26 Feb 2012

Tres Leches Cupcakes


These cupcakes are again from Martha Stewarts Cupcakes. They are based on a Latin American cake and are doused with a mixture of three milks- condensed, evaporated and fresh cream. They are rich sticky and very moist and topped with fresh cream they are almost pudding like. The cake mixture is very light and frothy because of all the whipped egg whites and it has very little fat in it, because of these two factors the cakes do not taste as rich as you might think they would. 


The amount of liquid that you have to douse them in seems like a lot but it does get absorbed. The cakes do not get as soggy as you might think, though you do have to use paper-lined foil liners.




 




The recipe in the book is for about 20 cupcakes, I made half that amount and it made 14 cupcakes.




Recipe for 12-14 cupcakes:
3 large eggs separated
Small pinch bicarb and small pinch coarse salt
½ cup sugar
1oz unsalted butter,melted and cooled
½ cup flour
1 can evaporated milk (6 oz,small can)
14 oz condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh double cream
1.5 cups fresh double cream plus two teaspoons icing sugar for the topping
1. Preheat oven to 160◦C. Line cupcake tins with paper-lined foil liners. With an electric mixer on medium speed whisk the egg white with the bicarb and salt until you get soft peaks. Reduce speed to low. Add yolks and sugar, whisk until completely combined. Fold in melted butter with a flexible spatula.  Add flour in 2 batches, folding until just combined after each addition.
2. Divide batter evenly between lined cups, filling each half way. Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating tins halfway through or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean
3. Whisk together the three milks, when the cupcakes come out of the oven make holes in them using a skewer  and brush with the cakes with the milk mixture, repeating until all the liquid has been absorbed. Allow cupcakes to absorb mixture for 30 mins atleast
4. To finish whip the double cream with the icing sugar and dollop or pipe on top. You can also sprinkle with cinnamon if you like.  

19 Feb 2012

Butterscotch cookies

Firstly apologies for the long delay for the long break between posts (I see quite a few of you have been checking in!:) ). I have been away on holiday and have started full time work so it’s probably going to be a bit slow on the blogging (and baking) front until I adapt to my new more demanding schedule. But for now here are some yummy cookies. These cookies are from Sainsbury’s baking book collection. They only require a few ingredients and are very easy and quick to make. They are very buttery and very sweet. Crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle and dotted with chewy bits of butterscotch pieces. They are easy to over bake so best to check on them early. Also use really good quality parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet to stop the butterscotch from sticking to the paper…..


                                     





Recipe:
makes 14:
100g unsalted butter
100g Sainsbury's Fairtrade light brown sugar
1 tablesppon golden syrup
150g plain flour,sifted
50g mini butterscotch chips

1.preheat oven to 180 degrees , 
line a baking tray with parchment

2.using an electric hand mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Add golden syrup and beat for one minute. Add the flour and butterscotch chips and beat with wooden spoon until soft dough forms

3.lightly dust your hands with flour  and divide dough into 14 balls.flatten only slightly with palm of your hand. place on baking tray leaving space inbetween for them to spread out. Bake for 12-15 mins until lightly golden at edges (check around 8 minutes though)

4. remove from oven and cool on wire rack.