espresso

Espresso Buttercream!

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

13428572_498315767042123_1692144594965911317_nThis recipe frosts 24 regular cupcakes OR 12 extra large cupcakes with a 1:1 ratio of frosting to cupcake! You can half this recipe and probably be just fine.

INGREDIENTS:
2 c. unsalted room temp (slightly soft to the touch) butter
6 c. powered sugar, sifted
3 tsp. good quality vanilla extract
3 tsp. good quality espresso powder (or less if this amount scares you; it does pack a wallop!)

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients into large mixing bowl. Mix together on low while scrapping edges with a spatula. Believe me – unless you want yourself and your entire kitchen to be covered in powdered sugar – start on low! You can alter this recipe by dissolving the espresso powder into the vanilla, which will make the buttercream a tan color, but I quite like the look of the flecks of espresso. This is a softer buttercream so it spreads easily with an offset spatula but still holds its shape when piping.

You will want to lick the bowl, the beaters, the spoon and suck what is left out of the 14731392_557930124414020_7930662054414118044_npiping tip, however, I don’t suggest doing this at 9:30 p.m. (lesson learned!) or you may be up awhile. I don’t drink coffee, but if it tasted as good as this buttercream, I may just start!

This is a perfect pair with a chocolate cake/cupcake or on top of a pan or two of fudge brownies! Accent your dessert with a chocolate drizzle or a chocolate covered espresso bean!

Enjoy!

Out Living …

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

Last years birthday was an odd one for me – turning the same age my father was when he passed away. It was such an indescribable feeling. This January will mark year 28 without him. Since he passed away when I was 6 years old, I honestly have only really known life without him. I cherish what I remember, but I still mourn him. I haven’t come to a place where I outwardly celebrate his life in his remembrance. Maybe it’s because I was so young and only remember so much. I am no longer bitter about my dad’s death – I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, good or bad, and I know it may take awhile to find the reason.

This year I am officially older than my dad. WOW. Again, I can’t even put into words the feelings that bubble up over this. So when words fail me (which isn’t very often I might ad), baking does not. I put my energy and effort into some surprise delivery cupcakes and planning a mid-week birthday treat.

On Sunday I baked a luscious lemon batch of cupcakes and filled them with a blueberry sauce and piped on the most perfectly paired lemon cream cheese buttercream. I used a new piping tip – which made me relive my ice cream cone filling days in high school.  I used my extra large cupcake liners to ensure some indulging would happen as these pretty perfect cupcakes were delivered. Monday afternoon was definitely made better for a local business. A surprise thank you and acknowledgement of helpfulness. The world can use some more of these types of visits!

14731392_557930124414020_7930662054414118044_nOn Tuesday evening I baked a decadent chocolate cupcake filled with chocolate espresso ganache and piped on a mountain of espresso buttercream. The only request from the birthday co-worker was lots of chocolate. I think I delivered with this 1:1 cupcake to frosting ratio goodie!

Saying Thank You With Brownies!

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes you need a little more than words to say thank you and these brownies are just the way to do it!

I am obsessed with gooey fudgy brownies and the espresso in this recipe gives a nice kick and make the chocolate sing! If you are a cake brownie fan this is not the recipe for you. Did I mention you only need one pot to make these? One pot, a whisk and an 8×8 baking dish!

INGREDIENTS:
1½ sticks unsalted butter
1 c. brown sugar
¾ c. white sugar
3 lg. eggs
1 lg. egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. dark chocolate cocoa powder
⅓ c. AP flour
2 tsp. espresso powder
Pinch of salt
½ c. dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with parchment & grease. In med. sauce pan melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat & whisk in brown & white sugar until smooth. Add eggs & egg yolk one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add in cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder & salt. Stir until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. These are decedent dark chocolate goodness and just try not to eat more than one!

Good Luck, Charlie!

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes people come into your life and you don’t realize the impact they have. Today marks one week that a very special employee retired from our company. I was asked to make the desserts for his party and I jumped at the opportunity. I was flattered that they asked, but more so, I was thrilled to do this to show him how much he truly means to all of us. I have stated before and I will state it again – baking is how many of us show and share love with the people around us. WE ALL LOVE CHARLIE and he so deserved the kind words, the endless recognition and to eat LOTS OF CAKE!

13516186_507226809484352_2417428643004849372_nSo I went to work making enough cake and cupcakes to feed a small army. I decided on keeping the cake flavors simple, but to go slightly crazy on the frostings!

13507152_507226762817690_2884251503118510521_nI made 84 cupcakes (not all shown) and one double 13×9 cake. The cake was chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and filled with chocolate ganache and decorated with PB cups and a printed sugar sheet (thanks Callie and Frank’s Bakery!)

13524454_507226776151022_8454461130550016230_nThe cupcakes were chocolate cake either frosted with marshmallow buttercream, espresso buttercream or chocolate ganache buttercream, and vanilla cake frosted with either peanut butter frosting, chocolate ganache buttercream, vanilla buttercream or filled with key lime curd and topped with marshmallow buttercream.

They all came out great! Everyone enjoyed them and I had a blast piping all the frostings in different styles with different tips.

Simple, but key ingredients.

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

imagesWhenever I stumble across a recipe that I fall in love with, there is usually one ingredient that makes me say, “Wow, using that made a difference.” For instance, I don’t drink coffee and I never have. Seeing that many dessert recipes that are chocolate based used hot coffee to melt the chocolate or had espresso powder in the batter, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. I mean, I don’t drink coffee or like the taste of it, so why on earth would I put it in my dessert? Well, I had been doing it wrong for so long! I finally tried it when it came to making a Pot du Creme. I had such a new love for how coffee really does enhance the chocolate flavor.

There are so many basic ingredients that enhance the flavor of what we eat tangerine-19062_640without us even knowing it or giving it much thought! For example, berries are so much brighter in flavor with some lemon or orange zest and some fresh squeezed juice of either added to them. Many sauces that adorn your dish when eating in a restaurant “finish” that sauce with a some butter to give it a glossy shine, a rich flavor and even at times to thicken.

a-glass-salt-shaker-100311902Many people also overlook salt. I understand that people have diets that require them to reduce salt intake or remove it completely from their diets, however, if that isn’t you, then don’t skimp on seasonings, especially salt! There are many dishes I make that I season throughout with salt. It may be that I am sweating down or caramelizing vegetable, and then I will season the protein that goes into the vegetables, and finally the sauce that will go onto the protein and vegetables. Many think that this may create a dish that is too salty. The key is knowing how much salt to put in at each stage so that it doesn’t overpower the dish. Salt is just as essential to many baking recipes as it is for cooking recipes. Adding a touch of salt to many dishes gives it just what is needed to bring out the best in the dish.

There are hidden surprises in many dishes we know and love, and sometimes they are not so hidden; regardless, never under estimate a simple ingredient, as it just might be your key to success.