Spiced Maple Pecan Cupcakes (Guest Blogger)

January 26, 2010July 7, 2010 The Culinary Chronicles14 Comments

**This entry has been submitted to The Culinary Chronicles through our Guest Blogger Contest. **

Submitted by: Carol L.

It’s a poorly-kept secret that I don’t have very much of a sweet tooth, despite the amount of baking that I do. I much prefer more spiced or lighter desserts like carrot cake, apple cobbler, and tiramisu. That is why I LOVE the fall and winter season — that’s when the spiced desserts come out to play! From pumpkin pie to gingerbread, these are the desserts that I especially enjoy making and devouring!

I took the opportunity during this season to concoct a recipe for a Spiced Maple Pecan Cupcake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. I started with my normal vanilla cupcake recipe, and substituted the white sugar with brown sugar instead, being sure to check the internet that this wouldn’t ruin the texture or form of my cupcake. Baking is such a chemical science, that you risk an imploded or exploded result if you substitute ingredients incorrectly! I then added some of my favorite fall and winter spices for baking: cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, and allspice… similar to what you would put into a pumpkin recipe.

All right, we’ve taken care of the “spiced” part of Spiced Maple Pecan, now for the “maple” part! Instead of vanilla, I wanted to use a maple flavoring. Googling around, I found that most maple recipes required a few cups of pure Grade B maple syrup. I was a little concerned as to what 1-3 cups of liquid would do to my cupcakes, and I had heard anecdotes that when you use the syrup, you don’t even get that familiar maple flavor that most people are used to. I contemplated a bit, but then decided I didn’t feel like dealing with failed cupcakes that day. Therefore, I opted to use the imitation maple flavoring by McCormick’s for my cupcakes and frosting. Amusingly enough, I later had a conversation with Nam herself, and she also prefers the imitation maple flavoring over the maple syrup!

Now for the best part… candied pecans! Making candied pecans is pretty easy, and it makes a HUGE difference when using candied pecans instead of regular pecans. It is everyone’s favorite part! The hardest thing about making candied pecans is trying not to eat them all yourself, and running out before they even make it into the cupcakes. I incorporated these babies into the cupcakes themselves and also sprinkled them on top of the maple cream cheese frosting.

The resulting cupcake was a hit! Everyone loved them, and I even got a comment that, “He normally hates cupcakes, but he loves these!” And I thought, “That’s because they’re not too sweet, and spiced instead!” I hope you try this recipe out and love them too!

Spiced Maple Pecan Cupcakes
Ingredients:
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons imitation maple flavoring
• 3/4 cup candied pecans (recipe below)

1. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices; stir with a whisk until combined. Add butter and mix with an eletric mixer.
2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and maple flavoring.
3. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts. Mix until combined, but do not overbeat.
4. Dust the candied pecans with some flour (this keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes). Mix in the candied pecans.
5. Divide among cupcake liners. Bake at 325° until toothpick comes out clean.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• Approximately 2-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon imitation maple flavoring

1. Beat butter vigorously with an electric mixer. Scrape the bowl and add the cream cheese. Beat until combined.
2. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
3. Add the maple flavoring and mix.
4. Continue to add powdered sugar until desired consistency for piping.

Candied Pecans
Ingredients:
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup sugar

1. In a pan, mix white sugar and pecan pieces. Turn on the heat to medium, and slowly stir with wooden chopsticks or spoon until the sugar starts to melt.
2. When the mixture becomes a nice brown color, remove from heat, and continue to stir until cooled. Careful, it can go from golden brown to burnt surprisingly quickly! If you don’t continue to stir until cool, it will all harden together in one big clump.
3. Once cooled, crumble and break apart any pecans that are stuck together.

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Desserts/Pastries

Gingerbread-Pear Cupcakes

December 17, 2009February 9, 2011 The Culinary Chronicles2 Comments

I’ve already confessed by Gingerbread obsession. So, when a recent holiday feast left us with some delicious Poached Pear leftovers, I seized the opportunity to kick up a favorite holiday goodie.

I chose to adapt Martha Stewart’s recipe for Gingerbread Cupcakes. Her version has such a wonderful spicy flavor with a moist cake that I knew would be the perfect match to the pears. However, since her recipe is scaled for “jumbo cupcakes”, I needed to tweak the measurements a bit.

The end results were absolutely delicious—-personally, my favorite cupcake of the year. And for those who prefer to scale down the sweet factor, swap out my cream cheese frosting for a light dusting of confectioner sugar.

These “Cuppies” will definitely be added to my Holiday Baking Rotation—though maybe next time I’ll use a Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting as opposed to the standard Cream Cheese. After all, it is the holidays!

Enjoy!!!

Gingerbread-Pear Cupcakes © Photo rights reserved.

Sneak Peak of the Pears © Photo rights reserved.

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Gingerbread-Pear Cupcakes
Makes 12 Cupcakes
The Gingerbread Cupcake Batter was adapted from Martha Stewart’s “Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe” to accommodate a half batch and regular cupcake size.

Ingredients:

Cupcake Batter
1 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1¼ Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
¾ Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter at room temperature
½ Cup Packed Dark-Brown Sugar
½ Cup Unsulphered Molasses
1 Large Egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
1½ Diced Poached Pears

Poached Pears
3 Bosc Pears (peeled, cored, halved)
1 Whole Cinnamon Stick
5-6 Allspice Corns
5-6 Whole Cloves
1 Vanilla Bean, split with seeds scraped
½ Cup Granulated Sugar
3 Cups White Wine

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 Ounces of Cream Cheese at room temperature
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter at room temperature
2½ -3 Cups Confectioner Sugar (varies due to preferred frosting consistency)
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized saucepan, combine ingredients for poached pears with the exception of the pears. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add pears. Bring liquid to a rolling boil and lower to a light simmer. Cook pears until fork tender. Remove from heat and thoroughly cool. Once cooled, remove pears from poaching liquid and pat dry. Dice pears in small cubes.

In another small saucepan, bring ½ cup water to a boil. In a bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, ground spices, salt, and baking powder; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light. Beat in the brown sugar until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, baking-soda mixture, and flour mixture. Beat in the egg. Carefully fold in the diced pears.

Fill prepared cupcake pans lined with paper cups three-quarters full, making sure that the batter is divided evenly. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of them comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in the pans on wire racks.

While cupcakes are baking, prepare the frosting. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and then gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time. Continue adding sugar to desire consistency. (I typically lean towards the full 3 cups for a firmer consistency to pipe the frosting). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before use.

Once cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with prepared Cream Cheese frosting. Cupcakes can be stored up to three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Note: Remaining Poached Pears can serve as a light and delicious dessert. Serve with a zabaglione or whipped cream. When storing in the refrigerator, keep pears in poaching liquid to add to the flavor and moistness.

Desserts/Pastries

Molasses Cookies—Mmm…so good!

December 10, 2009July 7, 2010 The Culinary Chronicles9 Comments

One of my favorite childhood memories of the holidays was going to visit my mom at Donaldson’s—the department store that she worked at in Minnesota. My siblings and I would head over to the mall with our dad and meander about. Too young at that age to be interested in Christmas shopping, I would look forward to all of the holiday decorations and hoopla of the season. But my ultimate memories surround the moments when the elevator doors would open in the department store and the amazing aromas of gingerbread would fill the air. It was so magically intoxicating and to me, it was heaven.

I truly believe that’s what started my love for the flavor and smell of gingerbread. There’s just something about that spicy scent that will instantly transport me back to my youth—and as I believe, nostalgia can be that hidden “taste” bud. Gingerbread cookies, gingerbread loaves, gingerbread lattes—you name it, I love them all!

So when the holidays come around, I go into full gingerbread baking mode. Of my favorites to make are my Molasses Cookies. They carry the same spicy punch that a great gingerbread cookie should have but are slightly chewy in the inside and crisp on the outside–which is this gal’s favorite cookie profile. Through trial and error, I’ve tweaked the below recipe from an online post I found years ago. I am sorry to say that I cannot remember where I first snagged it—so my apologies that I can’t give due credit to the original.

They are SUPER yummy and very easy to pull together. If you’re looking to transport your home into the holiday spirit—try whipping up a batch of these Molasses Cookies. It will make your house smell AMAZING (almost as good as the gingerbread aromas of my childhood).

Molasses Cookies
Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Egg at room temperature
1/4 Cup Molasses
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Cup Granulated Sugar (to roll dough in)
2 Tablespoons Confectioner Sugar (for dusting)

In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, light brown sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Mix dry ingredients into the molasses mixture. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll them in the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto parchment lined baking sheets. Using the bottom of a flat glass, gently press down on the cookies to lightly flatten.

Bake for 7-8 minutes until tops are cracked. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks. Once cookies have completely cooled, lightly dust them with confectioner sugar.

Note: Dried spices as well as baking soda & baking powder lose potency over time. For best results, I suggest keeping them in your cupboard for no longer than 6 months before discarding.

Desserts/Pastries

Snickerdoodles 2.0

December 4, 2009January 16, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles7 Comments

When the bf told me a few years ago that his FAVORITE cookie was the Snickerdoodle, I was a bit surprised. In all honesty, I hadn’t had many Snickerdoodles in my life, recalling that they were pretty much a sugar cookie with an extra application of ground cinnamon prior to baking. They were okay for me but not a cookie that I would first reach for.

But, when my better half has specific treats that he likes, I’ve got to do my best to make it happen! I had made several attempts in the past of his beloved cookie with mediocre results—yielding more of a “butter cookie flavor” than what I envision as a Snickerdoodle. I struggled with how I could kick up the flavor a bit without losing the integrity of the simple dough.

After many variations, I finally stumbled upon a great end product—and it was simple too! I’ve added extra cinnamon in the dough and substituted a portion of the granulated sugar to light brown sugar. Lastly, right when the cookies come out of the oven, I suggest sprinkling some of the remaining coating mixture of cinnamon/sugar on the warm cookies for an added “oompf” of texture and flavor. What a difference a few steps make! I was clearly making it too complicated in my first few attempts. 🙂 Ooops!

The bf has proclaimed that it’s my best cookie yet—lightly crispy on the outside and chewy in the inside. This kicked up version of a classic has definitely changed my opinion on the Snickerdoodle.

Special Note: I’ve used SaiGon Cinnamon in my cookies—a gift from my cousin who had visited the Motherland SaiGon Cinnamon direct from Viet Nam is often not ground as fine like the cinnamon you’ll find in supermarkets or your average grocery store in the States. Hence, you’ll notice the larger flecks of it in my photos of the cookies.

Snickerdoodles 2.0 © Photo rights reserved.

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Snickerdoodle Cookies 2.0
Makes approximately 24 cookies

Ingredients:

½ Cup Butter (1 stick) at room temperature
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 Large Egg at room temperature
½ Teaspoon Vanilla
1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour

For Coating:
3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 ½ Teaspoons Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Using your stand mixer (or large bowl with handheld mixer) beat butter, ¾ cup of sugar, and ¼ cup brown sugar until very smooth (approximately 2 minutes until smooth). Stop periodically to scrape down sides of the bowl. Add egg and vanilla until well blended.

In another bowl, mix flour, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Carefully add dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Combine until smooth. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Dough may be refrigerated if it is too soft to handle.

In a small dish, mix remaining sugar and the cinnamon. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Using the bottom of a glass, gently flatten each cookie to about ½ inch thick.

Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until they are light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle each cookie with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Desserts/Pastries

Mini Spiced Cheesecakes with Gingerbread Crust

November 23, 2009February 9, 2011 The Culinary Chronicles4 Comments

Since we were preparing a “heavy meal” for my family the other night, I wanted to make something light for dessert to end things off with a little sweetness. What better than mini cheesecakes? They’re small enough for folks who have had a bit too much for dinner but perfect for those of us who have a spare “dessert tummy” that we reserve specifically for delicious treats. They’re quite small so you can just pop them into your mouth.

This particular recipe is wonderful for the holiday season with its gingerbread crust and spiced cheesecake filling. The ricotta also offers a light pairing to the cream cheese that is neither too sweet nor dense. For those who prefer even more warmth in flavor, add an additional ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the cheesecake mixture. You can also swap out the raspberry garnish for a drizzle of white chocolate ganache.

Enjoy!

Mini Spiced Cheesecakes with Gingerbread Crust © Photo rights reserved.

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Mini Spiced Cheesecakes with Gingerbread Crusts
Makes approximately 18-20 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients:

1 Cup Gingersnap Cookies
4 Tablespoons Melted Butter
½ Cup Ricotta Cheese
4 Ounces Cream Cheese
½ Cup Granulated Sugar
½ Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
Raspberries for Garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.

In a food processor, pulse Gingersnap cookies into an even powder. Transfer to a bowl and add melted butter until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Generously spray 2 mini-muffin pans with cooking spray. Place a heaping teaspoon of the gingersnap mixture into the bottom of each cup, pressing firmly down to pack the bottom. Place the prepared pans in the oven and bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

In a food processor combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and the eggs. Blend until smooth. Fill the cups with about 1½ tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture. Situate the mini muffin pans in a water bath by placing them in a baking dish and pour boiling water in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the mini muffin pans. Bake for 25 minutes. Transfer the mini muffin pans to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes then refrigerate for 20 minutes. Use a small pairing knife to gently pop the cheesecakes out of the cups. Plate the mini cheesecakes and garnish with one raspberry atop each cake.

Breads · Desserts/Pastries

Spiced Pumpkin Loaves…Friend? Or Foe?

November 11, 2009July 1, 2010 The Culinary Chronicles2 Comments

The abrupt change in weather this week spurred a strong need for me to keep our home warm with all kinds of tasty aromas. I decided to bake something that evoked the “autumnal” season and pumpkin bread came to mind. Those close to me will know that I am not typically a fan of pumpkin–or most squashes for that matter. I’m pretty sure I was traumatized from eating the mushy kabocha squash when I was a kid. Still, even a hater like me can’t deny that nothing screams Fall like pumpkin!

The verdict? The loaves were quite dense like a pound cake and was quite moist. My fear of the overwhelming pumpkin flavor was quelled when I tasted the finished product, as it wasn’t too sweet or “pumpkin-ie”. The cloves and nutmeg added a great spice component.

This recipe is super easy and I’ll consider adding a cinnamon sugar topping next time I make it for that great crunchy-crust texture. You could also do a very light glaze on top after the loaves have cooled. For those who prefer more of a pumpkin flavor, I would suggest adding another 3-4 ounces of the pumpkin puree and reduce the vegetable oil to compensate for the extra moisture.

Spiced Pumpkin Loaves

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
15 ounce can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. (Mix in chocolate chips, if desired.)

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.