Tag Archives: dessert

Stout Ice Cream with Half Acre Hearths Ablaze

I finally pulled the trigger on the ice cream maker I’ve been wanting for a long, long time — just in time for summer. It’s only a little Cuisinart — nothing fancy — but I’ve already used it a handful of times and I’m pretty much obsessed.

The first ice cream I made was a chocolate coconut milk with almond butter swirl that honestly, didn’t come out as great as I’d hoped. The texture was kind of grainy and it froze so hard that it was nearly impossible to scoop.

So for the second batch, I went back to my roots, so to speak. I grabbed a bottle of Half Acre Hearths Ablaze Stout from the fridge and got churnin’. A perfect way to celebrate Chicago Craft Beer Week, running May 16th through the 26th, dontcha think? (More on that in the upcoming days — hold tight.)

The recipe I followed came from Saveur — I just swapped out the suggested beer for a local craft brew. The consistency and texture is perfection, and the stout comes through strong.

My second attempt at making ice cream was much more successful than the first, and I plan on adding even more successful recipes to my roster. I have a feeling my little Cuisinart is going to be getting a lot of exercise this summer.

What are your favorite ice cream recipes? Share them below — I’d love to give them a try.

Bourbon Fruit Crumble, and the Story of Us

3 Replies

Apple crumble holds a special place in my heart. Not only is it one of the first things my husband (then boyfriend) ever made for me, but the story behind it also left a lasting impression that we still joke about to this day.

He and I met within the first few days of being on campus our freshman year of college. At Bradley University, to be exact (as if you’ve actually heard of it). And within those few days — when your willingness to participate in anything and everything is high — we had both willingly enrolled in Club BU, a group of new students that host high school seniors overnight to give them a feel of what the university and campus life is like. He was the leader of my group, and aside from him calling me a few times with Club-related things, the extent of our interactions was limited.

Come December, I’d basically forgotten about him until I spotted him one night in the dorms around finals time. Rather, he spotted me. With my girlfriends — drinking tickets in hand — that we’d received from campus police a few minutes earlier for boozing in the dorms. Underage, of course. I don’t remember exactly what he said to me, but there he was — standing in the doorway of his room in his boxers — crassly poking fun at our unfortunate situation. I’m also unsure of what I said to him in return, but I’m sure it wasn’t anything particularly ladylike.

Despite those two encounters, we didn’t really meet until second semester of our freshman year when we were both enrolled in the same Western Civ class. Also enrolled in that class was a mutual friend — an acquaintance of mine and a fraternity brother of his. Somewhere along the way, we ended up being more formally introduced, and afterwards we started talking more and more. And that talking lead to occasional hang outs. However, college was still too fresh and new for the both of us at that time, and neither him or I were particularly interested in starting a relationship. So the night before summer break, we took our first picture together during a night out at the Lucky Lady, and then parted ways. No harm done.

The following fall, when we both returned as sophomores, we reconnected and casually started talking and hanging out again. This time it was a little more serious, but still not serious serious. This was basically the story of our second year together at Bradley.

Junior year is when things started to pick up, and when things were good, they were good. But as with most college relationships, ours wasn’t without its fair share of drama. There were breakups (a few of them). And there were tears. But for one reason or another, we always came back to each other.

During one of those not-so-great times, I decided, on a whim, to go to London for a few weeks. This was before cell phones and WiFi, which meant I was really off the grid — and that’s exactly what I wanted. And probably just what I needed. And him, too.

Upon my return, things changed. I’d missed him and he missed me. That time away from each other had done us some good — we grew up. Something clicked in both of us that made us realize that perhaps we really were right for each other after all.

And we’ve been together ever since.

Shortly afterwards, I graduated from Bradley and started my first real job. He stayed behind to finish his Master’s degree. We tried our best to see each other every other weekend — alternating who would do the traveling. On one of my weeks visiting him, he decided to make me dinner — tuna casserole and apple crumble. Pretty impressive for a college boy. And while I sat at the counter and watched him cook, he did the most horrifying thing I’ve ever seen anyone do in a kitchen.

He held the apple in his left hand and hacked at it with a knife in his right hand. There was no cutting board. He was literally holding the apple in front of him and just whacking away at it — ninja style.

I nearly died.

Granted, I didn’t know much about cooking back then, but I knew enough to know that what he was doing was wrong, not to mention dangerous. I applauded his efforts and then instructed him on the proper (or at least more proper) way to cut an apple. We finished making the crumble together. Dinner was delicious.

Now, even all these years later, I still cut the apples any time we make apple crumble. I still make jokes about his knife skills (although he has gotten much better). And I still get a little weary when I see him sharpening my Santoku. But all that aside, these little moments remind me of that time. The time we finally clicked.

And while the story of our relationship may seem dysfunctional (especially to those who lived it with us), I think the important takeaway — looking back on it now — is that we did it together. We grew up together. We experienced some of life’s most defining moments together. And that prepared us to take on the rest of our lives together.

And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

The recipe below is the evolution of the apple crumble he made for me that day. A more grown up version, if you will.

Bourbon Fruit Crumble (serves 6 – 9, depending on portion size)

What you need:

For the filling:

1 1/2 pounds of apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 1/2 pounds of pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup unsweetened dried cherries
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
2 tablespoons bourbon

For the crumble:

1 1/2 cups walnuts (I used a mix of whole and pieces)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Extras:

Vanilla coconut milk ice cream (optional)

How you do it:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling, making sure everything is well coated. Transfer mixture to a large skillet and cook over medium heat for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fruit has softened slightly and a syrup begins to form. Transfer filling to an 8″ x 8″ glass baking dish.
For the crumble topping, mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 325 degrees, or until the topping is golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Top with scoop of coconut milk ice cream (optional).

Whiskey-Soaked Fig and Cream Cheese Cookie Bars

12 Replies

I just realized something. Maker’s Mark spells ‘whiskey’ without the ‘E’. There it is — clear as day in the picture. How have I never noticed this before? Have they been spelling it wrong the whole time? Have I been spelling it wrong the whole time? Is someone playing a trick on me?

It’s unusual that something like this sneaks up on me. As someone who gets paid to sling words in the ad world for a living, I spend an obscene amount of time debating the best way to say something. It’s silly, really. If the average person knew how much time and money went into the TV commercial they just saw, or the banner ad they just read, or the poster at the grocery store that encouraged them buy an item that wasn’t on their shopping list, they’d be shocked. Heck, sometimes I wish I didn’t know. But believe me when I say that each and every word was written with a purpose. Then scrutinized 100 times by 100 different people. And then, if you’re lucky, some version of what you originally intended ends up being seen by the world. So perhaps, at one time, the people at Maker’s Mark had a similar conversation about how their brand should spell ‘whiskey.’ In fact, I can almost guarantee it.

But regardless of whether you spell it with an ‘E’ or not, you can still enjoy your whiskey and eat it to with these whiskey-soaked fig and cream cheese cookie bars. For adults only, of course.

What’s your preferred spelling of whiskey?

Whiskey-Soaked Fig and Cream Cheese Cookie Bars

Slightly adapted from Mark Bittman for the New York Times

What you need:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1/4 cup milk
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups dried figs, stemmed and halved
1 cup whiskey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

How you do it:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
In a small bowl, sift together flours, baking powder and salt. Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until well combined. Add half the milk, beat for about 10 seconds, then add the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk. Beat for a few seconds to fully combine.
Put batter into your prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the whiskey over medium heat until it starts to steam. (Be careful when using alcohol over a flame!) Turn off the heat, add the figs, and cover — letting the figs soak for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain the soaked figs, reserving some of the liquid. Add the figs and the cinnamon to a food processor and blitz until smooth and spreadable. Add the liquid (a little at a time) as necessary to help thin it out.
Spread softened cream cheese over the cookie bars, then top with the fig mixture. Refrigerate the bars to let them set before cutting.

One Bowl Red Wine Chocolate Cake

12 Replies

While I love crazy desserts as much as the next gal, sometimes simple is best. And this cake, which can be made in one bowl and only takes 30 minutes to bake, is proof. In fact, it’s my new go-to recipe. (And it has wine in it! Go figure.)

I’ve made this cake a few times and while I prefer it sans frosting, the original recipe calls for a whipped mascarpone topping which helps jazz it up a bit. However, I find it’s wonderful as-is with just a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top.

The perfect weeknight treat when spending hours in the kitchen just won’t do.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

From Smitten Kitchen

What you need:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3/4 cup red wine (it doesn’t matter what kind)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 cup 100% whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar for garnish (optional)

How you do it:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment, then grease the parchment and the sides of the pan with butter or cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until incorporated. Add the wine and eggs and beat on slow speed until combined.
Next, sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into the same bowl as the wine mixture. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture until two-thirds combined, then use a spatula to fold everything completely together.
Put the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should be glossy on top.
Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely. (Don’t forget to remove the parchment!) Serve topped with sifted powdered sugar.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting

17 Replies

PIN IT!

My husband and I aren’t big Valentine’s Day people. In fact, in the past we’ve been known to order a heart-shaped deep dish pizza (hey, we do live in Chicago) from one of the local pizza joints and call it a day. But this year, since he already surprised me with a box of my favorite smoked salt caramels from Fran’s in Seattle, I decided to surprise him back. With red velvet cupcakes. With bourbon cream cheese frosting.

Sure, red velvet is sort of expected for Valentine’s Day, but it also happens to be one of my husband’s favorite cake flavors. My friend Jen always used to make this very recipe, and I find that it’s one of the best. To jazz it up a bit for him, I chose to put a “manly” spin on the frosting by adding a bit of bourbon. Why not, right? (Albeit not kid friendly, so just eliminate it and add a teaspoon more vanilla if kids are present.)

This year, we passed on the pizza and celebrated with t-bone steaks, beer-braised Brussels sprouts, red velvet cupcakes and a trip to the Chicago Auto Show. Not a bad way to spend the day with someone you love.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting (makes approximately 24 cupcakes)

Slightly adapted from Saveur

What you need:

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups plus 10 tablespoons all-purpose flour (the original recipe called for cake flour, but I used AP and it worked just fine)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons bourbon
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

For decoration (optional):

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted and cooled

How you do it:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar until well combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet (I did this step by hand, but you could use an electric mixer if you wanted to), scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
Distribute the batter evenly between the 24 muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
For the frosting, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and bourbon. Add the confectioners’ sugar in batches until well combined.
Spoon frosting into a pastry bag loaded with a wide star tip (I used Wilton No. 2110) and slowly pipe onto the cupcake, starting from the outside and working your way in a circular motion into the center. Top cupcakes with toasted pecans.

Outrageous New York-Style Crumb Cake

14 Replies

New Year’s resolutions be damned. Sometimes you just need (and want) butter and sugar for breakfast.

There’s something about a good ol’ crumb cake that reminds me of being a kid. My mom used to buy the Entenmann’s version and although I haven’t had it in probably 15 years, it still holds a special place in my heart. There’s something comforting about it.

I decided to make this crumb cake to share with my coworkers. We’ve been working a lot lately — weekends included — and I figured we all could use a little pick-me-up. Or at least a sugar high. (As I mentioned earlier, the amount of butter and sugar in this cake isn’t for the weary, but save it for special occasions and you’ll be just fine.)

New York-Style Crumb Cake (makes a 9″ x 13″ cake)

Slightly adapted from Baked Explorations: American Desserts Reinvented

What you need:

For the topping:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and warm

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup 100% whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2) sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sour cream at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

How you do it:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position the rack in the center. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9″ x 13″ pan. You can use glass or metal, but the sides of the cake may get a bit crispier if you use metal. (I used metal — I like crispy edges.)
For the crumb topping, mix flour, both sugars, salt, cinnamon and cardamom together in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and whisk or stir until well incorporated. Set aside.
For the cake, sift both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter with a hand or stand mixer until completely smooth. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture begins to look pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, scraping down the bowl before each addition. Be careful not to overmix.
To assemble the cake, pour all of the batter into your prepared pan. Use your hands to scoop up a handful of crumb topping and squeeze it in your fist until it holds together. Break off in chunks and drop them over the cake. Repeat until you’ve used all the topping (and yes, there’s a lot of it).
Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes (rotating the pan once or twice) or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting; about 30 minutes.

Polenta Thyme Cookies with Ricotta and Honey

11 Replies

Happy New Year, everyone! I realize I’m a bit late on this, but 2012 got off to a fast and furious start that left me scrambling to keep up. It’s gonna be that kinda year!

Before I completely leave 2011 in the dust, I want to recap a few things that made it an awesome year. 11 things, to be exact. Because hey, it’s always good to reflect, right? Here they are, in no particular order.

Eating at Next. Twice.
Celebrating my 5-year wedding anniversary.
Being part of the creative team that pitched and won the PlayStation Network digital business for my agency.
Seeing Jay-Z perform 99 Problems live and in person.
Relaxing by the fireplace with great friends in a beautiful cabin in Big Sur.
Standing under a tarp at Lollapalooza during a 30-minute monsoon.
Participating in a Dark Lord vertical tasting (2008-2010).
Working on my first big production shoot in LA.
Watching my smartypants husband pass the CPA exam.
Running onto Soldier Field for the Soldier Field 10 mile race and finishing on the 50 yard line.
Being featured in Self magazine.

Pretty big shoes to fill, right? But as far as 2012 goes, I’m not really big on making new year’s resolutions. Rather, I hope that the upcoming year will be better than the last. That being said, I’m taking a different approach to my blog this year. I’ve learned the hard way that my career doesn’t let me post here as often as I’d like, so in 2012 I’ll be following the quality over quantity rule. You won’t be seeing as many posts, but hopefully what you do see is better reflection of me and what I want this blog to represent.

So with no further adieu, I give you my first post of 2012. Polenta thyme cookies with ricotta and honey.

I was inspired to make these cookies after having something similar at a holiday dinner. My friend Alison works at Panozzo’s, an amazing Italian market in Chicago’s South Loop, and brought a similar cookie for us to enjoy for dessert. I loved them so much that I tried my hand at making them myself. The savory flavors are so interesting in a cookie, and the cornmeal gives it a really nice texture. Serve them with a scoop of homemade ricotta drizzled with honey and you’ve got yourself a really different and delicious dessert.

Polenta Thyme Cookies with Ricotta and Honey (makes about 18 large cookies)

Adapted from Martha Stewart

What you need:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
Homemade ricotta and clover honey, for serving

How you do it:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cornmeal and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in thyme until well incorporated.
(Note: you could just scoop and drop these cookies if you wanted to as indicated in the Martha Stewart recipe linked above, but what I’ve described here is the method I used.) Place dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap, form into a log measuring about two inches around, wrap and chill for at least an hour.
Once chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper and set aside.
Unwrap dough and slice into disks about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a cookie sheet, leaving at least 3 inches between each cookie. (Note: I did six cookies per sheet. There’s a lot of butter in the dough so they will spread a decent amount.)
Bake until golden, about 13 – 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve with homemade ricotta and a drizzle of honey.

Oatmeal Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie with Flax Crust

8 Replies

I have a question.

Why is it that pecan pie is almost exclusively reserved for the days that fall between Thanksgiving and Christmas? It’s not like pecans are seasonal. And it’s not like people don’t like pie year-round. So really — what’s up with that?

Once you have this pie you’ll want to make it year-round — it’s that good. This recipe swaps out some of the corn syrup and pecans used in a traditional pecan pie with real maple syrup and oatmeal for a result that can only be described as ooey gooey oatmealy goodness. Throw in a shot of bourbon for good measure and you’ve got a pie with 365 potential.

Oatmeal Bourbon Pecan Pie with Flax Crust

Crust adapted from Whole Foods Market; filling adapted from various recipes

What you need:

For the crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 – 3 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

2/3 cup oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans, plus 1/2 cup whole pecan halves (optional, for decorating the pie)
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

How you do it:

For the crust:

In a food processor, blend the flour, flax seeds and salt. Add the butter and pulse multiple times to combine. Add ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, and continue pulsing until the dough comes together into a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor and form it into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to use, roll the dough into a 10-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate by gently folding it into quarters. Place dough in pie plate and carefully unfold, fitting loosely and then pressing it into place. Trim the excess dough.
Do do decorative edges like I did, reroll the extra dough and cut it into eight circles using a shot glass. Cut each circle in half, then press into the side of the prepared pie crust.
Chill prepared crust in the freezer for 15 minutes before filling and baking.

For the pie:

Preheat oven to 325.
In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients (excluding the pecan halves) together until well combined. Pour filling into chilled crust, decorate as desired with pecan halves (optional) and bake for 50 minutes or until the center is set. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Fudgy Brownies with Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Swirl

15 Replies

Pin It

While some people may say that no brownie is a bad brownie, I disagree. I happen to be pretty picky about brownies and in my opinion, not all are created equal. My awesome brownie checklist includes the following:

Chewy edges (corners prefered) with a slightly undercooked center
Fudgy texture rather than cakey
NO nuts (I have something against nuts in brownies)

I’ve absolutely made a few unsatisfactory brownie recipes in my day, so when I find a good one I stick with it. And this one is definitely good. Chewy edges? Check. Fudgy texture? Check. No nuts? Check (although I suppose you could add nuts if you really wanted to). The vanilla bean mascarpone swirl is completely optional, but highly recommended.

Fudgy Brownies with Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Swirl

Slightly adapted from Food and Wine

What you need:

For the brownies:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 whole eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the vanilla bean mascarpone swirl:

8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and scraped of the seeds

How you do it:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch-square baking pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate with the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 cup of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the vanilla. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the whole eggs, one at a time. Whisk the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture until the brownie batter is smooth.
In a bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the egg yolk, 1/4 cup sugar and the scraped vanilla bean seeds until well combined.
Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking pan. Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture on top and cover with the remaining batter. Dollop on the remaining mascarpone mixture and swirl the batter a few times with a knife to create a marbled effect.
Bake the brownies for about 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Let the brownies cool before cutting.

Imperial Stout Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

29 Replies

November is a big month around here. On November 11th, my husband and I celebrated our five-year wedding anniversary. The next day, we celebrated his 31st birthday. And on November 15th, this blog turns one.

I think celebratory cupcakes are in order, don’t you?

My husband and I are huge craft beer nerds, so it only seemed right to make a cupcake inspired by one of our favorite styles — the imperial stout. For this particular recipe, I used Ballast Point Brewing Company’s Sea Monster Imperial Stout – a seasonal brew with 10% ABV. I chose to top it with a salted caramel frosting because…well…who doesn’t like salted caramel?

Thanks to everyone who has read, commented on, or just swung by my blog. You’ve made this extra fun for me. Cheers.

Imperial Stout Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream (Makes approximately 20 cupcakes)

Cupcake recipe slightly adapted from Scharffen Berger; buttercream recipe from Sprinkle Bakes

What you need:

For the cupcakes:

1 stick unsalted butter
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup imperial stout
3/4 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the buttercream:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick salted butter, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

How you do it:

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.
In a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt butter, cocoa powder and chocolate, stirring frequently until completely melted. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until well combined. Sir in the stout and buttermilk. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir until well mixed. Slowly add the dry ingredients, gently whisking until everything has been combined and no lumps remain.
Carefully spoon the batter into your prepared cupcake tins, filling each about 3/4 full.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

For the frosting:

In a small saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook without stirring for approximately five minutes or until the mixture turns a deep amber color. Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until very smooth. Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes. (Note: if the caramel appears runny after adding the cream, that’s okay. It’ll continue to thicken as it cools.)
Meanwhile, using an electric mixer or KitchenAid, beat butter and salt together until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and slowly add powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Scrape down the side of the bowl and slowly drizzle in the cooled caramel. Beat on medium high speed until light and airy; about two minutes.
Spoon frosting into a pastry bag loaded with a wide star tip (I used Wilton No. 2110) and slowly pipe onto the cupcake, starting from the outside and working your way in a circular motion into the center.