The Engagement: Persimmon Spice Cake

-Persimmons announce the arrival of fall, amongst other things.-

I'm told by many of female friends that most women have been planning their wedding since they were little girls marrying off their Barbie dolls. Many of them admit they are, in fact, some of these women. They know the china pattern, the first song, how they'll dance with their father, and what the dress will look like down to a sequin-sewn T. Some women already have their favorite florist on speed dial just in case. I know bakers who attest that some brides in question have called them about cake flavors before even informing the parents about the big news.

The fairer sex may just be a tad crazy, it seems.

Men (well, maybe most men, I can't speak on behalf of my sex or sexual preference) never think about this. I certainly never have past the fact of, "Dear Lord, if I ever want to do one of these giant circus weddings with 300 people please let the flower-and-glitter-laden gazebo I take my vows under collapse on top of me." Because, honestly, I'm not a wedding fan; and though I have been to some rather lovely ones and enjoyed myself I have had no desire to really take part in the whole affair.

Now, apparently, I have to do another wedding. Mine.

Because BF proposed.

And I said yes.

-Tungsten with an abalone shell band. Because I know 99.9% of you want to know. The other 0.01% are my straight male readers.-

So BF Fiancée, has done the deed, the family members on both sides have been called. Cheers all around because I'm the happiest boy in the world right now. I got the Masters, the travel, the book deal, and the boy. Life is good. Like hardcore, knock-on-wood, finding $20 in your pocket, thank you baby Jesus good.

Fiancée and I were having our first night to just sit down and unwind since I had returned to China. We had a lovely night at home watching movies and eating a dish I was testing for the cookbook. Eventually we retired for the night. Suddenly he grabbed me close and he told me he loved me and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.

Then in the comfort and warmth of our home he got on one knee and asked me to marry him.

Never have I met someone who matches me so well, who can make me laugh, who can charm my parents, who can calm me down when I panic, who thinks about my needs, who sets me straight or humors me when I need it and knows which response to give, who takes out the trash without being asked, who can make a fine cocktail, who supports me in everything I do, who makes my rockets fly, and who enjoys cooking and eating an epic meal.

Scent and Spice: Figgy Chai Muffins

-I so rarely ever start with lists...-

Some things you may not know about me:

• I hate when people call me Gary. Given, I’ll use the name Gary when the kid at Jamba Juice asks me for it as they always mishear me and shout the name Derek when my order is ready. Other than that, no, please do not call me Gary. I will have to punch you in the throat.
• I don’t have a type. When I was dating my only pre-reqs were that any potential mates had no criminal history and didn’t do drugs (if it was a hookup then these rules were negligibly a bit more lax). Things like race and body type aren’t huge factor to me; personality is. Points if potential mate can pull off a well-tailored vest.
• I would go straight for Lucy Lawless. Unquestionably. BF is aware of this fact and has made his peace with it.
• I lick the salt off chips before I eat them. It's a very strange habit and I have to remind myself not to lick my chips in public otherwise people look at me funny.
• I find the following distasteful: grocery store tomatoes, Ann Coulter, tabloid magazines, people who read tabloid magazines, western novels, repeats of 80’s comedies, overly aggressive drag queens.
• I find the following to be rather enjoyable: repeats of Xena: Warrior Princess, Lucy Lawless (see item 3), the 10th Doctor, Kit Kat bars, Jane Austen novels, overly aggressive drag queens.
• I love a fine cologne. Preferably with hints of citrus, sandalwood, raspberry, or any number of spices such as clove or cardamom. Gush.

-Also, I love a good back rub, but that's not the topic of this post.-

The latter is particularly true about me. Combined with item number 2 in that list any man wearing the right cologne can simply cause me to ride right off my wagon and go tumbling into the sheets. It’s rather embarrassing though I can’t say I mind it. Consider Happy for Men my slutty kryptonite in a smart orange-glass flask.

One particular friend knew how to smartly apply cologne using techniques that probably required more forethought than a home loan. He would spritze the air leaving a perfumed cloud of mist to hang momentarily and, before it began to descend, he would briskly walk through it. A quick spray on the wrists so that in case hands went roaming later in the night with some unexpected someone a hint of nutmeg would entice. Lastly, and quite clevery I might add, a small amount on the back of the neck. When dancing closely with said unexpected someone their nose would be enticed by a spot of scent, the prey engaged and caught.

Throughout the night I could smell him and I must say his technique was rather effective.

BF learned from him how to properly apply cologne. He uses the knowledge to its ultimate. Simply enough, cologne, particularly the spices within them, drives me bonkers.

Seeking Approval: Chocolate Carrot Cake

-Can you guess how?-

In recent weeks I’ve learned that I crave two things in my life: approval and recognition. The two often go hand-in-hand and though they can be separated they are best enjoyed together.

Recognition without approval has another name: infamy. Never a good thing. The consequences usually being jail time, tears, or landing in a situation that my father would refer to as “totally screwed in every which way.”

On the other hand, approval without recognition is a fickle thing. How much pleasure can be reaped from the situation and its worth as a whole when its based on opinion and personal belief? Are you happy with the satisfaction that a job well done is its own reward? Some people are. Sometimes and in some cases that’s just fine enough for me.

However, I find that people do well with recognition for their hard work. Honey versus vinegar and all that. Parents worldwide can avow that positive reinforcement simply proves more effective, and any human resources manager, heck, anyone who has ever worked a job ever can tell you that people are more motivated to work when they’ve been praised and given positive, constructive critique. Even a smile, thank you, or simple "Good work," does wonders for a person's inspiration and self-esteem.

Together they create an epic and nearly unrivaled sensation. There is nothing better than being appreciated for competence. It boosts the ego, enriches the soul, and inspires us to do more and go farther than we thought we could.

Situations where neither one are received are disheartening, as if you’ve been told to beat a drum that doesn’t make any sound. The delivery of the message that no, you/your work/your passion aren’t approved of and that what you are/what you have done isn’t recognized is like being shot in the chest with a .48. You feel the life drain right out of you only to rise up as some dark cloud casting a pallor over your empty husk.

-Knobby, awkward, colorful carrots from the Farmers' Market. So awesome that they don't care what you think of them-

It. Is. Miserable.

Recently, my thesis experience has been somewhat reminiscent of this - both the good and the bad. Assembled of hundreds of hours and years of work the thesis no longer feels like it exists just for a diploma - a state acknowledged and governor signed approval that I’m a smart guy. (For without it, how will I ever know if I am!?) Rather, it feels like an extension of me.

At this stage I am seeking the approval of my thesis committee, people I hold in high regards and assume know more about everything in my field of academia than I ever will. Essentially, they hold my thesis in their hands. (Given, in the broad view of things the thesis is all in my hands, but at certain points I have to simply let go and allow others to do their part.) Currently, they are reading my thesis chapter by chapter, and returning it with notes and critique. With each part I turn in I hope that they will enjoy it and give it to me with the go-ahead to continue.

My professors are honest and straightforward. In my world their word is final. While at times this may unnerve and even frighten me these are the reasons I asked them to read my thesis. I respect their knowledgeable approaches. It is because of this respect that I crave approval and recognition so badly from them. That, and, of course, graduation.

Recently, I received feedback via e-mail on my first chapter. The first thing I noticed was the length. It was epic, like a book of Psalms. My eyes began darting around plucking up small, disorienting keywords like pieces of broken glass off the floor. They were words like "problem," "concern," and "unclear."

-Chocolate and carrots. Add some spices and booze and you are so go.-

My breathing became shallow and quick as I attempted to read the e-mail in whole but found myself barely able to focus on a single idea. All I knew was that it seemed I had failed and my professor was displeased. With conflicting feelings of reluctance and desperation I pushed through the rest of the notes. It was like slowly pulling off band-aid. Each sentence was a sting that made me hesitant to continue. This, however, was worse - while you may choose to simply rip-off a band-aid in one quick tear-jerking tear, there is no equivalent for reading an e-mail from your professor.

Then, suddenly, at the end was a tiny blurb; barely even a paragraph: “Keep up the great work. You can bring the next chapter to me.”

I swear, my heart skipped a beat.

Approval and recognition achieved! It was if God himself had come down from the sky just to tell me how awesome he thought I was and asked if I wanted to go out for nachoes and beer. Yes, that little bit might not seem like much (like I said, my professors are succinct), but it meant the world to me. It was what I needed to hear.

I went back to the beginning of the e-mail and read through it with a new attitude examining the advice and comments that had been diligently and carefully written down for me. It was all practical, feasible, and a completely fair assessment of the work I had turned in.

The following day I submitted in the next chapter and went to work fixing the previous one.

-Honestly, sometimes, I wish I had stayed in genetics back in college...-

Still, I found the emotional turmoil of the situation draining. I had exhausted every ounce of energy I had in an adrenaline-fueled panic and was running on empty. When i find myself in such a situation I find that making cake is not only merited, it's darn well therapeutic.

This cake is sort of a motley character. It seems to be unable to decide what it wants to be; a chocolate cake, a carrot cake, a bourbon cake, maybe a spicy tres leches cake with some pizazz? Either way I find it best not to dwell and simply to eat.

At the same time I might very well say that dwelling can be beneficial. Time is this cake's best friend and the more of it that goes by the deeper the flavors become. I suggest you consider soaking it with heavy cream or bourbon. While the liquid soaks dwell on the accolades that will undoubtedly be heaped upon you once you serve the cake.

Sweet approval and recognition.

Blogging, work, school, hobbies, proposal, projects, friends, families and relationships. We seek approval for them all and from them all. We want out friends to recognize our struggles and family members to congratulate us for overcoming them. Isn’t dating the search for approval and recognition crystallized into something solid and far too tangible? (If so, then, is a successful relationship the embodiment of achieving them?) It's a constant search. Thesis wise, there is still a lot of mountain to climb.

Either way, I hope that you are getting the approval you seek and the recognition you deserve. If for some reason you aren't make this cake and serve it to whomever. Or, if you don't have whomever around, just get a plate of your own and pat yourself on the back.

Chocolate Carrot Cake

3/4 cup All-Purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 Tablespoon freshly grated fresh ginger
Zest of one orange
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cream (optional)
1/4 cup bourbon (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pans (or line it with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, and salt (do nto skip this step as likely your cocoa powder will have large clumps). In another bowl, mix together: the carrots, orange zest, and ground ginger.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the oil and sugar together. Once the sugar and oil have been combined, whisk in the yogurt until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until the batter is smooth and light. Add the carrot, orange zest, and grated ginger.

4. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in two additions, folding in until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan.

5. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until well-risen and firm to the touch, or until a cake tester comes out clean. If the top begins to get a little overdone, place a piece of foil over it to prevent burning.

6. Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack. You can serve this right away but it is best to keep self-control and let the cake sit for a day or two wrapped in plastic wrap to allow the flavors to intensify. This cake is great on its own but cream or bourbon can be added. 10 minutes before serving pour the cream or bourbon over the cake and allow the cake to soak up the liquid. (Do not use both as the bourbon can curdle the cream.) Serve slices with a little extra liquid for good measure.

Shrug Off Your Day With Brownies

-Brownies with Spices and Cocoa Nibs. A perfect way to forget what's bothering you.-

When a six year old child calls you a Nazi, it's proof that there is something dreadfully wrong with the world. I'm not sure what made me a Nazi exactly. I am blonde and blue eyed. I kissed a German boy once, but it was New Years so that doesn't count. Then there's the fact that he was, you know, a boy.

I wasn't sure what to think of it really. I suppose one thought that crossed my mind was, "He's small enough. I could stomp the little gremlin into paste before he knew what hit him." I was compassionate enough to let him live, and by compassionate I mean I like my job and don't want to be fired.

I was actually a little bit pissed off. More so, I was confused. The reason for the verbal abuse was that the office I work at was out of cups for the water cooler. I just happened to be this travesty's messenger. Apparently the lack of a Dixie cup is a grave offense to children these days.

I went back to my desk, more than a bit irked. Really, I was already having a bad enough day, the last thing I needed was some action figure obsessed punk hurling insults at me over trivial things. Then I realized how silly my being pissed over the matter really was. He was a kid who didn't know better, and I doubt had any real grasp about what he was saying. I've certainly been called worse in my life. In the grand schemes of things this fell between mopping my kitchen floor and deciding if I wanted to get up and have Sunday breakfast or sleep in until Sunday lunch.

I could sit there and stew, churning in my own bile and frustration, or I could simply just shrug it off and let go. Over the years I've learned my best tool for shrugging is to go and bake something. A simple truffle to get over any trifle, and what is it about cookies that can make any problem seem so insignificant?

So I went home, got out some chocolate and shrugged off the day. I was going to make brownies.


Spiced Brownies with Cocoa Nibs
This recipe is inspired by Alice Medrich. This brownie is very moist, somewhere between a mousse, fudge, and cake. The spices added give it a nice bit of warmth. The cocoa nibs and cocoa powder add contrasting textures and flavors of chocolate. I highly suggest pairing with a bit of mint ice cream.

8 ounces of 70% cacao chocolate
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon of ground ancho chili powder (optional)
3 eggs
1 cup of sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
1/4 cup of cocoa nibs

1. Preheat over to 350F and line a springform pan with parchment paper (a simple 8 or 9 inch square or circle pan will be just fine). Lightly grease and dust the parchment lined pan with butter and flour.

2. Place chocolate, butter, cinnamon and chili powder over simmering water. Stir together and until melted, smooth, and warm.

3. In another bowl place eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla together and whisk on high speed for 2 minutes. It should be thick and and light colored.

4. Add the warm chocolate to the egg mixture and whisk together.

5. Fold in the flour and cocoa powder.

6. Scrape the batter into the lined pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Remove springform rim. Dust with cocoa powder and serve. Great with whipped cream, mint ice cream, or chilled cream poured over it.

-Go ahead. Lick the screen. I won't tell anyone.-

Fermented Black Garlic

"Wait... what?"

"Fermented black Garlic," replied Judy.

"Oh, I have to try that! It wouldn't be Vanilla Garlic if I didn't!" I sounded back in a coquettish tone.

One of the oddest things that Terra Spice sent to me was this. Fermented garlic is a garlic originally produced in earthen ware pots, but now mass produced in machines specifically designed for producing it.As you can see the cloves have a dark obsidian sheen that persists through its entirety. Each clove delicately wrapped in it's sandalwood colored paper which is crazy difficult to get off as any usual meathods of getting the paper off will smush the soft garlic in this case. The smell is aromatic, musky, and has a definite garlic quality.

As my roommate and I bit in, we expected a harsh garlic taste and perhaps something sort of soy suace-ish as suggested by the color. However we were taken aback by what taste we encountered.

It was sweet. Candy sweet. Muted and calmed garlic tastes, with undertones of malt and molasses, followed by a sort of bitter, hoppy flavor. Honestly, this would accompany a nice dark beer pretty well. After swallowing, a mellow flavor of garlic resided. Still, the rich flavors only permitted us to eat one. Any more and we would be overwhelmed by the cloves' intensity.

How would you cook with it? I have no idea. Honestly, I think it's best as a little treat to serve between meals or on the side to a spicy dish the way a pickle accompanies a sandwich.

Wattleseed Cupcakes

I think I first became curious about wattleseed because of the name. Wattleseed. It doesn't even sound like an ingredient I should take seriously, but more like a Lewis Carrol character ditched Alice and wandered off the pages and into a spice rack.

Some research was needed and wikipedia seemed to have a nice cohesive little entry:

Wattleseed is a term used to described the edible seeds from around 120 species of Australian Acacia that were traditionally used as food by Australian Aborigines and they were eaten either green (and cooked) or dried (and milled to a flour) to make a type of bush bread.

Acacia seed flour has recently gained popularity in Australia due to its high nutritional content, hardiness, availability, and low toxicity. Due to its low glycemic index it is also often incorporated into diabetic foods. Vic Cherikoff (a significant pioneer in the Australian native food industry) developed Wattleseed as a flavoring in 1984 from selected species and this is now the major commercial product used because of its chocolate, coffee, hazelnut flavor profile. It is often added to ice cream, granola, chocolates and bread and widely used by chefs to enhance sauces, caramel, whipped cream and other dairy desserts.

The description of the flavor is accurate; chocolate, hazelnut, and coffee flavors. Nutella-esque but more subtle than that. As such I decided to put it to work in a cupcake.

The cupcake is adapted from the basic vanilla recipe over at Joy of Baking, but I took out most of the vanilla so I could let the wattleseed shine without competition from jealous undertastes. I just wasn't up for trial and error recipes, and I only have so much of the stuff, so her dependable (although a bit too bread-like in crumb consistency) recipe was just what I needed.

This cupcake was VERY well received at work. Honestly, I give it a few more years and wattleseed muffins will be in every frickin' coffee house. Hmm... maybe it's the next rockstar ingredient?

A special thanks to Judy as well for sending the delectible spice!

Wattleseed Cupcakes
Makes 12 / 350 F oven

What You'll Need...
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup of sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of AP flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of ground wattleseed
1/4 cup of milk

What You'll Do...
1) Preheat the oven to 350. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and cream on high speed until light and fluffy.

2) Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each for 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and beat for 30 more seconds. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom.

3) Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and wattleseed together in a bowl. Measure out the milk. On a low mixing speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Be sure to scrape down the sides at least once.

4) Fill into cupcake papers and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Wattleseed Frosting
2 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of ground wattleseed
2 tablespoons of milk

Put together in a mixer and beat to all hell, about 4 minutes on high. Spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Note on Purchasing Wattleseed: Wattlseed is still difficult to find in the U.S., still you can purchase it online. Keep in mind though that Wattleseed is like Saffron or Vanilla, an expensive spice since it has to be hand picked. Still if you can get your hands on some it's worth it.

Apple Cardamom Cupcakes with Salted Caramel

From the Cupcake Archives...

This is a recipe I've long looked forward to doing once apples came into season. Fuji apples, cardamom, and caramel. A fantastic combination that just goes so well together. Plus, the apples the Elise gave me were just begging to be baked into a cupcake.

This was also a lesson for me as my friend Ann, one of the writers for Sacatomato, Edible Sacramento, and author of the cookbook Hands-Off Cooking taught me how to make caramel. The recipe was actually very easy and the use of a candy thermometer wasn't even necessary.

The cupcake is sweet & sticky, with the cardamom giving it just the right amount of spice. The cake itself is certainly toothsome, so the salted caramel really just acts as the perfect accoutrement to balance the whole thing out. We were both literally scraping (in my case using my finger and tongue) to get every little last bit of caramel off the plate. Using really fresh apples is key here, and the recipe is very forgiving, we over baked a few and they still came out fantastic. A perfect harvest treat now that September is here.
Apple Cardamom Cupcakes
Makes 22 cupcakes / 350F oven

What You'll Need...
4 cups chopped apples (varieties that are good for baking - i.e. granny smith, gravenstein, Fuji)
2/3 cups vegetable oil
2 cups of sugar
4 egg whites
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of cardamom
1/2 teaspoon of ginger

What You'll Do...
1) Chop the apples and combine them with the sugar and let them macerate for one hour. Next add the oil and stir.

2) Preheat over to 350 degrees F (165 C).

3) Slightly beat egg whites just until a light foam appears. Combine them with the oil and apple mixture.

4) Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices together. Stir into the apple mixture, and then place into cupcake papers about 3/4ths full.

5) Bake for 15 minutes undisturbed, then rotate the pan and cook for another 3-7 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness. Careful, as if the toothpick goes into an apple it will not come out clean, but cupcake may be done.

Salted Caramel
What You'll Need...
6 tablespoons of butter
3/4 cup of sugar or vanilla sugar
1 cup of heavy cream
1 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

What You'll Do...
1) Melt the butter in a large, deep heavy-duty saucepan. Stir in the sugar and and stir until golden brown.

2) Take off the heat and pour in half the cream and whisk like a crazy person until the caramel is smooth. Whisk in the rest of the cream and the salt. Strain into a bowl and then spoon over cupcakes. (The caramel will thicken if you let it sit in the fridge, which is also yummy.)

Variations
Feel free to switch out the cardamom for cinnamon, or apples for pears. The recipe is flexible and forgiving. Freshly whipped cream is also an ideal pairing.

Similar Cupcakes
Pistachio Cardamom Cupcakes with Vanilla Rice Pudding Filling
Pear Cranberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache

Five Spice Chocolate Krinkle Cookies

I've been playing with more of Pichet Ong's recipes from his book. With each recipe, I'm learning something new about pastry and desserts and get a delicious tasty morsel as well. Today I approached the Spiced Chocolate Krinkle cookie.

I admit I doubted the recipe at first. When making it, it feels like everything you're doing is wrong. From forming the disk out of a still-liquid dough to rolling out the cookies into balls only 1/2 inch big, I kept second guessing myself. Still, the recipe worked like a charm just like all the others. Overall, it's a cookbook I highly recommend.

I did rework it a bit, I had no fresh ginger as called for, so instead I just went and used Chinese Five Spice. It was a subtle taste that gave paired well with the chocolate. I brought them in to my graduate class on Postmodern Fiction and they were happily devoured by everyone with a few asking for the recipe, so here it is...5 Spiced Chocolate Krinkles
Makes about 45
Adapted from The Sweet Spot, by Pichet Ong

What You'll Need,,,
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 ounce of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice powder
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of almond flour
2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/3 cup of flour
1 large egg
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
confectioner's sugar

What You'll Do...
1) Place the oil, chocolate, salt and spices in a double boiler and melt. Allow to cool.

2) Combine the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder together in a bowl as the chocolate mixture cools.

3) Once cool, mix in the egg, sugar, and vanilla extract and whisk together.

4) Fold in the dry ingredients. Afterwards pour out into plastic wrap and shape into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill until hard, at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.

5) When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

6) Put confectioner's sugar in a bowl. Take pieces of the dough and roll into balls about 1/2 inch wide, about the size of a marble. Roll in the powdered sugar until totally coated.

7) Place coated dough balls onto the baking sheets one inch apart. bake for about 10 minutes or until dry to the touch. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for two days, assuming you don't eat them all yourself.

Cardamom Pistachio Cupcakes with Rice Pudding

From the Cupcake Archives, one of my favorite recipes!
I don't really know where the original idea for this cupcake came from, it had just been stirring around for a while. I know I have been wanting to do something featuring some Middle Eastern flavors, and this seemed about as close as I could get without wandering into cheese pastry or baklava territory. Plus, this cupcake was something rich and luscious. Formal and elegant. Beloved.

I do admit that this one is highly time consuming and somewhat labor intensive. It's a recipe to save for a day off or when it's cloudy and icky outside. Turn on a Norah Jones CD, dress comfy, and relax with your thoughts while you shell pistachios, or stir the rice pudding. In the end the whispering oohs and aahs escaping from your friends and family after their first bite are all worth it.

The rice pudding is a recipe from The Wednesday Chef, who got it from the book Mastering Simplicity. It involved a vanilla bean, which as you know by now means I am all over it as I loves the vanilla. (Note: This recipe asks for pistachios, cardamom, and vanilla beans. Go to World Market for the spices, and a farmers market for the pistachios. Total cost I paid... $8.) The bay leaf added a nice floral, slightly woodsy quality in the faint background. I suggest that for the last 15 minutes of cooking you stir constantly. This will keep the bottom from being burned, which necessarily isn't a bad thing as it caramelizes a bit making a slight flan kinda taste but for purity's sake avoid that this time.

The rice plumps up well, and becomes creamy and oh-so-delish! This one is a keeper, as in print it out now and file it in your recipe box keeper. It's also very easy to make, with ingredients I usually have on hand, so I can see myself making this a few more times on rainy and lazy days.

The cupcake was an interesting recipe. I was wondering if it would be a tad sketchy, and the batter looked a tad bit odd, but it all worked out wonderfully. I cut out the vanilla extract, and by cut out I mean forgot, but never mind that it was tasty regardless and wouldn't add it anyways if I did it again as enough vanilla flavor comes in from the rice pudding. The cake is delicate and fragrant. Honestly, I haven't tasted anything like it. The oils from the pistachios and the spice of the cardamom are phenomenal, they became perfectly woven with the rice pudding. The first thing I thought of was enjoying these with a copy of Arabian Nights. Scheherazade's stories are the auricular equivalent to these cupcakes and their rich tapestry of aromas and flavors! Overall, one of the best cupcakes I think I've ever turned out.

(For your reading benefit, and to allow you to better love these cupcakes, here is a link to an online text of Arabian Nights.)

Pistachio Cardamom Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes / 350 degree oven

What You'll Need...
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
1/2 cup of whole milk
3/4 cup of unsalted, unroasted pistachios
1 cup of flour
2 teaspoons of ground cardamom
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt

What You'll Do...
1) Cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure complete mixture.
2) Place pistachios in a food processor and chop until finely ground. All the flour, cardamom, salt, and baking powder until pulse once or twice to mix.
3) Add the milk and vanilla extract if using it to the butter mixture. Mix well. Add the flour-pistachio mixture and mix until blended.
4) Place into cupcake papers, and bake for 16-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean (no crumbs) in a 350 degree oven. Let cool on a wire rack.
5) Cut out small cone shaped pieces of the cupcake and scoop the rice pudding into the little cupcake potholes you've made. Cover with chopped pistachios.


Rice Pudding
Recipe from Mastering Simplicity via Wednesday Chef
Serves 4-6 (enough for the cupcakes, plus a lot more for snacking!)

What You'll Need...
3/4 cup of long grain rice
1 bay leaf
5-6 cups of whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cup of sugar
large pinch of salt

What You'll Do...
1) Place rice in a small sauce pan with the bay leaf and two cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then drain. Transfer rice and bay leaf to a heavy 3 quart pot.
2) Add 4 cups of milk, the sugar, vanilla bean, and the salt. Place over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until milk has been absorbed by rice, about an hour. Rice should be tender and rice should be creamy. Add another 1 or 2 cups of milk and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes. Stir often to prevent the bottom from burning. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Chocolate & Pink Peppercorn Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

From the cupcake archives...

Chocolate and pink peppercorns... I seem to have been seeing a lot of that particular flavor combination lately so I decided to give it a try myself. After hunting for the said exotic coco combo and trying a candy version for myself I discovered that it's actually quite tasty. Pink peppercorns aren't like your average peppercorn, their much lighter in the actual pepper flavor than black pepper and have a slight floral quality to them. Combined with the chocolate it's fun, different, and perky. It's the best I can do to describe it.

I can see how some people might not like it though, it steps away from the Hershey bar comfort zone that most people have snuggled themselves into, and it's an adventurous and challenging taste to be sure. I think you won't know until you try it yourself, but you'll either love love love it or you won't care for it. In this household I liked it, Rob didn't. Eat Beast also ate one, but taste isn't a factor for him when it comes to food.

At work, people seemed to really respond positively to it, with a request or two to make them again. My co-worker Ron e-mailed me, "Very nice, light texture, the pepper adding a surprisingly interesting dimension, and highly desirable, minimalist frosting." My friend Megan noted, "I still think that chocolate and pepper make a great combo - in fact, making it even more chocolaty and more peppery would rock, but I like extreme tastes with those two foods." After which we had a discussion on how to describe the sensation that pepper creates in your mouth. A good question that can only be answered after eating more of these cupcakes.

I placed some ground peppercorns in the cupcakes, steeped them in the cream for the ganache, and crumbled some on to ensure various layers of chocolate and pepper flavor. Probably one of the strangest and most exotic cupcakes I've made to date. I think any culinary dare devils and risk takers out there will well appreciate this cupcake combo. So how adventurous are you?

Chocolate & Pink Peppercorn Cupcakes
24 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

What You'll Need...
200 gram bar of Valrhona 61% cacao chocolate
3 sticks of butter, room temperature
2-1/4 cups of sugar
8 eggs, room temperature
1-1/4 cups of flour
1/4 cup of cocoa powder, unsweetened
1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
pinch of salt
3 teaspoons of ground pink peppercorns

What You'll Do...
1) Melt chocolate and butter over a water bath.
2) Add sugar and stir, let sit for about 10 minutes.
3) Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes.
4) Add one egg at a time, mixing for 30 seconds between each one.
5) Mix the try ingredients, and sift them into the mixture. Mix until just blended.
6) Stir in the ground peppercorns.
7) Scoop into cupcake papers and bake for 20-24 minutes at 350 or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Ganache
What You'll Need...
8 ounces of 61% cacao chocolate bars
1 cup of heavy cream
1 teaspoon of pink peppercorns plus extra for decoration

What You'll Do...
1) Chop chocolate and place in heat proof bowl
2) Heat cream and peppercorns on stove over medium heat until bubbles form around the edge.
3) Pour cream over chocolate, let sit for 1 minute then stir.
4) Let sit for 15 minutes, then dip and swirl cupcakes in the ganache. Decorate with pink peppercorns.

Spiced Cranberry Applesauce

I'm starting to figure out what I want to do for my 3-Top Thanksgiving (my mom, Rob, and me). One of the things I decided to do was completely out of the blue; having just acquired some home grown apples from a friend and with a big bag of cranberries awaiting inspiration in the fridge I decided to throw together an applesauce. I had never made the stuff before but figured it couldn't be that hard, and in truth it was a snap. This recipe is a rough translation of what I did, but it's applesauce (i.e. boiled, mashed apples with water and sugar) so you can easily adjust it to your own liking.

It's sweet and deliciously tart. The cinnamon and ginger add a nice bit of spice in the background. I originally ate it warm, but it was a perfect little dish for a snack the next day out of the fridge. Plus the striking color just incites drama in the dish.

It's a perfect fall recipe, and I think would be great if you are planning to step outside the Thanksgiving staples and do a few different seasonal dishes.

Cranberry Applesauce
What You'll Need...
6 large apples (I used some monster sized Granny Smith)
1 12 oz bag of cranberries
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 cup of sugar

What You'll Do...
1) Bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add the cranberries and let them cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice. I always giggle when the cranberries start to pop for some reason. I just always find it humorous and amusing as food often can be.

2) While they boil, peel and shop the apples into bite sized pieces. Add them to the boiling water and let cook for about 10 minutes until a fork can easily pierce them.

3) Add the sugar. Add the cinnamon and ginger. Stir together.

4) Puree with a stick blender, or process in batches in a standing blender. Let cool a bit and serve. Feel free to pop it in the fridge as it's great cold too.

White Chocolate Cupcakes with Saffron White Chocolate Sauce

I love white chocolate and it's been so long since I gave it the attention it really deserves. I wanted to do something surprising and even a little bit exotic with it, and after seeing it used in petit fours and in Vosges new truffles how could I not pair it with a bit of saffron? (Plus, a friend gave me some for free.) Saffron's bitter honey-like taste is the perfect underscore to the sweet white chocolate. Neither one clamors for attention and the result is a perfect marriage of two seemingly uncompromising flavors.

The cake is delicious and light in its white chocolate taste. Really, the cake is perfect and I plan to use it for many layer cakes in the future. The sauce was meant to be a ganache, but white chocolate is a bitch. So it's a sauce, but a delicious one with the curious taste of saffron peaking through. I still want to put some more work into this one in the future and work out the kinks, as while the flavors are dead on, I'm not quite yet satisfied with the end result of the sauce that would be a ganache.

Still it's delicious, enticing, and mellow. A wonderful cupcake to try.

White Chocolate Cupcakes
Adapted from Food & Wine
Makes 20 cupcakes / 350 F oven

What You'll Need...
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups of sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups of flour
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup of milk
8 ounces of white chocolate, melted

What You'll Do...
1) Beat the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat until soft and fluffy.

2) Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix.

3) Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add some of the flour, then add some of the milk. Continue to mix in a dry-wet-dry method, ending with the dry.

4) Scoop into cupcake papers 3/4 full. Bake at 350F for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool for one minute, then let them continue to cool on a wire rack.

5) Dip into wet ganache, shake off the excess, and decorate with some colored sugar, turbinado sugar, or some saffron if you're crazy fucking rich.
Saffron & White Chocolate Sauce
What You'll Need...
6 ounces of white chocolate
1/3 cup of heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon of saffron strands

What You'll Do...
1) Place the saffron in the cream and let sit for about 10 minutes.

2) Chop chocolate and place in heat proof bowl.

3) Heat cream and saffron on stove over medium heat until bubbles form around the edge.

4) Pour cream over chocolate, let sit for 1 minute then stir.

5) Let sit for 15 minutes, then dip and swirl cupcakes in the ganache. Decorate with colored sugar or something else pretty like that.

Lutiannas (Pear & Fennel Cupcakes with Anise Syrup and Candied Pears)

This particular cupcake is one I'm very fond of and one that just rings of Autumn. In fact, I'm enamored with it. Chopping fennel and pears into a cake was one of the best things I ever did in the kitchen. The taste is seriously out of this world. Even people who weren't fans of anise raved about this deliciously sweet and fragrant cupcakes.

The pears and fennel when cooked release all their sweetness, and when drizzled with some of the sweet anise simple syrup its just amazing. Still they needed something else to compliment it all, so to layer the flavors and let them shine even more I candied some pears and topped them on the cupcake with some of the fennel greens. It's a beautiful and ephemeral cupcake to the point that when it was served, no one spoke. Silence. All you could do was just focus on savoring every bite of this delightful little cake.

Lutianna, like Fojo and Bacon Goddess, is another character and inside joke from high school between Janelle and me. Lutianna was a Russian mad scientist who would torture people with a whip of mad science for fun; it's very funny, as demonstrated by the background of the image. Be sure to check out Janelle's website as you have her to thank for the awesome picture of Lutianna (click on it for full resolution). Also a special shout out to my new English MA buddies who hung out with me and helped me make the cupcake!Anywhose if you like fennel, even a little, take an hour out of your life and try these cupcakes. If you want something lighter, skip the candied pears and anise syrup. It'll make for a light and delicate tea cake that's sure to impress.

Lutiannas (Pear and Fennel Cupcakes)
Makes 12 cupcakes / 350 degree oven

What You'll Need...
1 stick of butter, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup of milk
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
good pinch of salt
2 pears, peeled and diced
1 fennel bulb, chopped into slivers (save the greens for presentation)
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

What You'll Do...
1) Preheat the over to 350 F. Beat the butter for about 2 minutes until well creamed. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through.

2) Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for 45 seconds each. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

3) Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder and sift together. Add some of the flour mixture, then some of the milk, alternating between dry-wet-dry and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix together until just combined.

4) Fold the pear and fennel into the batter. Scoop into cupcake papers until almost full.

5) Bake for about 15-18 minutes. Cupcakes will be dense, heavy, and moist. A toothpick should still come out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.

6) Spoon on some of the star anise syrup and let it soak in for a few minutes (you can also give it a spoonful and let them sit overnight in the fridge to really soak in the syrup, for a taste where the flavors are a bit more intermarried and not so layered, your choice). Give it another spoonful or two and then place some of the caramelized pears on top. Garnish with sprigs from the fennel greens and serve.


Star Anise Syrup
What You'll Need...
1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup of sugar
a few slices of fennel
2 star anise

What You'll Do...
Bring the water to a boil, add the sugar, fennel and anise. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and scoop out the fennel and star anise. Let cool and put a spoonful onto the cooled cupcakes. (Leftovers can be used for sweetening a bit of pear or anise vodka on the rocks as a special treat for the baker-at-work.)


Candied Pears
What You'll Need...
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 cup of sugar
2 pears cut into slices, peeled and cored

What You'll Do... Melt the butter into a pan on high heat. Add the sugar and stir. Toss in the pears and stir. Keep under heat until the sugar turn a light tan color (we're taking in carry-over cooking into account). Place them on a greased baking sheet to cool. Be careful! The hot sugar burns like hell.

Similar Cupcakes
Port Royals (Chocolate Cupcakes with Star Anise Ganache and Candied Grapefruit)
Late Autumn Cupcakes (Pear & Cranberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache)

Chinese Five Spice Chocolate Cupcakes with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

Five spice is a classic Chinese condiment that embodies the 5 main senses of taste - salty, sour, sweet, savory, and bitter. A unique flavor profile if you haven't had it before and tastes great on meat dishes. The main combination consists of cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and ginger root though some have been known to switch out ginger for Szechuan pepper or cassia buds instead of cloves.

Regardless of the mix, it all pairs beautifully with chocolate. These cupcakes utilize high quality, high cacao percentage chocolate for a very dark bittersweet taste, which acts as the perfect backdrop for the full bloom of flavors from the five spice powder.

The five spice cream cheese is also spiked with a bit of ground ginger for a bit more oomph. It's definitely a tasty treat that's familiar and exotically fragrant.

Rob really liked this one and wanted them again, however I was busy and out of chocolate and eggs. Plus, pay day was still a whiles away (goddammit). So I did what anyone would do. I cheated. I used devil's food box mix, which is fine and tastes great too. It's a lot fluffier as box mix tends to be, so if that's the texture you want or want to save some time go this way. Both recipes are below.

Serving them with a small bit of candied ginger is a nice touch and a great way to finish off an Asian inspired meal for friends and family. This cupcake is by far one of my top favorites, and once you try it, I'm sure you'll agree.

Chinese Five Spice Chocolate Cupcakes
24 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

What You'll Need...
200 grams of bar chocolate 62-70% cacao (Scharffen Berger is wonderful)
3 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
8 eggs
1-1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder 70% cacao
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons of Chinese Five Spice powder

What You'll Do...
1) Chop chocolate and transfer into the bowl of a standing mixer, add the butter to the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (a double boiler works great too). Stir until chocolate melts and combined with the butter.

2) Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes to thicken.

3) Place the bowl back into the mixer and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.

4) Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds before adding the next.

5) Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt into the mixture and mix until just blended.

6) Scoop into cupcake papers and bake at 350F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes to ensure even baking.

5 Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
What You'll Need...
1 8oz. package of cream cheese
1/4 cup of butter
3-4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon of Chinese Five Spice
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger

What You'll Do...
1) Cream the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes. Scraped down the sides and bottom.

2) Slowly add the powdered sugar. Add the ginger and five spice. Spread on cooled cupcakes. Decorated with chopped candied ginger.


Chinese Five Spice Chocolate Cupcakes (Box Mix Version)
one 18.25 oz package of devil's food or dark chocolate cake mix
1 1/3 cups of water
1/2 cup of oil
3 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons of Chinese Five Spice powder

Combine all ingredients together and mix for about two minutes at medium speed. Place in cupcake papers and bake at 350F for 19-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Other Similar Cupcakes
Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Ancho Chili Pepper
Pumpkin Curry Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache & Coconut
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Pink Peppercorn

Orange Clove Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream and Clove-Candied Orange Peel

My friend Babette, who is also the creator of Bakespace, is celebrating the Bakespace birthday this month, so I decided to make her her very own cupcake.

This is a slightly citric, lightly aromatic, and hedonistic spice cake. It's comforting and eloquent with it's bold, in-your-face flavors. Orange cake has been laced with hints of freshly ground cloves to give it a bit of a bite. A vanilla buttercream acts as a simple, if not perfectly paired backdrop to allow the real star flavors to shine. The candied orange peel has also been given a bit of raw ground clove as well, it's pungent and slightly bitter flavor creating sweet little pinpricks on your tongue. It's a delicious thing to bite into.

Here's to you darlin'! Congrats!

Orange Clove Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes / 350F oven

What You'll Need...
3 cups of flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of grated orange zest
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup of orange juice (no pulp)
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cloves

What You'll Do...
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, zest, ground cloves, salt and baking powder together in a bowl and set aside.

2) Place eggs and sugar in a mixer and beat on high for 30 seconds until light and fluffy.

3) Add the vanilla and oil and mix until just combined.

4) Add some of the dry ingredients and then the orange juice. Alternate the dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry.

5) Scoop into cupcake papers about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, rotating the pan after the first 15 minutes. Check with a cake tester or toothpick for doneness.

Vanilla Buttercream
What You'll Need...
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 cups of powdered sugar
1/4 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

What You'll Do...
1) Cream the butter until soft.

2) Add the sugar and then the milk and vanilla extract. Cream till soft. Spread on cooled cupcakes.
Cloved & Candied Orange Peel
What You'll Need...
2 oranges
1 tablespoon of salt
1 pinch of ground cloves
2 cups of sugar, plus some extra for rolling

What You'll Do...
1) Zest the peel into long strips with a citrus zester. (You can cut off the zest as well with e a vegetable peeler, then cut into strips, just be sure to scrape off all of the white pith as it's nasty bitter.) Add salt and peel to 4 cups of water and let stand overnight.

2) Drain and rinse. Place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Heat to boiling and then drain. Repeat 3 times (this is to remove any bitter taste).

3) In sauce pan, combine peel, sugar and 1/2 cup water. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Continue to cook until peel is translucent. Drain any liquid.

4) Place some granulated sugar and a pinch and roll peel in granulated sugar and ground cloves. Be sure to only use a small pinch of cloves, in large amounts by itself raw cloves can create a burning or numbing sensation on the tongue. (By the by never take a pinch of ground cloves and put it on your tongue; can you tell I learned something today?) You just want a very slight taste of it, and when combined with the sugar it's tamed and tasty. Allow to dry.

Note: This, like many of my recipes, can easily be adapted to a sheet or round cake as well.

Horchata Pudding

I love the taste of horchata, and decided to try to mimic the flavor as accurately as I could into a rice pudding. This is the result of my experiment - the best rice pudding ever. E-V-E-R. It's insanely sweet and has that smooth milky taste you love, with slight whispers of vanilla, and caressing mildly spicy notes of cinnamon that follow. It's quite a rush.This stuff is also rich, as in if you fed it to a racehorse, it would die. Thus, proving the true yumtasticness of this rice pudding. I attribute it to the use of heavy cream and arborio rice. This is a recipe where the quality of ingredients will really make a difference. I used Mexican vanilla, and whole Mexican cinnamon sticks for a more authentic flavor. Almonds add a nice smooth flavor underneath it all. I know some people like a bit of lime in their horchata, so if you want feel free to garnish this with some lime zest.
All the time and effort that this recipe demands is worth it, and a great way to spend a long cold day when those come up. I just pull up a stool next to the stove, get a book and a glass of gin and tonic, and stir. It makes for a fragrant and relaxing respite in life.

Does it get any better than this? I think not.

Horchata Pudding
What You'll Need...
3/4 cup of arborio rice
1 stick of Mexican cinnamon
3 cups of milk
3 cups of heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, preferably Mexican, split lengthwise -or- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup of sugar
large pinch of salt
1 cup blanched skinless almonds

What You'll Do...
1) Place rice in a small sauce pan with two cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then drain. Transfer rice to a heavy 3 quart pot.

2) Add 2 cups of milk, 2 cups of cream, sugar, cinnamon stick, and salt. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the pod to the milk and rice mixture. Place over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until milk has been absorbed by rice, about an hour. Rice should be tender and rice should be creamy.

3) Add another 1 cup of milk and cream and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes. Stir often, if not continuously, to prevent the bottom from burning.

3) When it is done, you should be able to pull the spoon through the middle of the pudding, and the pudding take a second to fill in the breach. (It should be pudding consistency, albeit hot pudding.) Chop the almonds and fold into the pudding. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature and thicken.

4) Serve in small portions and garnish with ground cinnamon.

For a traditional horchata drink recipe, check out the recipe here at Life Begins at 30.

Feel free to use 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom in lieu of cinnamon and use in the place of vanilla rice pudding in the Cardamom Pistachio Cupcakes with Rice Pudding Filling recipe!

Fojos (Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Ancho Chili and Whipped Cream)

So bear with me for a bit, I'm gonna delve into old High School memories and ancient nerdiness of my best friend and me.

Janelle and I have known each other since we were about five, and we've been pretty damn close all that time. Back in our schoolin' days we often took on various art projects for our own fun and amusement, like drawing out elaborate comic books where my little brother would die a horrible death on every page, write stories, or even program 40+ hour role playing games (our first one's website is still up, only 12 hours long for a playthrough).

ANYWAYS, all of our creations always starred ourselves and two of our creations as companions. Mine was Bacon Goddess, a powerful being who spoke in Middle English, wore slutty leather outfits, and had the power of bacon which could turn things into bacon, pancetta, pork belly, etc. or use it to control universal chaos to blow shit up. Fojo was a red haired pyromaniac who loved bombs, had a robotic ferret named M.I.L.O. which turned into a flame thrower and a motorcycle, and often screamed out in joy whenever she set stuff like houses or people on fire.

I wanted to make some food to commemorate these characters whom I still love and adore. A bacon cupcake obviously isn't going to happen (I did think about it though) so I will give her a savory dish at some point. Fojo however, the crazy little vixen, gets a cupcake. I thought of doing a flambe cupcake, but all that butter and sugar but it seemed like a good way to explode myself, but I will revisit that idea later. So instead she gets rich chocolate and ancho chilies attributed to her.

Rich, sexy, and with a subtle-sweet kick, this cupcake is totally yumtastic. Ancho chilies are very sweet with only a little bit of heat and work as the backbone to many Mexican dishes including moles, so the combination of anchos and chocolate has a history of dancing well together. The whipped cream helps calm it all down a bit and lighten the overall texture and taste. By the by, this cupcake is TOTALLY GLUTEN FREE.

The picture of Bacon Goddess and Fojo was done by Janelle. She's a talented artist and if you need to have a piece of clever art designed she's a good person to go to. You can check out her website here. (SHAMELESS PLUG, GO!)

Hope you enjoy the cupcakes, and if you do be sure to check out the Chipotle Cinnamon Chocolate Cupcakes!

Update: I made the Bacon Goddess inspired cupcakes! Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Frosting! Please be sure to check them out!

Flourless Ancho Chocolate Cupcakes
12 cupcakes / 350 degree oven

What You'll Need...
8 oz of semisweet chocolate (60% cacao)
3/4 cup of butter, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
4 eggs, separated, room temperature
2 1/2 tablespoons of ancho chili powder
pinch of salt

What You'll Do...
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water in a double boiler type fashion.
2) Beat the egg yolks with half of the sugar until light and creamy.
3) Fold in the melted butter and chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. Fold in the ancho chili.
4) Beat egg whites until frothy by using an electric mixer; gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. For more great advice on working with egg whites, check out Shuna's post on Simply Recipes.
5) Fold in the beaten egg whites to the chocolate mixture.
6) Spoon into cupcake papers. Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes. The cupcakes will collapse due to no flour.
7) Let cool for 8 minutes, then use a knife to slowly and carefully work out the cupcakes. They can be fragile but if they break or goosh a bit, whatever. You'll probably need a fork to eat these anyway. Put a mound of whipped cream on and dust with cocoa powder and serve.

Whipped Cream
What You’ll Need...
3 cups of heavy whipping cream
1/3 – 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

What You’ll Do...
Place together in a mixing bowl until big, billowy and holds very stiff peaks.

I'm Such a Dip for Dip

I am shocked. Shocked I say! How is it I have never shared this recipe with you, dear reader? This simple recipe that I make once a week at least (I kid you not) is flavorful, cheap, and simple. The three requirements for a truly great recipe in my eyes.

I made this after work one day when I was hungry. Voraciously hunting in my kitchen I discovered a loaf of crusty bread and some stray veggies, yet nothing to dip them into. How cruel the world is! But lo'! Creativity takes over and the artistic juices start flowing! I grabbed a few choice ingredients and the food processor, me easel and paints if you will. Art was born.

I bam this together before impromptu get togethers, and then FLASH! POP! POW! The citrus, the spice, the flavorful cannellini beans all deliver a pleasant rush to your tongue, emitting a "YUM!" from your lips and pleas for the recipe from your friends. Even kids have proven to enjoy this zesty little dip, so right there you know it'll please any palate. Give it a shot yourself, the recipe is simple, can be adapted and built upon. It's your blank easel, so get creative.

Lemon Cannellini Dip
What You'll Need...
1 can of white beans, washed and drained
zest and juice from 1 lemon
a few shakes of cayenne pepper
a pinch of salt
a few cracks from the ol' pepper grinder
1 1/2 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil

What You'll Do...
1) PUREE'!!!
2) Taste and adjust lemon, salt, oil, and cayenne to taste. Pour into a bowl, sprinkle with some cayenne and drizzle some olive oil. Serve with bread and veggies.