"Samoas" Birthday Cupcakes

Today is our daughter, Erin's birthday and one of the saddest things about living so far apart is that on these special occasions our celebrations can only occur via the telephone or by Skype.  On top of that disappointment, because of the unseasonably hot weather across the nation, I wouldn't even attempt to send her birthday cupcakes for fear they'd be a melted mess by the time they reached her...even if I did an express ship!  However, that being said, it didn't stop me coming up with a special cupcake that when we are together again, I'll make for her.

Erin Lyn is our first born--a true Leo, July 23rd-August 21st.  Leo's are confident, ambitious, generous, loyal and encouraging.  They are very independent, but they need something to control and someone to admire and appreciate them.  For example, when Kelly and I would go shopping with Erin, we'd turn out to be, as we termed it, " Her Ladies in Waiting"--helping her pick out outfits, going back and forth to the dressing room with new sizes and styles, to please her.  She would model the outfits and we had to give her our feedback--positive or negative, before she'd go on to the next one.  She'd be the one with all the shopping bags and we were tired, mostly from the good time of bringing her new things and but mostly joking about her controlling us.

Girl Scout Samoas have always been one of Erin's favorite variety of cookies.  It has coconut, caramel, and chocolate all rolled into one soft, gooey cookie and even I have a hard top stopping at one or two. LOL!  So, the challenge was to come up with a cupcake that combines these ingredients and try to keep busy enough so I wouldn't think how far away she is on a our special day.

Samoas Birthday Cupcakes

Cake: The cake is basically a recipe from King Arthur Flour, with just a few changes.
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup Coconut milk powder
4 large eggs
1 T Vanilla Paste (or I used 3 Vanilla beans, split and scraped)
1/4 tsp. Coconut flavoring
2 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 cup Queen Guinevere Cake Flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
3/4 cup whole milk


Dulche de Leche:
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips


Easy Buttercream:
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp. coconut flavoring
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Begin by making the Dulche de Leche.  In the top of a double boiler, with 1-2 inches of water in the bottom part, place the open can of sweetened condensed milk.  

Cover and reduce heat to med/low.  Continue to cook until the mixture turns a golden tan, about 1-1 1/2 hours.  Check every 15 minutes, stirring the mixture until the color is reached.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill.

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.  Set aside.  
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, cream the butter.  Add the sugars and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed.  
Add the vanilla beans, coconut milk powder, and coconut flavoring, then, mix to combine.

Sift the flours with the baking powder and salt.  Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.  Beat 1-2 minutes more, scraping down the sides.
Scoop up the batter and place into the paper liners.  Bake in the preheated over 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly touched.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the ganache.  Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the heavy cream until bubbles form around the edges.  Pour hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit about a minute.  Use a whisk to blend the cream and melted chocolate together.  Set aside.

To fill the cupcakes:  Use an apple corer to remove a "plug" from the center of the cupcake.

Fill a pastry bag with a #7 tip and pipe the dulche de leche into the center.

Once you've finished filling the cupcakes, turn the cupcakes upside down and dip into the chocolate ganache.

Turn right side up and let the ganache set while you mix up the Italian buttercream.

 For the Buttercream:

In a large mixing bowl, place room temperature egg whites, sugar and salt.  Use a hand whisk to beat together slightly.  Place the bowl over a pan with 1-inch boiling water and cook, whisking constantly, until the temperature reaches 140F-degrees.

Wipe off the bottom of bowl and place it on the stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat until the egg whites are stiff and glistening.  Add the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time while the mixer is running, until all the butter is incorporated.  Continue whisking until the buttercream comes together--don't be concerned if it looks curdled at first--it does come together.  Beat in the coconut flavoring and vanilla extract.

Fill a pastry bag with a #6B tip (or use your favorite) and pipe a mound of buttercream over the hardened ganache.  Top it off with a sprinkle of toasted coconut.

The complexity of flavors is a perfect match for our sweet daughter.  I can't believe she's all grown up and a beautiful mother herself that continues to amaze me everyday.  Love and miss you...Happy Birthday.  Enjoy!

Not-Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

The beginning of a new school year is just around the corner--I know this because I observed children and their moms, going up and down the aisles at Target, with long supply lists, filling their carts.  As we say, "back in my day," our lists weren't quite as long, but I loved buying new pencils, crayons, a notebook and paper in anticipation of the first day of school.  My other anticipation was the cookies my mother would bake for our lunches.  The Top Four:  Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Snickerdoodles and Peanut Butter cookies had me looking forward to lunch time, along with my peanut butter and jam (or pickle) sandwiches. LOL!

Admittedly, my mother's recipes for oatmeal cookies came off the back of the Quaker Oatmeal container and the chocolate chip cookies, off the bag of Nestle's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, but they were homemade, nonetheless, and full of love.  I have combined these two cookie flavors and memories to come up with my own version of a Chocolate Chip~Raisin Oatmeal Cookie.

The idea first came to me when we lived in Katonah, New York.   We rented a home in-town when we relocated to New York from Massachusetts and there was a quaint general store I could walk to with unusual kitchen supplies and a bakery counter.  In the fall (and winter) I'd walk down to get a mug of hot cider with one of their Oatmeal/Dried Dark Cherry Cookies and even the coldest day seem to warm up.  Adding bittersweet chocolate chips was my way of taking the experience one step further!  The Harlem-Line train station was near the general store and every time our daughter, Erin came out from the city to stay for the weekend, we'd head first to the general store to grab a cookie or two and a mug of cider.

Over the last few years, and especially after our daughter Kelly passed away, I've become a stickler for baking with organic products when available.  This recipe is no different with the oatmeal, butter, and raisins/currants all having the organic seal.

And, if you need to make these gluten-free, but hate making your own mix, King Arthur Flour packages a Gluten-Free Brown Rice Flour that substitutes perfectly for the two cups of all-purpose.

Bittersweet Chocolate Chip~Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (I used a European butter with a 85% butter fat content) room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp. Vanilla Paste or 1 T Vanilla extract + 1 Vanilla bean, scraped
2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 cups Organic Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 cup raisins (or a combination of raisins and currants, or dried cherries or dried cranberries)
2 cups Bittersweet chocolate chips (or Semi-Sweet) 


Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.  Measure dried fruit, then cover with water and microwave for 1 minute/35 seconds.  Remove and let set while you mix up the dough.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, cream the butter well.  Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and egg yolk and mix on medium speed to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the vanilla and mix again.

Add the dry ingredients and with the mixer on medium, combine thoroughly.  Add the drained raisins/currants and the chocolate chips and mix just until combined.  


Use a 1/4-cup scoop to drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly press tops of the cookies with your finger tips.

Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the pan after 6 minutes to ensure even browning.  Remove from the oven and cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, pull a cookie apart and drool over the decadent chocolate, oozing out and when you take that first bite, the combination of sweet fruit, nutty-ness of oatmeal and chocolate might even make you forget the downward spin of the stock market yesterday...or not.

Whether your children attend public/private schools or are home-schooled, these cookies will put big smiles on their faces.  I know my daughters loved home baked cookies as much as I did and by the time they went to school, they were asking for extras to share with their friends who weren't quite as lucky!  Emily...I hope your husband finds these pretty irresistible too.  Enjoy!

MomMaw's Brown Sugar Cookies

Yesterday, I received an email from a friend and my brother-in-law's cousin, Judy.  This recipe was sent to her by someone named Darlene and I can only imagine that MomMaw is/was her grandmother (or even great grandmother) because in the note to me, Judy mentioned this recipe is over 100 years old.  Judy lives in Morgantown, West Virginia, but also stays in Parsons, where her mother lived and my brother-in-law is from.

Parsons' is the county seat of Tucker County with a population of 1,463 (at the 2000 Census).  It was named for Ward Parsons, who either once owned the land on which the town was built or was just an aged wilderness pioneer in the area.  It lies in the Northeast section of West Virginia and I've only visited there once with my sister, Barbara and my mother, but was so taken by the friendliness of the people and their dedication to their town that I would love to go back one day.

One of the ingredients that was listed in the recipe was Oleo, which I know from baking with my mother and grandmother.  Oleo, short for oleomargarine is a butter substitute discovered in the 1800s.  With World War I approaching, margarine consumption increased enormously and after World War II, households all over the world were cooking, eating, and baking with it.  I chose to stay true to the recipe and actually bought Imperial margarine to make the cookies.

It gave me a chance to see how the recipe would turn out and when (or if) I substitute butter, I'll see the difference.  However, these turned out just like I imagined they would--big, soft pillows of cookies dotted with sweet raisins and I may not ever try it butter.

MomMaw's Brown Sugar Cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup Oleo(margarine)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup raisins (I did soak the raisins in boiling water for 30 minutes, then, drained)
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)*

* I didn't add nuts

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the oleo and sugars.  Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl, then add them to the sugar mixture.  Beat to combine well.  Add the vanilla and mix on medium speed, 1 or 2 minutes.  In a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.  Remove the paddle attachment and stir in the dry ingredients.  Finally, fold in the raisins (and nuts if using) to the batter.  

Use a 1/4-cup scoop to measure out the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.  

Bake cookies for approximately 12 minutes--I rotated the pan after 6 minutes to ensure even baking.
Let cool a few minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  Makes about 24--3" cookies.

I love getting recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation.  Baking defines me in that sense with memories of my childhood, as I know it does for all of you.  If these cookies bring back memories that maybe your MomMaw, Grammy, Grandmother, or Grandma made, I'd love to hear about it.  For me, I'm going to enjoy this wonderfully, simple cookie while I finish a book a dear friend sent me. Enjoy!!

Misson--Impossible Apple Pie

One of the things I remember, when I was first married, was the fact everyone collected coupons, boxtops and stamps to redeem for gifts.  Green stamps and Top Value stamps were given out at grocery stores, gas stations, etc. and I would lick these golden stamps, adhere them to pages of books provided by the stores, to save for items that were not in our budget!  Likewise, coupons and boxtops were just like money and they were stashed away until I had the correct amount.  Betty Crocker coupons actually provided us with our first set of stainless silverware, among other items, that i still use today--almost 43 years ago.

I bet you're wondering where I'm going with this and what it has to do with apple pie.  Bisquick, a product of Betty Crocker, which was very popular in the 70s, and was an item I used often when trying to juggle cooking, two toddlers, and a job.  I saved boxtops from Bisquick and sent away for a spiral-bound ccokbook, that I still treasure.

One of the recipes, from Bisquick, was called "Impossible Cheeseburger Pie," which my husband loved. (We ate a lot of hamburger back then!)  After browning the meat and onions, I sprinkled grated cheese, then poured a mixture of Bisquick and eggs over it.  The Bisquick batter would sink under the meat mixture and produce a faux crust, thus the name--Impossible Cheeseburger Pie.

Today, I decided to create a dessert pie in honor of my sister's birthday,  but without rolling out pie dough, and replicate this idea to make an Impossible Apple Pie.  Of course, I no longer use Bisquick, but rather made a rich batter to spread over peeled and sliced apples.  This type of apple pie has roots in Scandinavia where it is called "apple cake," and is similar to a apple pie or crisp.  Served with a scoop of ice cream and you have a very comforting dessert your family will rave about.

Misson--Impossible Apple Pie
Filling:
5 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples (I used Gala, but you could use your favorite)

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
2 T. Boiled Cider

Place the sliced apples and the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl, toss to coat.  

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and brush the bottom and sides of a 9" or 10" pie plate.  

Spoon the filling into the prepared pie plate.  Set aside.

Batter:
3/4 cup (12 T) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 Tahitian Vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tsp. Vanilla extract)
2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted


Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.
In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar completely.  Add the egg and the vanilla bean or extract and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between beating.  Add the flour and mix to combine, then, stir in the toasted walnuts.

Spoon batter over top the apple mixture and use a small off-set spatula to spread over the top.  

Place the pie plate on a parchment-lined baking sheet  (to prevent any over-flow) and bake 45-50 minutes until golden brown on top.   

Let rest 30 minutes, before serving.

An Impossible Apple Pie, as timeless as my sister--Happy Birthday dearest Sister--I love you very much and as Maddie would say..."make mine Ala mode!"  Enjoy!
 

A & M Spicy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This morning, I'm packing up "goodie" boxes to send to Ari and Maddie and decided to add some cookies to the assortment.  Last week, while we SKYPED, Ari asked for chocolate chip cookies, so I knew that ingredient had to go into the recipe and I know both grands love BIG cookies, but the challenge was to make them even more special.  Thinking about their personalities, I came up with a sweet & spicy cookie to satisfy any cookie monster:-D!

Cookies have been around since baking was documented.  The earliest cookies can be traced to Persia in the 7th century, shortly after sugar began being used.  They "migrated" to Europe through the Muslim conquest of Spain and by the 14th century they were common in all levels of society--from royalty to street vendors.  However, the Dutch are credited with bringing the concept of cookies to the New World with them when they settled in the Northeast.  I know, personally, that my sister and I (and apparently Maddie) would prefer a cookie for breakfast than most normal breakfast foods!

Kelly loved my big gingerbread cookies and these chocolate chip cookies have their "roots" in that recipe for sure.  Spices, a little bit of molasses and mini crystallized ginger chips blends unique flavor into a beloved chocolate chip cookie that packs a lot of flavor.

A & M Spicy Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup Crisco butter-flavored shortening (1 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup molasses
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 cups Queen Guinevere cake flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup crystallized mini ginger chips
Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment  or use a Silpat.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening together until fluffy.  Add the sugars and mix on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape the sides of the bowl once again.  Add the vanilla and the molasses and mix well.  

In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients, including the spices, together.  Add to the dough and mix on medium/low speed until combined.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips and crystallized ginger chips.  

Use a 1/4-cup scoop to measure out the dough--allowing plenty of room for the cookies to spread.  I was able to get 5 per sheet.  

Bake for 12 minutes, rotating pans after 6 minutes for even browning.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Sweet and Spicy describes my grands to a "T."  I hope they enjoy their treats (with a glass of milk) and make the distance between us a little closer while thinking of the memories we've made so far. Enjoy!

Banana-Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

I am my mother's daughter..."waste not, want now," and with two very ripe bananas staring at me on the counter (LOL) I was once again faced with the challenge to create something more than just banana bread.  I actually think one day I'll write a cookbook with all the banana recipes I've had to come up with!

This recipe combines two of my treasured breakfast treats; muffins and pecan-cinnamon rolls.  I baked them in a 6-cup mini-bundt pan to give a little class for serving, but honestly, you could use a muffin pan just as easily and I bet no one would notice! 

My mother made great cinnamon rolls and I loved to help her spread the cinnamon, butter, and pecan mixture that we'd roll up, then slice.  I remember seeing a trick of using "dental floss" to slice the buns and that became my role to produce perfectly sliced buns. Cinnamon rolls are made from a yeast-risen dough that is commonly served in Northern Europe and North America, and Sweden is presumed the country of origin--"Kanelbulle," literally "cinnamon bun" is a favorite.  I didn't have time for yeast buns this morning and of course, there were those pesky bananas that I just couldn't throw out, so combining  these two memories just seemed to go together.

Banana-Cinnamon Breakfast Buns
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla extract + 1/4 tsp. Vanilla powder (or 1 vanilla bean, scraped)
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 3/4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Sticky "bun" base:  
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 T maple syrup or Agave syrup
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
4 T. melted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 -4 T heavy cream
1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Lightly spray a 6-cup mini-bundt pan (or 12-cup muffin pan) with a non-stick baking spray.

To make the sticky-bun base--combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and use a fork to mix together.

If you're using a 12-cup muffin pan, divide mixture among the cups, however, if you're using a 6-cup, remember to use half the mixture for the first baking.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually add the sugar and beat well.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat 1 to 2 minutes more.  Add the vanilla and mashed ripe bananas and beat just to incorporate the ingredients into the mixture.

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.  Add to the mixture and on med speed, combine thoroughly, but don't overbeat.

Use a large 1/4-cup scoop to divide the batter among the cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched and the muffins are  golden brown.

Immediately invert pan onto a waxed-paper-covered baking sheet.

Let muffins cool slightly, then drizzle with glaze, if desired.

As an alternative to the glaze, you could simply dust with confectioners' sugar.  Of course, as a baker, I've never grasped the concept of "Less is More!"

The comfort of warm banana muffins combined with the ooey-gooey-sticky cinnamon "topping" put a very happy smile on my face.  All I needed was some fresh fruit and breakfast was just how I like it--Sweet and Yummy.  Enjoy!

(*Note--this muffins were so moist and cake-like that you could easily make this into an elegant dessert!)