Cardamom Kissed Macarons.

I've made macarons from time to time, trying to perfect these delicate French yummies. But..There's always that time where there is something wrong. I've had trouble with air pockets. Everytime.

I would adjust the oven temperature from 275 degress, to 320 degrees. No luck..

These babies are kissed with freshly grounded cardamom. They taste amazing. AND filled with vanilla cream cheese frosting? You can't pass this up.. The recipe is from Cakejournal. I just added about 1/2 teaspoon of the cardamom powder. It's pretty strong. 













But I won't stop until I get it right ! No matter how much this air pocket taunts me..

 

Chocolate Cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting.

These are cupcakes for a birthday party. Double dose of chocolate!

Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes

(makes 24-27 standard sized cupcakes) recipe from Glorious Treats

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)

1 cup boiling water

Directions-

Line muffin tin with paper liners.  Heat oven to 350*F.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for one minute.

Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don't worry, this is right).

Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)

Bake cupcakes for aproximately 22-24 minutes.

Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting  from The Church Cook

Recipe adapted from Cook's Country. Com

4 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar (7 oz)

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of table salt

1 pound unsalted butter (16 0z)

8 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted

1. Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt in bowl of standing mixer; place bowl over pan of simmering water. Whisking gently and constantly. Heat mixture until thin and foamy and registers 160 degrees F. on instant-read thermometer.

2. beat egg mixture on medium-high speed with whisk attachment until light and airy. Cooled to room temperature, then add slightly softened butter, one piece at a time.

3. Finish adding the butter until smooth. Increase speed to high and beat 1 minutes until light and fluffy.

4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Take off the heat and let sit for 1-2 minutes before stirring into butter mixture.

Frosting can be covered and refrigerated up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature and quickly whisk in a standing mixer before frosting.

Stir Fried Tofu

I get weird looks when I tell my friends I'm making tofu for dinner.

They have no idea how yummy and delicious it is ! It just depends on how you really prepare this lovely soft white block of goodness. Yeah? Yeah..

Stir Fried Tofu adapted from torviewtoronto.

2 tbsp oil

1 pkt (about 400g) tofu cut into 1" cubes

4 to 6 green onions chopped

1/2 tsp grated garlic
1/2 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp peppercorns

1 tsp sugar ( I used Turbinado ) 

1/2 tsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce 

Using a mortar and pestle grind the peppercorns and sugar, keep aside.

Heat oil fry the tofu until all sides are golden. Add the green onion, ginger and garlic and toss it with the tofu. Then add the pepper, sugar, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Coat the tofu and serve hot. This can be eaten on its own, as a side, mixed with rice or noodles or used as a filling for savories like spring rolls.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting ~

..My first post? Ever? This is so exciting ! Nice to meet you fellow readers, I go by the name of Mar and I love to cook. I turned eighteen early December, and the New Year is around the corner. So, why not start a foodblog to share these delicious recipes and photos? Here youuu go!

 Pumpkin-Spice Cupcakes recipe from Make Me Hungry.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg, plus 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside.  In another bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree and milk.  Set aside.

Cream the butter in an electric mixer.  Gradually beat in the sugar and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, once at a time, and add the vanilla.  Turn mixer to low and alternate the addition of the flour and pumpkin (start and end with flour. Example: add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then half the pumpkin mixture, half of the flour, remaining pumpkin, and rest of the flour mixture).  Mix until just blended.

 Using an ice cream scoop, fill cupcake pans lined with muffin cups.  The batter should fill 2/3 the way up.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cool completely on a cooling rack before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting adapted from Glorious Treats.

• 8 oz cream cheese, straight out of the fridge.
• 1 stick of butter slightly soft but still cool.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
  1-4 Tbsps of heavy whipping cream
  

Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend slightly. Add cream cheese and blend until combined, about 30 seconds.
Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
Slowly add the heavy cream, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met. (Don't add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when piped on cupcakes.)
Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)

 What a yummy way to start off my first post with these gorgeous pumpkin cupcakes. They're so flavorful. The aroma of the fall spices warms the house up during these chilly nights.