Tag: vanilla

Categories
Dessert

‘Poppy’ in the kitchen and try some beautiful scratch-made cupcakes

Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting
These lemon poppy seed cupcakes feature a decadent, from-scratch, blackberry buttercream that sends the springtime fruit flavors to the next level.
Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting
These lemon poppy seed cupcakes feature a decadent, from-scratch, blackberry buttercream that sends the springtime fruit flavors to the next level.

I have always been a sucker for poppy seeds.

If there is a tray of pastries that includes poppy seed bread or muffins, that is what’s going on my plate. That nutty flavor is just irresistible.

That being said, I rarely bake with poppy seeds, for some reason. I had to change that, and what better way than making a delicious, springtime dessert featuring the little seeds along with fresh lemon and blackberries?

A match made in heaven.

This comes from the blog “Just So Tasty” by Fiona Dowling. You can find the original post at https://www.justsotasty.com/lemon-poppy-seed-cupcakes-with-blackberry-frosting/. I added extra vanilla and poppy seeds in my version.

Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting
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Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting

These lemon poppy seed cupcakes feature a decadent, from-scratch, blackberry buttercream that sends the springtime fruit flavors to the next level.
Course Dessert
Keyword baby shower cupcake, buttercream, fresh blackberries, fresh lemon, from-scratch, frozen blackberries, lemon zest, poppy seeds, poppyseed, vanilla, wedding shower cupcake

Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Frosting Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups blackberries
  • 1 cup butter room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon milk or cream if needed

Instructions

Cupcake Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line one and one-half regular-sized muffin tins with cupcake liners.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest for a few minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Beat in the eggs and vanilla, add in the baking soda and salt, and then alternate beating in a bit of the sour cream, followed by a bit of the flour until everything is well combined.
  • Stir in the lemon juice and poppy seeds.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared liners, filling each to about two-thirds full.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool in the pan until you can handle the cupcakes, and then let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting Directions

  • Add the blackberries to a blender or food processor and process until they are smooth.
  • Pour the berries into a fine-mesh sieve over a small saucepan, and stir them around, pressing the mixture to get as much out of the berries and into the pan as you can.
  • Heat the saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 20 minutes or until the mixture has thickened to a jam consistency. Remove the pan from the heat and let the berries cool completely.
  • When you’re ready to frost the cooled cupcakes, beat the butter in a large bowl until it is soft and creamy. Beat in two cups of the powdered sugar, along with the salt. Add the blackberry puree and beat again.
  • Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar, one-half cup at a time. If the mixture is too runny to frost the cupcakes, add more powdered sugar, just a bit at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If it is too stiff, add a tablespoon (or more) of milk or cream until you are happy with it.
  • Frost the cupcakes and store in an airtight container.

These were delicious. The cupcake flavor was delicate but still stood up to the blackberry buttercream, which was fabulous. Plus, they were just really pretty.

I did feel a bit bad about having all the bits and pieces of the blackberries left over in my sieve, so I ended up transferring them along with equal parts water and sugar to a pan and making a blackberry simple syrup. It’s great in everything from cocktails to iced tea.

And I was glad to get my poppy seed fix. These were perfect to fit that bill. Unfortunately, you’ll have to make your own to find out. Mine are—mysteriously—all gone.

This piece first appeared in print on May 11, 2023.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Breakfast Dessert

A crustless pie recipe can really take the cake

This fresh strawberry cake is moist and light and a fabulous dessert to pair with a bowl of vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee.
This fresh strawberry cake is moist and light and a fabulous dessert to pair with a bowl of vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee.

Every week, I go have lunch with my Little for Big Brothers Big Sisters. We solve the world’s problems over school food and Uno cards as only a 13-year-old and a 39-year-old can.

Recently, we discussed the nature of sandwiches. Is a hot dog a sandwich? How about a taco? Where do quesadillas come into play?

Her assessment was that tortillas didn’t count; we stalled out on the subject of buns. We’ll have to come back to it at some point and figure it out.

I was reminded of that conversation when I made this week’s recipe, except my internal struggle was: cake or pie? The recipe author calls it a “crustless pie,” but honestly, it’s a phenomenal, moist cake that just happens to be made in a pie pan—at least in my humble opinion.

Whatever the ruling, though, it was really good, and it is perfect for all the sweet berries that are starting to hit our grocery store shelves right now.

This comes from the blog “Averie Cooks.” You can find the original post at https://www.averiecooks.com/crustless-fresh-strawberry-pie/. I added extra vanilla in my version.

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Fresh Strawberry Cake

This fresh strawberry cake is moist and light and a fabulous dessert to pair with a bowl of vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword almond extract, crustless pie, easy cake, easy dessert, fresh fruit, strawberry, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 16 ounces fresh strawberries halved or quartered, divided

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare a nine-inch glass pie dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter (let it cool a bit), eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract. Beat the mixture to combine.
  • Add in one cup of sugar, the flour and salt, and beat until you have a smooth batter.
  • Fold in all but about 1/4 cup of your strawberries, and pour the mixture into your prepared pie dish, spreading it out evenly.
  • Lightly press the remaining strawberries into the top of the batter, and sprinkle two tablespoons of sugar evenly over the top of the cake.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Cool completely before slicing. Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container.

We really, really enjoyed this one. The vanilla and almond extracts compliment the flavor of the fresh strawberries perfectly and really help the fruit be the star of the dessert. This was delicious for breakfast with a cup of coffee, too.

You could easily swap in blueberries, raspberries, etc., if you’re not a strawberry fan or your local grocery store has something else on the shelves.

If you make this, you’ll have to tell me if I’m wrong in the cake vs. pie debate. I haven’t asked my Little to weigh in yet. If she’s anywhere near the expert on baked goods that she is on sandwiches, though, I’ll have a definitive answer in no time.

This piece first appeared in print on March 16, 2023.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert

The best ‘tart’ of a fundraiser is the dessert

This French lemon cream tart is the perfect balance between sweet and tart, with a crispy, shortbread-like crust to top off the experience. It takes a bit of effort to make, but the time commitment is worth it.
This French lemon cream tart is the perfect balance between sweet and tart, with a crispy, shortbread-like crust to top off the experience. It takes a bit of effort to make, but the time commitment is worth it.

I have been thinking about this week’s recipe for nearly a month.

I was asked back then if I would be willing to make a dessert for Peace Connections’ annual soup supper and dessert auction.

The event is a fundraiser for the Harvey County Circle of Hope, which does amazing work in helping families, and I was honored to be asked to help.

But then the problem of what to make started to race through my mind. I finally landed on something that looks a little fancy, would be delicious but also would be just enough of a pain in the keester to make that it would be way easier to let someone else do the hard work and bid on it instead.

So I landed on this week’s recipe, which comes from the blog “Confessions of a Baking Queen” by Elizabeth Waterson. You can find the original post at https://confessionsofabakingqueen.com/french-lemon-cream-tart/. I added extra zest in my version.

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French Lemon Cream Tart

This French lemon cream tart is the perfect balance between sweet and tart, with a crispy, shortbread-like crust to top off the experience.It takes a bit of effort to make, but the time commitment is worth it.
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword butter, fancy dessert, fresh berries, fresh lemon, heavy cream, lemon cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, powdered sugar, shortbread, tart, vanilla

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter cold

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 to 6 medium-sized lemons
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup plus 5 tablespoons butter room temperature

For Decoration

  • fresh berries I used blackberries and raspberries
  • powdered sugar

Instructions

  • To prepare the crust, add the cream, yolk and vanilla to a small bowl. Whisk them together and set it aside.
  • In a food processor, pulse the flour, powdered sugar and salt a few times to combine them. Cut the cold butter into chunks and pulse it in with the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Turn the processor on low and stream in the egg mixture. As soon as the dough starts to come together in the food processor, turn it off and dump the contents onto a clean countertop. Gently press the dough together, trying not to handle it too much so you don’t melt the butter.
  • Form the dough into a six-inch disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Once the dough is chilled, roll it out into a large circle on a well-floured surface until it is about one-eighth-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan and press the dough into all the nooks and crannies of the pan. Fold about one inch of the overhanging dough over to create thicker sides and press those in, too. Trim off any excess dough.
  • Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork and place the pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
  • To bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and place it, spray side down, in the cold crust, lining it with the foil. Fill the area with dry beans or pie weights. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and weights and bake for another five to 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
  • Let the crust cool completely before filling it.
  • For the filling, combine the sugar and zest from about five lemons (you’ll want to get at least four tablespoons worth of zest) in a bowl. Stir until they are well combined.
  • Juice the lemons into a measuring cup until you have 3/4 cup of juice, and add it to the sugar mixture, along with the eggs. Whisk the mixture until it’s well combined, and add it to a medium-sized saucepan.
  • Turn the heat to low-medium and monitor the temperature with a candy thermometer, whisking constantly, until it reaches 180 degrees. (If the temperature stalls out, carefully turn the burner temperature up a bit at a time. Be careful not to heat it too quickly, or your eggs will clump up.)
  • Once the mixture is up to temp, remove it from the heat and pour it into a sieve over a bowl. This will remove all the zest and any lumps formed in the cooking process.
  • Let the mixture cool for at least 10 minutes.
  • Pour the filling into a food processor and turn it on low speed. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, letting the mixture process for at least one minute between each addition. Once all the butter is added, process for another three to five minutes.
  • Pour the filling into a clean bowl and gently press a piece of plastic wrap on the top of the cream so it doesn’t form a skin. Place it in the refrigerator for at least four hours.
  • To assemble the tart, stir the cream (it should be thick), and add it to the crust, smoothing it out evenly with a spoon or offset spatula.
  • Place a piece of plastic wrap pressed on top of the cream and refrigerate for at least 30 more minutes.
  • Before serving, top with fresh berries and a sprinkling of powdered sugar, if so desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.

The tart I made this week was a test run for next week’s showstopper, and Joey and I enjoyed getting to taste test it. It’s in the perfect middle ground between sweet and tart, and the fresh fruit takes the flavors up to a whole new level.

Baking this tart ended up taking a few hours in the kitchen, but not only was the taste worth it, but I hope the one I bring to Peace Connections will help them raise some funds for a worthy cause, too. If you want to try this without having to make it yourself, plan on attending the event at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1000 N Main Street, Newton, on Thursday, Feb. 16. The soup supper starts at 5:30 p.m., and the dessert auction will begin at 6:15 p.m.

I hope the event turns out as well as my tart did. If so, it’s going to be great.

This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 9, 2023.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert

Get ready for the ‘mousse’t complicated pumpkin dessert

This pumpkin chocolate mousse cake is a huge time commitment, but it also sports a ton of wow factor with its five layers—chocolate cake, pumpkin cinnamon mousse, pumpkin butterscotch mousse, salted caramel mousse and chocolate ganache.
This pumpkin chocolate mousse cake is a huge time commitment, but it also sports a ton of wow factor with its five layers—chocolate cake, pumpkin cinnamon mousse, pumpkin butterscotch mousse, salted caramel mousse and chocolate ganache.

I would normally tell a little story to kick off my column, but if you have read ahead, you know that I have a monster of a recipe to share with you this week.

I took this cake to a Friendsgiving meal with friends, and it was definitely a hit. Beware, though, you will spend literally hours in your kitchen to create this recipe, so be sure to clear your schedule before trying it.

This comes from the blog “Sugar Hero” by Elizabeth LaBau. You can find the original post at https://www.sugarhero.com/pumpkin-chocolate-mousse-cake/. I changed a few of the ingredient amounts just slightly, but honestly, I was a bit intimidated to change a lot.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake

Course Dessert
Keyword butterscotch chips, cake, chocolate ganache, cinnamon, cinnamon chips, ganache, heavy cream, layered cake, mousse, pie, pumpkin, salted caramel, salted caramel chips, vanilla, whipped cream

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk with a touch of vinegar
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Pumpkin Cinnamon Mousse Ingredients

  • 10 ounces cinnamon chips
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

Pumpkin Butterscotch Mousse Ingredients

  • 10 ounces butterscotch chips
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons water

Salted Caramel Mousse Ingredients

  • 10 ounces salted caramel chips
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided
  • 1/3 cup salted caramel dessert topping
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons water

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a nine- or 10-inch springform pan with parchment and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
  • For the cake layer, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  • Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the batter, beating in between additions.
  • When everything is well incorporated, pour the batter into your prepared pan, spreading it out evenly.
  • Bake the cake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
  • Let the cake cool completely and remove it from the pan before moving on to the next step.
  • When you’re ready to start the next layers, prepare your springform pan by lining the sides with a double layer of aluminum foil, making sure that the strip creates a stiff wall at least four inches tall, from the bottom of the pan, up. (This is going to hold your mousse layers together while they set up.)
  • For easy serving, cut a piece of heavy cardboard the same size as the bottom of your pan and cover it in aluminum foil or waxed paper. Place the cake on top of the cardboard in the pan.
  • For the cinnamon layer, add the cinnamon chips, pumpkin, 1/2 cup cream and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between each heating until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour the melted mixture into a large bowl and let it cool to close to room temperature, stirring it a few times while you wait.
  • In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the gelatin powder and water and stir well. Set it aside.
  • When the cinnamon mixture is cooled, microwave the prepared gelatin for 15 seconds. Whisk it into the cinnamon mixture and whisk in the ground cinnamon.
  • Whip the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cinnamon mixture, and then carefully pour the mousse over top of the cake layer in your springform pan. Spread it evenly and refrigerate for at least 25 minutes before moving on to the next layer.
  • For the butterscotch layer, add the butterscotch chips, pumpkin, 1/2 cup cream and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between each heating until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour the melted mixture into a large bowl and let it cool to close to room temperature, stirring it a few times while you wait.
  • In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the gelatin powder and water and stir well. Set it aside.
  • When the butterscotch mixture is cooled, microwave the prepared gelatin for 15 seconds. Whisk it into the butterscotch mixture.
  • Whip the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the butterscotch mixture, and then carefully pour the mousse over top of the cinnamon layer in your springform pan. Spread it evenly and refrigerate for at least 25 minutes before moving on to the next layer.
  • For the salted caramel layer, add the salted caramel chips, 1/2 cup cream, salted caramel topping, vanilla and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between each heating until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour the melted mixture into a large bowl and let it cool to close to room temperature, stirring it a few times while you wait.
  • In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the gelatin powder and water and stir well. Set it aside.
  • When the salted caramel mixture is cooled, microwave the prepared gelatin for 15 seconds. Whisk it into the salted caramel mixture.
  • Whip the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the salted caramel mixture, and then carefully pour the mousse over top of the butterscotch layer in your springform pan. Spread it evenly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before completing the final layer.
  • For the ganache, heat the cream to a low simmer and pour it over the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth and the chocolate is fully melted. Pour the ganache over top of the salted caramel layer, and gently spread it to the edges of the pan.
  • Refrigerate the finished cake overnight or for at least four hours before removing it from the pan.
  • Remove the cake from the pan, carefully unwrap it, and transfer to a plate for serving.
  • For an extra wow factor, beat some heavy cream until stiff peaks form, and fold in powdered sugar until it reaches your desired level of sweetness. Add it to the top of your cake. Slice the cake with a sharp knife and keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cut this into small slices, because it’s a very rich cake with a lot going on. One friend suggested you could take the same components and layer it into parfait glasses, and I thought that was an excellent idea, too.

I don’t normally take on huge recipes like this one, but it was fun for a change of pace. The leftovers weren’t a bad bonus, either.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 1, 2022.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Drinks

‘Chai’ can’t believe I managed to make these lattes at home

Homemade chai lattes take a bit of effort, but the warm fall spices, along with the feeling of accomplishment from creating it yourself pays off in the end.
Homemade chai lattes take a bit of effort, but the warm fall spices, along with the feeling of accomplishment from creating it yourself pays off in the end.

Before I married into the Young family, I was pretty coffee agnostic. I would basically drink whatever was in front of me and be happy with it.

The Youngs, though, are coffee people, by which I mean they know how to make a fantastic cup of the stuff. If you want proof, just pop by my father-in-law’s coffeeshop, Scuttlebutts, if you’re ever in Hutchinson. You’ll see what I mean.

One of the glorious coffee drinks I have discovered now that I know what good coffee is all about is actually made with tea: the dirty chai. It sounds awkward to order, but it’s just a chai latte with a shot of espresso.

If you’re not familiar, chai is a highly spiced tea with a lot of delicious, autumnal spices—cinnamon, ginger, cloves, etc.—all the good stuff from a proper loaf of pumpkin bread.

And I discovered this week that it’s way easier to buy a chai latte than make it from scratch, but it does make you feel very accomplished once you have a steaming cup of your own, homemade tea.

So if you want to give chai a shot in your own home, the recipe I tried this week comes from the blog “The Fresh Cooky” by Kathleen Pope. You can find the original post at https://www.thefreshcooky.com/homemade-chai-tea-latte/#recipe. I added extra spices in my version.

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Homemade Chai Latte

Homemade chai lattes take a bit of effort, but the warm fall spices, along with the feeling of accomplishment from creating it yourself pays off in the end.
Course Drinks
Keyword cardamom, chai, chai tea, cinnamon, cloves, Darjeeling, ginger, honey, latte, nutmeg, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 3 Darjeeling blend tea bags
  • 4 one-inch slices fresh ginger peeled
  • 1 two-inch cinnamon stick
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 2 teaspoons cardamom
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 heaping tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • dash of nutmeg
  • 2 cups milk

Instructions

  • Pour the water in a medium-sized saucepan, and bring it to a rapid boil over high heat.
  • Add in the tea bags, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, vanilla, sugar, honey and nutmeg and stir to combine.
  • Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for five to six minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the milk and return the mixture boiling, stirring often to keep the milk from scalding on the bottom of the pot.
  • Once the mixture boils, remove it from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the tea bags (carefully squeeze them out into the pot), ginger, cinnamon stick and cloves. If you want absolutely no remnants of the other spices in your cups, carefully run the mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. (I didn’t bother with this step.)
  • Serve the chai lattes hot or let it cool and refrigerate it to serve it over ice.
  • Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator. (This made about four eight-ounce servings.)

This was a good, solid chai latte. Honestly, I like mine way spicier and probably would have doubled the spices that I used yet again, but this one had just the right amount of fall flavor to help me feel better about the colder weather. I sprinkled just a little cinnamon on the top of each cup for effect, too.

It did receive a thumbs up from Joey, so while I didn’t have the true coffee guru of the Young family try it, I figure his son is the next best thing.

At the end of the day, considering the effort of making my own chai latte at home, though, I think I might stick to our local coffee shops most of the time. I’ll save this recipe for any future days of being snowed in.

This piece first appeared in print on Nov. 17, 2022.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Breakfast Dessert

New baking technique delivers ‘dome sweet dome’ for muffins

Sour cream double chocolate muffins are moist with the perfect amount of chocolate flavor to pair with a cup of coffee for breakfast.
Sour cream double chocolate muffins are moist with the perfect amount of chocolate flavor to pair with a cup of coffee for breakfast.

I learned something new this week that totally blew my mind: how to create muffins with perfectly domed tops.

It’s been a mystery for me for a long time how bakeries and other super bakers manage to get their muffins to rise so tall, puffing perfectly over the edges of their cupcake liners.

This week’s recipe finally gave me the secret. I was reading the post on the recipe for sour cream double chocolate muffins I wanted to try this week, and the author started talking about how the secret is starting your muffins at a higher temperature and then lowering it during the baking process.

I decided to trust her wisdom and give it a try, and it was awesome. I managed to create huge, beautiful muffins. Oh, and they tasted really good, too. If you’re like me and want to finally conquer domed muffins, this is the recipe for you.

This recipe comes from the blog “JaJa Bakes.” You can find the original post at https://jajabakes.com/sour-cream-double-chocolate-muffins/. I doubled the vanilla in my version below.

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Sour Cream Double Chocolate Muffins

Sour cream double chocolate muffins are moist with the perfect amount of chocolate flavor to pair with a cup of coffee for breakfast.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword chocolate chips, cocoa powder, muffins, sour cream, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips divided (I used semi-sweet)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a 12-well muffin tin by placing cupcake liners in it.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the oil, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and sour cream until well combined.
  • Add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and beat until the mixture is smooth.
  • Fold in about two-thirds of the chocolate chips and spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each all the way to the top of the well.
  • Sprinkle the leftover chocolate chips on the tops of the muffins, and bake for five minutes. Then, without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake about 15 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centers of the muffins comes out clean.
  • Let the muffins sit in the tin on the counter for about five minutes before removing them and placing them on a baking rack. Once the muffins are cool, serve them or store in an airtight container.

These were moist and chocolatey and perfect with a hot cup of coffee for breakfast. These would be a showstopper for a bake sale, too, and they were super easy to make.

We ended up sharing them with friends for dessert during Sunday afternoon football, and they went over really well.

Nobody else commented on how beautiful my muffins were, but I was still really excited to finally cross making gorgeous little cakes off my baking bucket list.

Hopefully I can use that same technique the next time I pull out my muffin tins, but in the meantime, I’ll just revel in my own awesomeness.

This piece first appeared in print on Oct. 27, 2022.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Breakfast Dessert

Lots of leftovers results in some recipe (sour) scheming

Sour cream donuts are cake-y, sweet and simple, with a light sugar glaze to really make them something special. Enjoy these for breakfast or as a dessert.
Sour cream donuts are cake-y, sweet and simple, with a light sugar glaze to really make them something special. Enjoy these for breakfast or as a dessert.

So much sour cream.

Seriously, you should see the nearly literal vat of sour cream in my refrigerator right now.

We hosted a catered meal about a week ago, and I ended up with the leftovers in my fridge. I’m not complaining, mind you, because the meal was absolutely delicious, and I’m never going to complain about somebody else cooking something amazing for me.

But now, even after the rest of the goodies are gone, there’s the sour cream.

Not being one to let things go to waste if I can help it, I’m starting a sour cream series this week. I’m not sure quite how many weeks of recipes it will take for me to clean out the bowl, but I’m no quitter.

To kick it off, I decided to try out a recipe for some baked donuts that looked fantastic, and they turned out great.

The recipe comes from the blog “Semisweet Sisters.” You can find the original post at https://www.thesemisweetsisters.com/2014/09/03/baked-sour-cream-donuts-recipe/. I added extra nutmeg and vanilla in my version.

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Sour Cream Donuts

Sour cream donuts are cake-y, sweet and simple, with a light sugar glaze to really make them something special. Enjoy these for breakfast or as a dessert.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword baked donuts, donuts, glaze, nutmeg, powdered sugar, sour cream, vanilla

Ingredients

Donut Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 vegetable or canola oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 heaping teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a donut pan by spraying the wells with cooking spray (I got seven large donuts out of my batch, for reference).
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk the sour cream, egg, vanilla, oil and sugar until well combined.
  • Whisk in the remaining donut ingredients until the mixture is smooth.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared donut tin.
  • Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the donuts comes out clean.
  • Once the pan is cool enough to handle, remove the donuts and let them cool completely. Bake the rest of the batter if you still have some left.
  • Once the donuts are cooled, prepare to glaze the donuts by lining your countertop with a large piece of waxed paper and setting a cooling rack on top. In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla for the glaze and mix well. You’ll want it thick enough to coat your spoon and thin enough that you can easily dunk the donuts into it.
  • Dunk each donut fully to coat it in the glaze, and place them on the cooling rack so the glaze can set up.
  • Once the glaze is dry, enjoy the donuts immediately or store them in an airtight container for later.

These were cake-y and not overly sweet. Even Joey, who tends to shy away from anything that’s overly sugary, really liked these. They are a fantastic pairing for a cup of tea or coffee for breakfast.

I must admit, I was a little disappointed that scooping a mere half cup of sour cream out of my bowl didn’t seem to make much of a dent, but I still have quite a few new recipes to try before I’m all done.

This piece first appeared in print on Oct. 13, 2022.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Breakfast Dessert

Fresh peaches are ‘muffin’ short of delicious for breakfast

These peach muffins feature fresh peaches (although frozen would work, too), along with a brown sugar crumble on top, making them perfect for breakfast or dessert.
These peach muffins feature fresh peaches (although frozen would work, too), along with a brown sugar crumble on top, making them perfect for breakfast or dessert.

I caught Joey eyeballing the bowl of peaches sitting in our fridge this week.

“I’m going to use them this time,” I promised him. “They won’t end up in the freezer until next summer.”

His facial expression betrayed a lack of confidence in my promises, so of course, I had to do some baking this weekend to prove him wrong.

I jumped into my list of recipes to try and landed on some fresh peach muffins that looked delicious, quick and easy to make, and they did not disappoint.

The recipe I used comes from the blog “Serena Bakes Simply from Scratch.” I used brown sugar for granulated in the crumb topping and doubled the vanilla and almond extracts, as well as increased the amount of peach in my version below.

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Fresh Peach Muffins

These peach muffins feature fresh peaches (although frozen would work, too), along with a brown sugar crumble on top, making them perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword almond extract, brown sugar, fresh peaches, muffin, peaches, vanilla

Ingredients

Topping Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter cubed

Muffins Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed peaches diced

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin or tins with paper liners. (I ended up having enough batter for about 18 muffins.)
  • For the topping, add all the dry ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and stir until they’re well combined. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter until it’s completely incorporated and the mixture is all crumbly. Set it aside.
  • For the muffins, beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl for a few minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Beat in the eggs, vanilla and almond extract, and then beat in the baking soda, baking powder, salt, flour and sour cream until everything is well combined.
  • Fold in the peaches, and then scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Fill the liners to about one-fourth- to one-half-inch below the tops.
  • Press the topping into large crumbs and evenly distribute it over top of the filled liners.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffins comes out clean.
  • Let the muffins cool for at least 10 minutes before removing them from the muffin tin. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container.

These were lightly sweet and perfect for breakfast, although I actually ended up taking them as a dessert for a get-together we had over the weekend, and they were great for that, too.

Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get rid of all of my leftover peaches, so Joey is still winning the argument I made up in my head. Never to be beaten, though, I have already been making sure to use peaches as my favorite snack, side dish and condiment this week.

The good news is I still love fresh peaches. The bad news is I still have about half a dozen to go.

This piece first appeared in print on Sept. 8, 2022.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert

Make their tummies ‘rum’ble with tropical cake

Cuban rum cake is a light, flavorful dessert with fresh whipped cream, toasted coconut, pineapple, and of course, a homemade rum sauce that is brushed over the entire cake.
Cuban rum cake is a light, flavorful dessert with fresh whipped cream, toasted coconut, pineapple, and of course, a homemade rum sauce that is brushed over the entire cake.

We were able to spend a fantastic evening with some great folks this past week for a celebration of Christmas in July.

We hosted the meal last year, so it was our friends’, Adam and Samantha’s, turn to do it this year. They decided to celebrate the theme of the night by creating an entire menu of Cuban food.

As will be no surprise, I volunteered to make dessert, and after lots of online research, I decided to try a light, fruity cake—with a bit of rum included for good measure.

This recipe comes from the company site for Imperial Sugar and was written by Chef Eddy Van Damme, who has the nickname of the “Prince of Pastry.” You can find the original post at https://www.imperialsugar.com/recipes/cuban-rum-cake. I adjusted some of the ingredients a bit in my version.

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Cuban Rum Cake

Cuban rum cake is a light, flavorful dessert with fresh whipped cream, toasted coconut, pineapple, and of course, a homemade rum sauce that is brushed over the entire cake.
Course Dessert
Keyword cake, coconut, Cuban dessert, Cuban food, dark rum, orange juice, pineapple, vanilla, whipped cream

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk or milk with a touch of vinegar
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1 cup sweetened coconut

Rum Sauce

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/8 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup light or dark rum I used dark
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 8 ounces pineapple sliced or in chunks in juice

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare two eight- or nine-inch round cake pans by buttering and flouring them. Set them aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, for about 30 seconds each.
  • Beat in the salt, baking powder and vanilla. Beat in the buttermilk and cake flour, alternating between them.
  • Split the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cakes cool for at least 10 minutes before removing them from the pans by inverting them onto plates and setting them aside to cool completely.
  • Turn the oven off, but spread the coconut on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and place it in the oven for about five minutes or until the coconut is lightly browned. Set it aside.
  • For the rum sauce, combine the butter, orange juice, sugar, rum and vanilla in a sauce pan, and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Let it boil for two minutes, then remove from heat. Set the mixture aside to cool.
  • When the cakes are cooled, prepare the filling. Beat the cream, vanilla and sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. If necessary, prepare the pineapple by cutting it into bite-sized chunks.
  • To assemble the cake, place the first cake on your serving plate and prick the entire surface with a toothpick.
  • Brush half of the rum sauce onto the cake, letting it soak in. (This might take a moment.) Spread about one-fourth of the whipped cream onto the cake and top with the pineapple. Place the second cake on top and repeat the process with the rum sauce before coating the entire cake with the rest of the whipped cream. Finish the cake off by sprinkling it with the toasted coconut.
  • Keep the cake refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.

This was absolutely delicious and received rave reviews from the group. There wasn’t much left of the cake, despite all of us overindulging beforehand on an amazing meal. It had great tropical flavor, and even if the rum part scares you a bit, I’d say go for it. It definitely did not feature a “boozy” taste. Instead, the rum amplified the orange and pineapple flavors.

There are few things better than sharing a good meal with a good group, and this weekend was no exception. As summer is starting to wind down, it was a wonderful way to wrap up a busy July.

This piece first appeared in print on Aug. 4, 2022.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert

Make ’em go ‘coco’nuts for fudgy, layered brownies

Coconut brownies feature a top and bottom layer of fudgy, flavorful brownies sandwiching a sweet, light coconut layer in between.
Coconut brownies feature a top and bottom layer of fudgy, flavorful brownies sandwiching a sweet, light coconut layer in between.

This weekend, I stumbled on an article by Gabrielle Drolet called, “In Defence of Garlic in a Jar: How Food Snobs Almost Ruined My Love of Cooking.”

It’s a long read, but Drolet makes the point that cooking shortcuts are a great way to make the kitchen more accessible to people who have disabilities.

She mentions—but doesn’t elaborate on—the fact that some people use them for the sake of time, too. The opinion piece addresses the idea that so many food shows and blogs and posts push the concept that there are “right” and “wrong” ways to prepare food, and some of those opinions end up discouraging less experienced cooks from even attempting to try something new.

Personally, I’ve moved beyond my need to always follow every recipe to the letter, and as I have continued to experiment, I’ve learned which rules need to be followed and which ones can be ignored.

This week, for example, I decided not to both line my cake pan with parchment and spray it with cooking spray. I decided not to mix my wet and dry ingredients separately and then carefully mix them together with a wooden spoon. I decided to ignore the directive to coat my chocolate chips with flour before incorporating them into the batter.

And I still ended up with some delicious brownies—rules be darned—and I’m sharing the result with you so you can end up with a great pan of dessert, too, in spite of any rule-breaking behavior.

This comes from the blog “Spaceships and Laser Beams.” You can find the original post at https://spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com/coconut-brownies/. I added extra vanilla and chocolate chips in my version, along with simplifying the instructions.

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Coconut Brownies

Coconut brownies feature a top and bottom layer of fudgy, flavorful brownies sandwiching a sweet, light coconut layer in between.
Course Dessert
Keyword brownies, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla

Ingredients

Brownie Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 rounded cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Coconut Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
  • 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare an eight-by-eight-inch baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray.
  • For the brownie layer, in a mixing bowl, beat the sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the flour, cocoa powder and salt until everything is combined, and then stir in the chocolate chips.
  • For the coconut layer, combine the coconut flakes, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt in a bowl. Stir until all of the components are well combined.
  • To assemble, spread half of the brownie batter evenly in the bottom of your prepared pan. Next, gently spread all of the coconut layer evenly over the brownie layer. Finish off with an even layer of the rest of the brownie batter.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top of the brownies looks set up and is just starting to pull away from the edges of the pan.
  • Let the brownies cool completely before slicing so they fully set up. Store them in an airtight container.

These are super rich and really fudgy. The pan I made ended up being demolished at the office to rave reviews.

Based on the lovely photos on the blog that provided me with this recipe, I’d assume the author loves to follow rules—using her flour sifter, wooden spoons and multitude of mixing bowls for each recipe she makes—and that’s OK.

We all have our own style in the kitchen. Some people get joy from the extra steps. Some, like me, get joy from eliminating as many hand-wash-only dishes as possible from the process.

In the end, we all like to create, share and eat, and that’s really all that matters—jarred garlic or not.

This piece first appeared in print on July 21, 2022.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

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