Leah is clearly a Licker

gingerbread cake with coffee icing

Gingerbread Cupcakes With Candied Ginger
Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox

November 24, 2009

Makes 18 cupcakes.

CANDIED GINGER
One 3-inch knob fresh ginger
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

CUPCAKES
3/4 cup stout beer, such as Guinness
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
3/4 cup dark molasses, such Grandma's
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed dark brown sugar, or organic dark brown molasses sugar, such as Billington's
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
3 tablespoons Demerara sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 large egg
1-3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons purpose flour
2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2-1/4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

ICING
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup brewed coffee, or more if needed, cooled
1 tablespoon dark molasses, such as Grandma's
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To make the candied ginger, peel and thinly slice the knob of fresh ginger lengthwise. Cut each strip into thin sticks. Put the ginger in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Strain out the ginger, return it to the pan, and repeat this process two more times. Drain the ginger and set it aside.

Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1 cup water in the same saucepan, stirring to make sure all of the sugar is damp. Bring to a boil, add the ginger, and simmer over medium-low heat until the ginger becomes translucent, about 10 minutes.

Strain out the ginger, discarding the syrup, and spread it out on baking sheet. Toss it with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and leave it to dry for 2 hours, or overnight.

For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, and line 6 more cups in a second muffin tin.

In a large saucepan, bring the beer, coffee, and molasses to a boil; whisk together to combine. Remove from the heat and whisk in the baking soda. Be cautious; it will bubble up quite a bit. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, Demerara sugar, and grated fresh ginger. Whisk in the egg. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, white pepper, and salt. In three additions of each, alternately whisk the flour mixture and the beer mixture into the brown sugar mixture to combine.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them about three-quarters of the way. Bake, without opening the oven, for 20 minutes. Then turn the tins and bake until the cupcakes spring back to the touch and a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 5 minutes more. Invert the cupcakes onto a wire rack, turn them top side up, and let them cool completely.

To make the icing, put the confectioners' sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk in the coffee, molasses, and vanilla. If the glaze is too thick for dipping, add another 1/2 tablespoon coffee. Dip the top of each cupcake in the molasses icing and then top it with a couple of strands of candied ginger. Return the cupcakes to the wire rack to let the icing set up, at least 30 minutes. The cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

From The Craft of Baking: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets with Ideas for Inventing Your Own by Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox. Copyright 2009 by Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox. Published by Clarkson Potter. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Lavender Chiffon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Lavender Chiffon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dried lavender
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup unflavored vegetable oil (canola or safflower)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
zest from 1 lemon
2 1/4 cups cake flour (I used all purpose flour with no problem)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, separated
7 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)
Berries for decoration

To make the lavender chiffon cake:
Cut a round of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and cut out a hole in the middle to fit the center tube of the pan. This cake is baked in an ungreased pan because greasing the pan would keep the batter from rising and gripping the sides of the pan as the cake bakes.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

In a large measuring cup or medium bowl,combine the oil, water, vanilla and eggyolks. Whisk until well combined.

Over a large piece of parchment paper or bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. Add 1 cup of sugar, the dried lavender, lemon zest and salt and stir together.

Make a well in the center of the mixture by pushing the dry ingredients towards the side of the bowl. Add the oil mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir together until thoroughly combined.

Place the egg whites in the grease free bowl of an electric mixer or in a large grease free bowl. Using the wire whip attachment or a hand held mixer, whip the egg whites on medium speed until they are frothy. Add the cream of tartar. Slowly sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and continue whipping until the egg whites hold glossy and firm but not stiff, peaks, about 5 minutes.

Fold the egg whites into the cake batter in 3 to 4 stages, blending thoroughly after each addition. Transfer the batter to the tube pan. Use the rubber spatula to smooth and even the top.

Bake for 1 hour, or until the cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.(Mine took 45-50 minutes).

Remove the pan from the oven and invert it over a cooling rack onto its feet or over a funnel or a thin necked bottle. Let the cake hanf to cook completely. Don't set the pan on a cooling rack on its base. This will cause the cake to collapse onto itself.

Don't shake the cake out of the pan before it is cool. Once the cake is cool. use a thin blade knife or flexible blade spatula to run across the outer edge and the inside tube to help release the cake from the pan. Invert the cake onto a rack, then reinvert onto a serving plate.

To make the cream cheese frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 stick ( 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1.5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Using a stand mixer,fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla extract.

sagaform design

juicy cups, sagaform, 2010. via.

Dean & Deluca's 15 Licorice Varieties

1. White Duet Licorice Drops: Hard and very chewy with a chalky, grainy mouth feel. Really intense peppermint flavor.

2. Black Duet Licorice Drops: Similar texture to the white variety, with a creamy vanilla and caramel flavor, followed by a slight aroma of anise and ammonia.

3. Double Salt : This candy is stamped with a "DZ," which stands for "double salt" in Dutch. It was probably the worst candy I've ever eaten. After about five seconds on my tongue, I realized it tasted just like ammonia or perm solution and I spit it out! I'm not sure if it's really edible.

4. Licorice Mounties: Brown exterior had a strong maple flavor with notes of black coffee and a sandy texture. The interior had a traditional black licorice flavor with a semi-soft texture.

5. Licorice Buttons: These super hard and chewy little dots were full of berry and vanilla aromas and had a floral licorice flavor.

6. Salmiak Rocks: Simply the complete opposite of the Licorice Mounties.

7. Honey Licorice: Even thought this candy boasts a lovely beehive design, it didn't taste one bit like honey. It has a sweet and ammonia-like flavor with a crumbly texture.

8. Licorice Ice: This little tube has a very satisfyingly sweet hard candy shell that cracked when bitten into. It's filling was light peppermint-flavored, with a nice creamy, vanilla background.

9. Money Licorice: These made me want a return on my money. They had a papery, cardboard flavor that was laced with must and ammonia. They were also really hard and chewy. Perfect for a filling removal.

10. Black Kookaburra: Yum. Soft and chewy, spicy and delicious, with lots of molasses and cloves.

11. Licorice Caramel: These were my favorite! Super soft like a Kraft caramel, with a milky, floral flavor that reminded me of lots of lavender.

12. Licorice Mint: The same as number 11, with a bright, spicy, peppermint swirl.

13. Mango Kookaburra: Soft and sticky texture with tart, acidic, like an under ripe mango flavors.

14. Green Apple Kookaburra: Bright green apple scent and flavor, with a salty start and a chalky finish.

15. Raspberry Kookaburra The gourmet version of a Twizzler. Lots of acid and tang, followed by a sweet and salty, bright red berry flavor.

via http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/05/licorice-at-dean-and-deluca-candy.html

spring blossoms

spring blossoms via http://www.leogren.com/

perfect spring party dress

vintage 60's perfect spring party dress

perfect spring party dress

vintage 60's perfect spring party dress

blooming crystal glasses

By Joe Colombo in the 1970's, this set of crystal drinking glasses is like a blooming flower. The irregularly-shaped vessels are designed so that they can nest into one another.

strawberry dumpling

Strawberry Dumpling, gourmet

Serves 6

* Active time: 15 min
* Start to finish: 40 min

June 2009

Test kitchen director Ruth Cousineau learned how to make this stovetop dessert from her husband’s family, who would throw it together it after picking pounds of strawberries to freeze for the winter. And it couldn’t be easier: Simply stir an easy biscuit dough into the boiling fruit, cover, and cook until the dough bakes up into a fluffy, cakelike dumpling dripping with sweet, juicy strawberries. All you need to add is a drizzle of heavy cream.

* 1 qt strawberries, trimmed and thickly sliced (about 4 cups)
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 2/3 cup whole milk

Accompaniment:
heavy cream

* Stir together strawberries and sugar in a 4-qt heavy saucepan and let stand, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 15 minutes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
* Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Blend in butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Stir in milk until just blended, then add mixture to boiling berries and stir once or twice. Tightly cover saucepan and reduce heat to low. Cook, undisturbed, until dumpling looks dry on top, 15 to 18 minutes. Let stand off heat, uncovered, 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe by Ruth Cousineau

Photograph by Stephanie Foley

cake pops

cake pops from Confection Concoctions, Spanaway, WA

trix treats

trix treats. via http://www.flickr.com/photos/plaidponyvintage/2102094038/

found!

turns out it wasnt a tumblog which is why i couldnt find it. it was http://thxthxthx.com/.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

via http://bit.ly/dbN6vk (an entry from yesterday! thank goodness for late night last minute surfing)

why the posts

i dont have a blog bc i dont really have anything to say. no message, no agenda. no carefully composed thoughts that i want to share with any particular wide or niche audience.  i already share links, recipes, pictures and other random stuff on facebook.  and thats good enough for me.

tonight, however, i wanted to visit this one blog where someone posts a thank you every day to something. it was cheerful wo being overly saccharine and i liked it but i hadnt been to the site in a long time. and i had posted a link to this blog on my facebook page.

poked around, no link. looked deeper. still couldnt find it. i thought it might be something like thanksthanksthanks.tumblr.com, but it wasnt. and it wasnt tnxtnxtnx or thnxthnxthnx. maybe its been deleted.

you really cannot search through wall postings or comments on facebook. fb really isnt a blogging platform. so i am starting this as a way to keep things searchable.