Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

If you only ever make one cupcake recipe, make these.

I've made the raspberry/chocolate combination before, and I absolutely love it. This time I tried a new cupcake recipe, and I loved the flavor and texture of these chocolate cupcakes. I used ganache for the cupcake filling, the raspberry filling and the frosting. It takes a lot of chocolate, but the end result is well worth it.

If you prefer a little less chocolate, Annie's Eats has another great recipe for raspberry buttercream frosting. I've tried this one before, and it's very good, and the pink frosting is very pretty with the chocolate cupcake.

Either way you do it, you can't go wrong!

Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes
From Annie's Eats

Yield: 36-40 cupcakes

The cupcakes
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (or 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped)
1½ cups hot brewed coffee (or hot water)
3 cups sugar
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp baking powder
1¼ tsp salt
3 large eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
1½ cups buttermilk
¾ tsp vanilla extract

Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl and add the hot coffee. Let it stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. (If the chocolate is not completely melted, pop the mixture in the microwave for 15 seconds, then whisk again. Repeat as needed).

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, beat the eggs in medium-high until slightly thickened and pale yellow.

Add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla and chocolate, mixing well after each addition.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on medium-low just until incorporated.

Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full.

Bake in a preheated, 350 degree oven for 17-19 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

The ganache filling and frosting:
5 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (or 30 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped)
1 1/2 cups seedless raspberry jam
2 cups heavy cream

Place chocolate chips and jam in a large glass bowl.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until very hot, but not boiling.

Pour hot cream over the chocolate and jam. Let it sit for 4 minutes.

Whisk the chocolate mixture until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. (If the chocolate is not completely melted, pop the mixture in the microwave for 15 seconds, then whisk again. Repeat as needed).

Set the mixture aside while you prepare the cupcakes for filling.

Cut a small cone in the top of each cupcake. Remove the cone, cut off the pointy end and discard, but keep the cap. I like to remove a good chunk of the cupcake so there is plenty of room for the filling.

Fill each hole with ganache. You can use a spoon to drop it in, but I like to fill up my pastry bag and use that to squirt the ganache into each cupcake crater.

Replace the cap of each cupcake.

Pipe ganache into clean, dry raspberries. Refrigerate the chocolate filled raspberries until the cupcakes are frosted.

Frost the cupcakes with the remaining ganache.

Top the cupcakes with chocolate filled raspberries before the frosting sets.

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Gingersnaps

I love cookies. But the texture of the cookie is really important to me.

Did you know you can bake cookies on a pizza stone?

Oh yes. And it gives the cookies the most delicious texture imaginable.

These gingersnaps are my husband's favorite cookie. And they are my second favorite cookie...behind any cookie with chocolate in it.

Gingersnaps

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup molasses

Mix dry ingredients, set aside.

Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, 3-4 minutes.

Beat in egg and molasses.

Stir in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Cover and chill until firm, and hour or longer.

Preheat the oven with pizza stone on center rack to 375 degrees.

Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until just dry on top but slightly soft in the middle.

*Note: you can dip the tops of these cookies in granulated sugar before baking if desired.

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Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

If you are looking for a fresh idea for Sunday brunch, or breakfast for dinner, look no further.

These pancakes are delightful! They have a fabulous texture and the lemon and blueberries are a great flavor combination. These will brighten your day!

On a personal note, Happy Birthday to my little brother Peter. Since you live across the country for me, this will have to be a virtual birthday breakfast.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce
From Two Peas and Their Pod

The blueberry sauce:

1 1/2 TB fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 TB granulated sugar
2 TB water

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and cornstarch.

In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, and water and bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce to a simmer and stir in lemon juice and cornstarch mixture.

Cook while stirring until the sauce thickens slightly.

Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

The pancakes:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white wheat flour
3 TB granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 TB canola oil

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, egg, egg whites, lemon juice, lemon zest, and canola oil.

Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until incorporated, being careful to not overmix.

Cook the pancakes in a hot, greased skillet.

Serve warm with blueberry sauce.

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Black Bean and Cheese Tacos

Here it is. The yummy, quick, vegetarian base for the chipotle salsa and sour cream. Because you know the chipotle part is the star.

I think next time I might try making an extra batch of the beans and freezing them for an even faster meal.

A less than attractive picture, but I'm working on it.

Black Bean and Cheese Tacos
From Everyday Food

EVOO
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cans (3 cups) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup water
salt and pepper
10 small tortillas, warmed or slightly toasted**
2 cups shredded cheese
1 avocado, cubed
1 cup packed shredded romaine
chipotle salsa
chipotle sour cream

Heat oil over medium heat in a medium pan.

Add onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes.

Add cumin and cook about 30 seconds.

Add beans and water and simmer about 4 minutes.

Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with tortillas, cheese, avocado, lettuce, salsa and sour cream.

**To toast the tortillas, heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Lightly spray one side of the tortilla with cooking spray and place oiled side down in the hot skillet. The tortilla will puff up as it toasts. After about 30 seconds (depending on how hot your skillet is), spray the unoiled side of your tortilla, flip it and toast the other side. Keep the tortillas wrapped in a towel until you serve them.

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Chipotle Sour Cream and Salsa

Oh, how I love chipotle peppers in adobo sauce!

I was planning on black bean and cheese tacos for dinner one night (recipe to come) and came across Sweet Caroline's Cooking adobo sour cream. I thought it would go perfectly with the tacos.

But why stop there? I threw together a chipotle salsa to go with it.

Heaven in a taco shell, I tell you!


Chipotle Sour Cream
From Sweet Caroline's Cooking

1 cup sour cream
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus 2 tsp of adobo sauce

Remove the seeds from the peppers and chop.

Mix the sour cream, peppers and sauce together.

Refrigerate until ready to use.


Chipotle Salsa

1 TB EVOO
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 large tomatoes
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 c minced cilantro
1 1/2 chipotle chilies, chopped with seeds removed (unless you want that extra heat)
2 TB red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 scant tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp granulated sugar

Saute the onions garlic) in EVOO.

Put onion, garlic, and half of the tomatoes in a food processor (or blender), blend until finely chopped by not pureed.

Add the cilantro, chilies, vinegar, salt and sugar. Pulse to mix.

Fold in remaining chopped tomatoes.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Slow Roasted Tomato Soup

Today Baking Bad is hosting a virtual fall feast. I'm so excited to be participating! My contribution is slow roasted tomato soup. Head over to Baking Bad to see the other delicious contributions.

I've never cared for tomato soup. I made this one day for my husband, a big tomato soup fan. When it was finished I reluctantly took a taste. Just to see. Wow, it tasted better than I thought...I took another taste...I ate two bowl fulls. Delicious.

But this is more than just a tasty soup. It's very easy and uses basic pantry ingredients. It can be vegetarian/vegan (use veggie broth instead of chicken broth). It can even be low fat (omit the cream).

And as delicious as this is on its own, you would not believe how amazing it is with a grilled brie sandwich on a chilly day.

Slow Roasted Tomato Soup
From In Jennie's Kitchen

2 28-oz. cans of whole peeled tomatoes
Olive oil
2 TB dark brown sugar
salt and fresh ground pepper
3 cups reserved tomato liquid (add water if needed to make 3 cups)
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
1/2 cup cream (or half and half)

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Place a sieve over a large glass measuring cup and drain the tomatoes, reserving the liquid.

Slice the tomatoes in half and place cut-side up on the baking sheet. The tomatoes will lose a lot of juice as they are sliced, so slice over the sieve to collect more juice.

Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil.

Sprinkle tomatoes with brown sugar, salt and pepper.

Roast in a preheated 300 degree oven for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.

Transfer the cooled tomatoes to a blender and add the 3 cups of reserved tomato juice. Blend until smooth.

Pour blended liquid into a large pot. Add broth and heat until warmed through.

Remove from heat and stir in cream.

Serve hot!

Spice recommendations: Tellicherry Indian Black Peppercorns and Chicken or Veggie Soup Base (1 tsp soup base per 1 cup of water).

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