Malibu Mojito Cupcakes

Ah, the mojito. Its refreshing combination of lime and mint beckons me back to South Florida, transporting me to sunny Miami beaches and laid-back Key West bars.

Mojitos are usually made with plain white rum, but (as you can read in this post from 2012) that is not typically available in Casa de Crumm. Coconut rum is my poison of choice for daiquiris, pina coladas, and, yes, our friend the mojito.

So that is what you'll find in this cocktail-inspired cupcake. A subtle kiss of coconut complements the flavors of mint and lime ever so nicely, making this one bar-born confection I simply can't stop craving.

Fresh mint leaves are processed with sugar to permeate the cake batter, and more fresh mint is steeped in heavy cream to enliven a whipped white-chocolate ganache icing. A delightfully tart homemade lime curd fills the center of the cakes for a high-impact flavor combination that sends me straight to the Keys.

As you can see from the photos, I have a tendency to overfill the muffin cups. This recipe will produce enough batter for about 18 standard-sized cupcakes, or 12 that look like these. Personally, I don't mind a little crunch around the edges, but if you're feeling like a cupcake perfectionist, don't overfill the muffin cups!

Also, if you are used to making cakes by the creaming method, this recipe is going to sound totally wack. But trust me. Mixing the oil into the dry ingredients first helps coat the flour with fat to keep gluten formation to a minimum, producing that elusive, tender-crumb texture that's not too dense and not too light.

Malibu Mojito Cupcakes

~for the cake~
11 oz granulated sugar
1/3 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves
8 oz all-purpose flour
2 oz cornstarch
1 T baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt (Morton or another coarse variety)
2 fl.oz vegetable oil
2 oz unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
6 fl.oz whole milk
2 fl.oz Malibu coconut rum
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs

~for the icing~
5 fl.oz, plus 4 T heavy whipping cream, divided
1/3 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves
10 oz chopped white chocolate
1 T Malibu coconut rum

~for the filling~
1 cup homemade lime curd

Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place muffin liners in each cup of a standard 12-cup muffin pan (and line an extra pan with 6-or-so liners if you don't want to overfill your muffin cups).

If you need to rinse your mint leaves, pat them very dry between two kitchen towels. Excess water will not be your friend.

Process the mint and sugar in a food processor for about two minutes or until completely integrated.

In a large mixing bowl (the one that comes with your electric stand mixer if that's what you'll be using) thoroughly whisk together (by hand) the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the mint-sugar, and then switch to an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, beat in the oil until the mixture looks quite sandy. Add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat on low while you prepare the wet ingredients.

In a clean bowl (preferably one with a spout), thoroughly whisk together the milk, rum, vanilla, and eggs. Increase the mixer speed slightly, and slowly stream the wet mixture into the flour mixture, beating just till well-incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to give the mixture one final stir by hand before distributing batter among the prepared muffin liners.

Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then completely on a cooling rack before filling and frosting.

Make the Icing:
Place the white chocolate in the bowl of an electric mixer and set aside.

Place 5 fl.oz of cream, along with the mint leaves, in a small saucepan over low heat.

Stir frequently, crushing the leaves to release their oils, for about 20 minutes or until the leaves look very dark and the cream looks pale green.

Strain the cream into the bowl with the white chocolate and discard the mint leaves. Mix on low speed using the paddle attachment until the white chocolate is totally melted and the mixture has cooled considerably. Increase the speed to medium and add 1 tablespoon of the remaining cream at a time, beating well between each addition. Increase speed to med-high and beat until fluffy and voluminous. With the mixer on, very gradually stream in the coconut rum.

Fill and frost the cakes:
Make a little well in the center of each cupcake for the filling. I used a cannoli mold--my daughter got a kick out of blowing the cake "cork" out of the mold and into her waiting hands--but a pairing knife would work just fine.

Place the lime curd in a piping bag fitted with a medium-sized tip, or zip-top bag with about 1/4-inch snipped off one of the bottom corners, and pipe the curd into each cupcake.

Transfer the whipped white-chocolate ganache to a pastry bag and pipe onto the tops of the cupcakes.

Serve immediately or store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Allow the cupcakes to warm completely to room temperature (at least 1 hour) before serving.

Thanks for reading. Here's to Being the Secret Ingredient in your life!

Banana Rum Cobbler

When I think about my perfect dessert, this hits so many of my ideals, it's almost unfair to compare it to anything else.

Then again, I am a huge sucker for bananas, a wild mix of textures, and rummy, caramel goo.

I've written before about my kind of cobbler (cherry, peach), which is basically a buckle. A buckle is so-called because it is essentially a cake that it is buckled with little gorges of bubbly, fruity goodness.

It is a somewhat similar look to the "cobbled" appearance of fruit bubbling up amidst a topping of rounded biscuits--or what I like to call the other type of cobbler.

Whatever you call it, this version takes an old standby out of its Southern-comfort zone and into the tropics with the addition of bananas and rum. Oh my!

Fair warning: Hoosband says this cobbler cannot be served without the requisite vanilla ice cream--something about cloying sweetness, blah, blah, blah. I, however, almost feel like the ice cream just gets in the way. Also, I may have literally licked the bowl. But that's just me.

Banana Rum Cobbler

6 T salted butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup spiced rum (I use Sailor Jerry's)
2 semi-ripe bananas, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt (coarse texture, like Morton)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk

Place the butter in a 9-inch glass pie dish or pan of comparable volume and let melt in the oven while it preheats to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Meanwhile, add 2/3 cup brown sugar and rum to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring with a heatproof spatula just to dissolve the sugar. Add the sliced bananas, bring to a gentle boil, and cook one minute, using the spatula to stir occasionally, just so the bananas get evenly coated. Set aside.

Remove the pie dish from the oven and gently tilt the dish and swirl the butter so it completely coats the bottom. Set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to make a well in the center of the dry mixture, pour the milk into the well, and stir just until there are no visible dry patches. Mixture may be lumpy.

Scrape the batter into the dish, right over the melted butter, and do not stir.

Pour the banana mixture evenly over the top of the batter, and do not stir.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes or till golden, bubbly, and just set, rotating the dish halfway through. The cobbler should be cake-y on top, crunchy around the edges, and pocketed with tender bananas and gooey caramel-rum sauce.

Serve warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days and microwaved for 20-30 seconds to reheat.

Thanks for reading. Here's to Being the Secret Ingredient in your life!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Any good food (recipe) blog has three essential elements:

1. Decent writing.

2. Good recipes.

And the bane of this blog's existence,

3. Drool-worthy photos.

I am so not a photographer, but I never knew quite how much skill I lacked until I started blogging. 

With the help of online tutorials and guidance in the form of Foodgawker rejections, my skills have gone from nonexistent to adequate, but photos definitely remain the "work" of this food-blogging hobby. 

Case in point? For a recent post on MotherEarthNews.com, I scrolled through 65 sticky toffee pudding photos over and over for two days of toddler naps, narrowing them down little by little until I finally shrugged my shoulders and went for what I hoped was a winning closeup. 

Not sure if I picked the best one, but, boy, did I get hungry in the process.

Here are a few of the finalists that didn't make the cut.

If you found those at all drool-inducing, be sure to grab the Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe from Mother Earth News, and feel free to let me know if you think I picked the glamour shot.

Chocolate Saucepan Cookies

I love chocolate in just about any form or fashion--except chalky-dry chocolate cakes or other treats that seem to be chocolate in name only. I pretty much want to be hit over the head with chocolate flavor.

That, my friends, is what these cookies deliver.

Made with almond meal instead of flour, they are effortlessly gluten free and have a delightfully mealy texture almost reminiscent of moist, cakey cornbread.

About as easy to throw together as cookies from a mix, Saucepan Cookies are so called because the ingredients are all mixed up in the saucepan used to melt the chocolate, butter, and sugar.

For the best and deepest chocolate flavor, use a chocolate with a cacao content of at least 60%. Flavored chocolates can add subtle interest as well. I particularly love these cookies made with 1.5 oz Green and Black's Organic Ginger Dark Chocolate and 2.5 oz Green and Black's Organic Maya Gold Dark Chocolate (both 60% cacao). The Maya Gold chocolate is flavored with notes of orange and spices, and the Ginger has flecks of crystallized ginger throughout. I love the combination of chocolate and spices, but plain dark chocolate will work equally well if you want to keep it simple.

Chocolate Saucepan Cookies
4 oz dark chocolate
4 oz salted butter (I prefer Kerrygold)
3 oz sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 oz almond flour (aka almond meal)
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate, butter, and sugar together in a medium-sized saucepan over med-low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and thoroughly stir in the salt, vanilla, and almond flour/meal, allowing the mixture to cool a bit.  Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring to fully incorporate. Use a small-to-medium-sized cookie scoop to transfer blobs of dough to the parchment, spacing about two inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. Allow to cool 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring the whole sheet of parchment to a cooling rack to cool completely. These cookies are best after resting for at least 30 minutes and are even better the next day. Store in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Thanks for reading! Here's to Being the Secret Ingredient in your life.

Cappuccino Cheesecake

Human nature is such a funny thing. Why is it that when we know we can't have something, we want it that much more?

When I found out I was pregnant, I gave up coffee. Yes, I know it's considered safe to have one cup a day, but that's like telling an alcoholic to just have one drink--this would have to be an all or nothing approach. The withdrawals weren't too bad because I'd been slowly weening myself off the strong stuff in hopeful anticipation of that little pink plus sign, and for the first few months, I didn't miss it much at all.

Once morning sickness subsided and hunger was renewed, however, I began experiencing severe coffee envy every Sunday when my husband's fragrant mug wafted tantalizing aromas from the cup-holder next to mine on the way to church. Such a bummer.

I'd been craving cheesecake like crazy, too. Now cheesecake, as long as it's been cooked through and is fairly fresh, is not so much a pregnancy no-no. But I am lactose intolerant, and while not as bad as downing a glass of milk on an empty stomach, cheesecake has been known to make my tummy rumble both before and after consumption. Double bummer.

After a few weeks of experimenting with goat-cheese cheesecakes and ordering decaf soy lattes (both totally delicious but not entirely craving-curbing), I finally decided I had to risk a little tummy trouble and give in.

A cappuccino-inspired cheesecake was the answer to both callings, and it did not disappoint. With less than one serving of coffee spread among eight servings of cheesecake, I get all the flavor and none of the worry. And as for my lactose issues, well, that's my incentive not to eat all eight servings at once.

Cappuccino Cheesecake
8 oz plain chocolate sandwich cookies (I used Newman's Own, but homemade would be excellent as well)
2 T butter, melted
10 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
1/2 cup freshly brewed, dark-roast coffee or espresso
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
whipped cream, cocoa powder, and ground cinnamon for garnish

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Very lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 6-inch springform pan, and wrap the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil so that the foil comes up just under the outside rim of the pan, not extending to the inside.

Place the chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor and process into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and process or pulse to combine, making sure to scrape around the bottom at least once for even mixing. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Set aside.

Beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary to ensure even beating. With the mixer on med-low speed, VERY GRADUALLY stream in the warm coffee, pausing to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl about halfway through. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until there are no visible lumps. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, just until completely incorporated.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the prepared crust and place the springform pan inside a tall-sided roasting pan. Very carefully add enough water to the roasting pan so that it comes about halfway up the sides of the springform pan--be sure not to splash any water into the cheesecake.

Bake for 55 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the cheesecake to remain inside the turned-off oven as it cools (at least one hour, up to two).

Very carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and lift the springform pan out onto a dry kitchen towel. Gently unwrap and discard the foil. Place a dry paper towel over the top of the pan (not touching the surface of the cheesecake) and cover with a clean sheet of foil. Place in the fridge to chill until serving, at least one hour, up to five days.

To garnish, dollop or pipe little stars of freshly whipped cream (sweetened to taste with powdered sugar and vanilla) over the top of the cheesecake. Place about 1/4 tsp cocoa powder and a dash of ground cinnamon in a fine mesh sieve and gently dust over the whipped cream.

Serves approximately 8.

Thanks for reading! Here's to Being the Secret Ingredient in your life.

Individual Peanut Butter and Jelly Pies

If you read the last post, you saw solution number one to Hoosband's peanut-butter-pie deprivation issues: Individual Peanut-Butter S'mores Pies.

Today I present variation number two: Individual Peanut Butter and Jelly Pies.

Not exactly a novel concept, but easy and delicious all the same.

I have to admit, growing up I was never a fan of the peanut-butter-and-jelly combo. Peanut-butter-and-honey sandwiches were the pride of my lunchbox--no jelly allowed.

But somehow, over the years, as I've sampled variations on the PB and J (especially variations that include chocolate) I've grown to find the combo not only appealing but down right addictive.

This recipe layers strawberry jelly, simple peanut-butter-custard filling, and easy chocolate ganache in homemade graham-cracker crusts to create perfectly portioned pies that effortlessly elevate a childhood favorite to something truly party worthy.

Individual Peanut Butter and Jelly Pies
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (preferably homemade)
2 T dark brown sugar or coconut palm sugar
3 T melted butter
1/3 cup strawberry jelly
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup peanut butter (I used Jiff Natural)
2 egg yolks (the whites can be frozen and thawed for later use if desired)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I used Guittard Extra Dark)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12-cup, standard-sized muffin pan with muffin liners.

Use a fork to thoroughly combine the crust ingredients. Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared cups, and use your fingers to press the mixture firmly into the bottoms and up the sides of the liners. Place a rounded teaspoon of jelly into the bottom of each prepared crust (use the bottom of the spoon to gently spread out the jelly blob if desired). Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, peanut butter, and egg yolks until very thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared crusts, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

While the pies are cooling, place the heavy whipping cream in a two-cup, microwave-safe bowl or Pyrex measuring cup. Microwave on high for one minute. Add the chocolate chips and stir until completely smooth--this will take a few minutes. Divide the chocolate mixture evenly among the pies and allow to cool completely at room temperature before placing in airtight containers to store in the fridge. The pies will keep, stored this way, for up to one week.

Makes 12 Individual Peanut Butter and Jelly Pies.

Thanks for reading! Here's to Being the Secret Ingredient in your life.

Individual Peanut-Butter S'mores Pies

I can't remember what we were watching, but Hoosband and I saw some reference to peanut-butter pie on TV a couple weeks ago, and he got that dreamy look in his eye. There might have also been an audible tummy response and a rogue drop of drool making a run for his chin.

"Oh man, I used to make peanut-butter pie all the time," I reminisced. 

He looked at me as if he'd learned I'd been skimming half his income into a private account in the Caymans. "And you've been keeping this from me?" the betrayed inquired.

My penance was clear. 

A bag of homemade graham crackers leftover from creating a fresh chevre cheesecake for a Mother Earth News post sat on my counter, so the timing was perfect for pie.

Now a custard-y peanut-butter filling in a crumbly homemade graham cracker crust is a fine thing on its own, but I wanted to have a little fun with it. I settled on two variations, and since I'm only really fond of one of my pie pans, I decided to make a bunch of mini-pies instead of two large ones. Portion control is an added bonus.

I knew right away I wanted to do a Peanut-Butter S'mores Pie, but I didn't have time to make homemade marshmallows, and I really didn't want to go to the store to get the Jet-Puffed variety.

Then I realized I had a perfectly marshmallow-y substance right at my disposal in the two egg whites I'd be reserving from the filling. Since crunchy-on-the-outside, marshmallow-y-on-the-inside meringues are an all-time Hoosband favorite on their own, I figured it was a fair swap out.

What do you think?

Individual Peanut-Butter S'mores Pies

~for the crust~
2 cups homemade-graham-cracker crumbs
2 T dark brown sugar or coconut palm sugar
3 T melted butter

~for the filling~
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup peanut butter (I use Jiff Natural)
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used Guittard Extra Dark)

~for the meringue~
2 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar (I used Wholesome Sweeteners Organic)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12-cup, standard-sized muffin pan with muffin liners.

Use a fork to thoroughly combine the crust ingredients. Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared cups, and use your fingers to press the mixture firmly into the bottoms and up the sides of the liners. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, peanut butter, and egg yolks until very thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared crusts, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and wait about two minutes for the filling to settle before evenly distributing the chocolate chips among the pies. Set aside.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and beat on medium speed until foamy, voluminous, and just able to hold very soft peaks when the beater is lifted out of the mixer. With the mixer on, beat in the vanilla and one tablespoon of sugar at a time until the mixture is extremely white and glossy and able to hold stiff peaks.

Transfer the mixture to a large piping bag, and pipe the meringue in a climbing spiral over the top of each pie so that no chocolate or filling is showing.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake 20 minutes more.

Remove pies from the oven and allow to cool completely before very carefully lifting them out of the pan--a fork may be helpful in this process to avoid cracking the meringue.

Store the pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, and stay tuned for variation number two, coming soon!

Thanks for reading! Here's to Being the Secret Ingredient in your life.

Cherry-Chocolate Chewies

My love for meringues has been well documented:

Meringue Ghosts
Raspberry Pavlovas
Strawberry Colada Pavlovas
Peppermint Bark Meringues

But why not add one more variation to the list?

With a higher moisture-content, thanks to the bounty of tart, dried cherries running throughout, these two-bite treats have a purely chewy, marshmallow-y texture, without the exterior crunch of my usual meringues.

Even better the day after baking, these little chewies will last up to a week, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cherry-Chocolate Chewies
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
2 large egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup finely chopped dark chocolate (I used Chocolove Strong Dark 70%)

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the sugar and the dried cherries in the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 20-second intervals until the sugar is evenly freckled with flecks of cherries.

Set aside.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and beat until the egg whites are thick, foamy, and just able to hold a very soft peak.

With the mixer on low, add the sugar mixture one tablespoon at a time. Slowly add the vanilla and the chopped chocolate.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag, and pipe out small "kisses" onto the prepared baking sheets. The kisses can be fairly close together, as the mixture should not spread much while baking.

Bake one sheet at a time at 300 degrees F. for 20 minutes, giving the sheet a 180-degree rotation halfway through. Allow cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes before using a spatula to transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Store in a zip-top bag or other airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Makes about 30 little chewies.

Thanks for reading! Here's to Being the Secret Ingredient in your life.