBSP brewed coffee**
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup good quality cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

*I use buttermilk powder (follow directions) or juice of 1 lemon and add milk until it reaches desired measurement
** I do not drink coffee, so I "brewed" a cup using instant coffee granules

1. Preheat oven to 350. Get your cupcake pan ready with paper liners. 
2. In your electric mixer bowl (fitted with paddle attachment), cream butter and sugars on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 
3. Lower speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, better well after each addition. 
4. Add vanilla & mix. 
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream and coffee.
6.  In a third bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. 
7. With mixer on low speed, add buttermilk mixture and flour mixture alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk and ending with the flour. Mix until just blended and scrap sides with a spatula. 
8. Scoop batter evenly into cupcake pans (I do 2 medium scoops each). Bake on middle rack 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then place on wire rack to cool completely before frosting. You can cool faster in the fridge, if desired.

Caramel Frosting
From AllRecipes
Makes enough for 12 cupcakes, can be doubled if needed

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 1-2 TBSP
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1-2 cups powdered sugar

In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and 1/2 cup cream to a rolling boil. Boil 1 minute. 

Add soda and boil for 1 more minute.This will cause it to bubble up a lot- don't worry. 

Remove from heat and pour into heatproof bowl. Add butter and DO NOT STIR. 

Cover & place in fridge for 1.5 hours. Once it is completely chilled, it is ready.
Remove and add remaining 1-2 TBSP cream and beat with electric mixer for several minutes, adding powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
Pipe frosting onto cupcakes & enjoy! 

America's Test Kitchen: The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

There are so many chocolate chip cookies out there and they are all a little different. Everyone has their favorite. My normal chocolate chip cookie recipe is the one on the back of the Nestle chocolate chips- why mess with perfection? These cookies are truly wonderful too, but in a different way. I think they are the new favorite around my house!

The browned butter and dark brown sugar really add another layer of flavor you didn't think was possible with cookies- also they are HUGE. Let's face it, everything I've tried from my The Best of America's Test Kitchen Cookbook has been AWESOME (i.e. Baked Ziti). I can't wait to try the rest of the recipes!

One of the best parts? I froze half of the balls of dough to bake when the craving strikes! Just place frozen balls on parchment and bake in preheated oven (375) for 15-18 minutes.

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
The Best of America's Test Kitchen

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 14 TBSP unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup backed dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg , plus 1 large yolk
• 1 1/4 cups semisweet chcolate chips or chunks

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour and baking soda in amedium bowl- set aside.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and melt 10 TBSP butter. 

Continue cooking, swirling the pan constantly until the butter is a dark golden brown color and has a nutty aroma (1 - 3 minutes). Remove from heat and use a spatula to transfer melted butter to a large heatproof bowl. Stir in the remaining 4 TBSP butter into hot buter until melted.

Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to the butter mixture and whisk until combined. Add egg and egg yolk and whisk until smooth (30 seconds). Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes and whisk for another 30 seconds. Repeat the whisking and resting process 2 more times until the mixture is thick and shiny.

This may seem silly, but apparently a scientist contributed to this recipe and the process of allowing the sugars to rest before baking allows them to be dissolve more and therefore have  more caramely flavor. I can't disagree!

Stir in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined (about 1 minute). Stir in the chocoalte chips and give it one final stir to make sure there aren't anymore flour pockets.

Divide dough into 16 portions (each about 3 TBSP). These are BIG cookies! Place onto prepared baking sheet (or freeze in parchment paper in plastic containers. Make sure they are at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading (no more than 8 balls per sheet, depending on the size of your sheet). Bake 1 tray at a time until the edges are set but the center is still soft and puffy and they are golden brown all over - 10-14 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and cool completely on sheet before serving.

Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Crack Pie

 The original name of this recipe is "Crack Pie." It is very intriguing. It MUST be good if that's what its called, but I had to Google it 10 times before I could figure out what kind of pie it was. I think this name fits it better and tells you what's in it. Yummy goodness, that's what. Its almost too hard to describe. Brown sugary. Caramely. Salty. Sweet. Gooey. Custardy. Almost like a pecan pie without the pecans and with an oatmeal cookie crust. Its perfect after a long day. Who am I kidding? Its perfect after a short day too.  I forgot what blog I originally saw this featured on, but the recipe is from Epicurious. Apparently its crafted after a famous pie at Milk Bar in NYC? Never been, but I don't think I need to now!

Note, this includes a lot of chilling time. Don't skimp on that or it won't set up properly! I made mine the night before and it was perfect.

New York Style Crumb Cake

Crumb Cake. Coffee Cake. Cake. Know what all those things have in common? I'll give you three guesses...

I could talk about my love for all things cakey all day, but some people get bored with that. Some people prefer to talk about shoes or candy or queso dip or even work. Yuck. I do like shoes...

Every day once in a while  I have a big craving for a breakfast pastry, cake or cinny roll- I know, I need help. Thank goodness I found this recipe from Bree to help me in a crisis. Along with a couple helper boys, I managed to eat every last piece of this breakfast treat. The buttery brown sugar, cakey parts and snowflakes of powered sugar all mix together to form a little piece of heaven. I seriously thought I heard a harp playing when I took my first bite. Long story short, I think you might like this. Also, if you need help eating it, I'm so there for you. That's what friends are for. BTW, I am so not eating Carrot Cake French Toast as I write this...

Brown Sugar Apple Dip

I consider this among my "healthy" dessert options since it has apples! Well, it has to be a lot better than eating cake or cookies, right? :) My mom always made this as an appetizer to munch on before holiday dinners and while watching big football games. Ever since I made this before Thanksgiving dinner this year, I can't stop craving it...It's SO easy and quick to make- instant gratification! In fact, I may or may not have eaten it twice this weekend...

Brown Sugar Apple Dip

• 1 package cream cheese, softened (Do not use reduced fat)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 2-3 large green apples

Mix first three ingredients in a large bowl, squishing together with the back of a large spoon. Try to get rid of any lumps. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut green apples into slices and serve! Get it before its gone. :)




Enjoy!

-Marissa