frosting Archives - Page 8 of 9

Gluten Free Chocolate Hazelnut and Candy Cake

8|10|2013

If you have kids at home, it is likely that your house is never short of candies. At least, in my house even if I don’t buy them, they find a way to my pantry through friends and visitors. And with so many different varieties around I am never short of inspiration to create. My favourite candies have to be the ones with chocolate in them.

At this time of the year, you will definitely notice candies all over the blogosphere on account of Halloween. It’s also not surprising that our Chocolate Party theme for October is Chocolate and Candy. For the time being, I am leaving the spooky ones to my incredibly talented blogger friends and using up mine instead to decorate my flourless hazelnut chocolate cake. Please don’t forget to check out the fantastic creations of my friends at the bottom of the post.

Like most flourless cakes, this one uses hazelnut meal (ground hazelnuts) and separated eggs. I love the nutty yet moist texture of this cake. I know that a lot of people find it intimidating to make recipes where meringue is involved but trust me when I say this. Those recipes are more forgiving than a normal cake recipe and for just 5 basic ingredients the results are always great. Please feel free to substitute hazelnuts with whichever nut you prefer or even a mix. The only thing to note here is that the egg whites are to be beaten to a soft peak (when the peaks are just starting to hold)…this gives an amazing texture to the cake.

I have used a thin layer of chocolate ganache to hold the candies together. The topping consists of chocolate coated nuts, candies hazelnuts, chocolate kisses and jaffa (orange chocolate candies). They can be easily replaced with your favourite candies or even eaten as it is, without the topping. Also, if you want a round cake you can use an 8 inch round cake pan for the same recipe. The baking time may need adjustment though.

This cake is a huge hit with kids and adults alike. I say this from my experience. The difficult part is to resist from eating the candies as you layer them on the top of the cake.

Flourless Chocolate Nut and Candy Cake
Serves 10

200g dark chocolate, chopped
150g butter, chopped
6 eggs, separated
2/3 cup castor sugar
1 1/2 cups hazelnut meal

Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan-forced. Line base and sides of a 25 cm square baking pan with baking paper. Combine chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted. Alternately melt the two together in short bursts of 20 seconds in a microwave Set aside to cool.

Place egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until thick and creamy. Add chocolate mixture. Beat to combine. Add hazelnut meal. Beat to combine.

Place egg whites in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until soft peaks form. Using a metal spoon, stir one-third of egg whites into chocolate mixture. Gently fold remaining egg white through chocolate mixture.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre has moist crumbs clinging. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Ganache and Candy Topping

150 g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup of chocolate coated nuts, candied hazelnuts, chocolate kisses, jaffa or any candy of your choice.

Place chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth. Spread over top of the cake. Place the candies on top.

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Raspberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting

20|06|2013

If someone ever asked me what I miss most about summer, my answer would be the daylight and BERRIES! With the evenings getting colder and darkness setting in by mid afternoon, I am almost ready to retreat into a hibernating mode. While Summer is nowhere near and little that I can do about daylight, there is technology and there are Berries. If not fresh, then frozen!

As much as I love the colourful little jewels of deliciousness, I have always shied away from freezing them or buying frozen pre-packs. There is definitely a freshness that seasonal berries would contribute but I realised there is a lot that can be done with frozen ones. Looking at the prices of fresh raspberries at this time of the year, I finally convinced myself to get a frozen pack. And since then, I have been reading up on how to freeze berries during season.

Buying fruits in bulk during season and preserving them is not only a great way of saving money but allows you to enjoy your favourite fruits all year-long. Honestly, with whatever I have read, it is a simple process with no fancy equipment.

Pretty pleased with the way my cupcakes turned out I made 2 more desserts and I thought they looked spectacular and tasted just as good. I can’t wait to post them all. The cupcakes by themselves were great but I wanted to turn it into a raspberry celebration so I made a white chocolate ganache frosting and drizzled some home-made raspberry sauce. So, there you go..my raspberry celebration cupcakes!

Sorbets, mousse, smoothies, jams, sauces, fillings for cookies and cupcakes there is so much that can be done with frozen berries. There is a lot of information available on the net on freezing fruits too. The forthcoming summer, I am looking forward to freezing and stocking up my berries and using them in every possible way. How about you?

I also wanted to give you a little heads up on some progress I have made with the software part on my blog. I have finally manged to import my Tastespotting, Foodgawker badges. Also, subscriptions are available through Feedburner now. For existing subscribers, I have already moved it manually. Let me know if you are facing any issues. My Recipe Index page is updated too. I cannot tell you how relieved I am at the moment. Now, all I need is to bite into my little red cupcakes.

And Celebrate…

Raspberry Celebration Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting
The recipe can be totally adapted to use fresh raspberries

Raspberry Cupcakes (cupcakes adapted from Coles recipes)
Serves 10

100 g Butter, at room temperature, chopped
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 Eggs
1 cup Self-raising Flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tsp baking powder)
1/3 cup Milk
1 cup Frozen Raspberries, thawed

Preheat oven to 170°C or 150°C fan forced and line 10 medium muffin tins with paper cases. Using electric beaters, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in half the flour, then all the milk, then remaining flour, until just combined. Fold through raspberries. Spoon into prepared cases. Bake for 20 mins, or until the cakes are springy to a light touch. Leave in tin for 5 mins, then lift out onto a wire rack to cool.

To serve, pipe swirls with white chocolate frosting (recipe below) or spoon frosting over cupcakes. drizzle with raspberry sauce (recipe below)

White Chocolate Ganache Frosting

200 g white chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup thickened cream
100 g butter, chopped

Place white chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every minute, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Add butter and stir until it melts and the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the mixture is thick and spreadable. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Raspberry Sauce
Makes about 3/4 cup

250 g frozen Raspberries
2 tbsp Castor sugar
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Place frozen Raspberries and sugar into a large non-stick frying pan. Stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until bubbling. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or it takes a thick syrupy consistency. Using a metal spoon, crush Raspberries until pureed.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool. (If you do not like the seeds, strain the mixture once pureed)

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon, Passion Fruit and Saffron Buttercream.

1|04|2013

I hope you all had a fun Easter weekend. Mine has been one long eventful holiday. I have only been home to catch my beauty sleep and spent the rest of the time exploring a few gorgeous places around Sydney. Before I begin to tell you all about my adventures (in the next few posts), I wanted to give you a little peek into a some Easter baking I did for a friend. What better gift than something that you make at home! What better than a box of cupcakes with pretty pastel shades of frosting!

Sometimes the most unusual things inspire me to create my desserts. The other day I saw a little girl playing at the park wearing a pretty frock with frills and ruffles in shades of yellow. I exchanged a smile with her mother who caught me staring at the outfit. Little would she have imagined that pretty dresses could sometimes turn into a major baking inspiration.

I decided to play with white-yellow shades and almost instantly the buttercream flavours were there in my head. Lemon, Passion fruit and Saffron. And vanilla is always safe on the cupcake. When I think yellow I cannot help but think of Saffron. In India where I have grown up, saffron is a part of most desserts. It adds its special flavour, smell and colour to anything it is added to. It was however the first time I added it to buttercream.

Luckily I had a tin of Passion fruit puree at home so that one was pretty easy too. Though I would prefer fresh fruits anytime over canned ones, my cupboards are well stocked with tins and cans for situations like this one when dessert ideas strike. And that is without a doubt…often!

For the lemon flavour I used an essence instead of zest to reduce work. Soon I was standing with 3 bowls of buttercream in front of me. I carefully added a few drops of yellow food colouring to two of the bowls depending on the desired shade. The food colouring was necessary though saffron and passion fruit had tinted the buttercream slightly.

I bought this flowery purple box to carry the cupcakes. And I thought they looked very pretty..don’t they?

So what is your food inspiration?

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon, Passion fruit and Saffron Buttercream
Yields 12

Vanilla Cupcakes
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11/2 cups all purpose flour
11/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 177 degrees C and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk in three additions. scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 15-20 mins or just until set and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with icing.

Lemon, Passion Fruit and Saffron Buttercream

2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp lemon essence
2 tsp passion fruit puree, strained
a pinch of saffron dissolved in 1 tsp warm milk

In an electric mixer or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Divide the frosting between 3 bowls. In the first one add the lemon essence and beat on high speed till frosting is light and fluffy. If it is too stiff, add a tsp of milk. Fill up a piping bag with the frosting and pipe swirls on 1/3 of the total number of cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.
In the second bowl, add the strained passion fruit puree and beat till light and fluffy. Add milk or sugar depending on the consistency of the frosting. Add a few drops of yellow food colouring to achieve the desired shade of yellow.(I wanted a light yellow shade and added about 4 drops of colour). Fill up a piping bag with the frosting and pipe swirls of Passion fruit frosting on 1/3 of the cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.
For the third bowl, strain the saffron milk into the frosting. While straining bruise the saffron with a small spoon so as to extract maximum colour and flavour. Beat the frosting on high speed till light and fluffy. Adjust food colour as desired. Fill up a piping bag with the saffron frosting and pipe swirls onto the remaining cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting.

18|03|2013

Many years ago, I met a little boy. He had an angelic face with the cutest curls around them, eyes that told stories of twinkling stars and a smile that could melt the strongest of hearts. Like most little boys, he adored everything with wheels. Toy cars, big cars and makeshift cars (the ones that are generally meant to carry belongings but at times can carry a toddler or two…Suitcases).

I told him stories at bedtime, made him laugh during the day with faces and expressions that only we could read, filled up his stockings with little presents during Christmas Eve and made him cry when he played with my dolls.
We walked together a zillion roads, his fingers tightly clutching mine. Till one day he became the ‘cool guy’. Cool guys don’t hold hands. He morphed into a teenager. Fiercely independent..with an understanding of the world that was so rare of his age..who kept a lot to himself but was always ready to offer a lending a hand. Under the pretext of doing homework we spent many afternoons together, sharing secrets, cracking jokes, hiding behind windows and spraying water on innocent passersby and sneaking into the kitchen to do the ‘great taste test’ for dishes that were meant to be served to guests. Needless to say there were other days when we drove each other crazy and fought over every little thing under the sun. My heart aches to think that those moments can never come back.

Before we realised, the spirited teenager grew into a handsome man with a heart of gold. The responsible son, the doting brother…wise, quick witted, generous, loving…and set out to conquer the world. He made our hearts swell up with pride as he went on achieving milestones. He found himself a partner, equally spirited and loving. A beautiful addition to the family.

I made these cupcakes for my brother’s birthday back in January.While going through a few folders on the laptop, i found these bright pictures during the weekend. I thought they were decent enough to post though very few. I could have taken more had i known I would have a blog someday.
A simple chocolate cupcake made extra chocolaty with the addition of chocolate chips. The frosting is gorgeous.

I did not bake a cake as he was not around to eat it. My brother lives on the other side of the world where the sun sets as it rises here in Sydney. Perhaps he will be here on one of his birthdays to perform the ‘great taste test’ with me.
But our hearts are ever so close and securely fastened with a bond called family. A bond that celebrates childhood, big dreams, secrets and adventures. A bond that lives outside the touch of time.

A bond unique to a Big Sister and her Little Brother.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting (adapted with a small variation from Joy of Baking)

Chocolate Cupcakes
Yields 16

1/2 cup (50 gms) dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
11/3 cups (175 gms) all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (113 gms) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 gms) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling water and cocoa powder. let cool to room temperature. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips.
Then in the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16-20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will come out dry). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or pipe lovely swirls.
These cupcakes are best the day they are made but can be stored for a few days.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

120 gms unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (150 gms) unsalted butter, room temperature
11/3 cups (160 gms) icing sugar sifted
11/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy(about 1 min). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy(about 2 min). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2-3 min).