Chocolate Cup Cake Baked in a Cup

 

chocolate cake in a cup

I just may have created the world’s most expensive cupcakes. Thanks to UPS. Let me explain…

My sister moves a lot for her job. And every time she moves, it’s become somewhat of a tradition for me to send her something homemade and chocolaty. She is moving this week and I sent her mini chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache frosting.

Did I mention my sister lives in England?? It cost me nearly a week’s worth of groceries to send these cupcakes to England! But I suppose you can’t put a price on these things. Besides, the Ina Garten recipe I used for these cupcakes was just perfect. This is a chocolate cake recipe and worked very well for making cup cakes.I didn’t use the butter cream frosting that came with the cake recipe. Instead I made a simple chocolate ganache (recipe below).

I had some left over batter, so I poured the batter into a big oven proof coffee mug and baked it right in the mug….this one is very literally a cup cake. It’s a lot of fun to eat out of the mug.

choccup3crop
 
How to bake cup cakes in a coffee mug or cup

Make a batch of your favorite cake batter. I recommend Ina Garten’s chocolate cake recipe.

Start with clean coffee mugs. Make very sure that the coffee mugs are oven proof. Butter the inside of the mugs and lightly dust with flour. Alternatively, spray the inside of the mugs with non stick spray.

Pour the cake batter only half way up the mug.

Bake in a 350F oven.

Baking times will vary depending on the size of the mug you use. When the cake is done, the batter would have risen, and your kitchen will smell like cake. At this point insert a tooth pick into the cup cake. If its done, the tooth pick will come out clean. Make sure you dont over bake and dry out your cup cake. I used a fairly large mug and it took 25 minutes.

To serve, dust some powdered sugar on top or top the cake with chocolate ganache (recipe below). Serve with fresh berries of your choice.

Notes: Use the best cocoa powder you can afford. Try adding some kahlua or rum to the cake batter for a more intense flavor.

Microwave Method

I attempted a batch in the microwave. I used the same method above and microwaved the batter in the mug for about 3 minutes. It works. But the oven method tastes better and has better texture.

chocolate cup cakes baked in a cup

Chocolate Ganache
Makes enough to frost 2, 8 inch round cakes or about 60 mini cupcakes1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream

 

Bring the cream to a simmer in a pan on low heat. Add the chocolate chips and whisk until melted. Turn off heat. Spread immediately on top of the cooled cake.

Rose Pomegranate Fizz

a Turkish themed Valentine’s day dinner

 

rose pomegranate fizz

Rose flavoring is used mainly in Turkish sweets and desserts. I also had some really nice rose flavored tea in Istanbul. This drink is inspired by all the rose flavor I encountered in Turkey.

Rose Pomegranate Fizz
makes 2 cups
 
4 tbsp Sugar (more, if you like it sweeter)
3 tbsp Water
2 tbsp Pomegranate molasses*
¼ tsp rose water
2 cups chilled club soda or seltzer
A few rose petals

Rose Pomegranate Fizz

Microwave the sugar and water just until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool. Then mix all ingredients together except rose petals. Stir well to combine.

To serve, pour into glasses and float a few rose petals on top.

Notes
Make sure you use roses that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides. Rinse the rose petals in cold water before using.

*If you dont have pomegranate molasses, use pomegranate juice. You may have to experiment with the pomegranante juice and club soda ratio (start with equal amounts of each).

This recipe yields a slightly sweet drink. Thats how we like it. If you want your drink to be sweeter, just use more sugar.

Rose Pomegranate Fizz

How to make your own rose water

I found rose water in my local grocery store. It will also be available in middle eastern stores. If you cant find rose water, here is a link to make your own on www.tipnut.com. See the section titled ‘homemade rosewater’. The recipe calls for steeping 1 cup of rose petals in 2 cups boiling water. Then cool, strain and use.

Open-Faced Spinach and Feta Borek

a Turkish themed Valentine’s day dinner
 

 

borek

If there was one thing I loved eating the most in Turkey, it was spinach borek. These spinach and feta filled pastries were everywhere. Street vendors sold them on carts outside the blue mosque in Istanbul, in the grand bazaar, by the gorgeously lit bosphorous at night….boreks were ubiquitous.

Traditional borek (or burek) is similar to spanakopita – spinach encased in phyllo dough. This recipe is my take on borek. I made an open-faced pie. This way, you get more of the spinach filling and its quicker than wrapping the filling in the pastry dough. Once you thaw the puff pastry sheet, this is a really quick and easy dish to make.

Open faced Spinach and Feta Borek
makes 2 generous servings

1 sheet Puff pastry
a 10 oz box of frozen spinach
1 tsp cumin powder
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or oregano
A pinch nutmeg
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (use more if you wish)
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Thaw the puff pastry and the frozen spinach. Once the spinach is thawed, squeeze out all the water from it and set aside.

Pre heat oven to 400F

Open-faced Spinach and Feta Boreks
Open-faced Spinach and Feta Boreks

Unfold the puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Using the rolling pin, flatten and roll out the pastry a little. Then, leaving a small border all around the puff pastry sheet, prick the inside of the sheet with a fork. Pricking the pastry sheet will ensure it doesn’t puff up during baking. We only want the unpricked border to puff up.

Heat a pan with the oil. Add the garlic. When it sizzles, add the cumin powder to the oil and turn off heat immediately. Now add the nutmeg, parsley or oregano and spinach to the pan. Add salt and pepper (keeping in mind that the feta cheese is salty). Using your fingers, mix the ingredients together.

Spread the spinach mixture onto the pastry sheet. Make sure you don’t go over the pricked border. Crumble feta cheese over the spinach.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Open-faced Spinach and Feta Boreks

Muhammara – Walnut Pomegranate Dip

a Turkish themed Valentine’s day dinner

muhammara

Why a Turkish theme for valentine’s day dinner you ask?

When we visited Turkey, we discovered that in the touristy areas, almost every edible thing for sale was marked as either an aphrodisiac or a viagara substitute. No matter what a vendor was selling, he claimed it was good for your love life. Apricots, nuts, sweets, spices, tea…every thing came with the promise of…err…better procreative ability.

turkey
Talk about marketing technique! Sweets at the grand bazaar in Istanbul and a dried fruit stall in Cappadocia.
 
I’ve traveled enough to know that this aphrodisiac thing is a scam. But somehow during the Turkey trip, my brain made a connection between Turkish food and aphrodisiac. So when I was thinking of what to make for Valentines day, Turkish food was the first thing that came to mind :)

We started dinner with Muhammara – an incredibly delicious and easy Turkish dish to whip up. This dip is also called Acuka in Turkey and is also eaten in other parts of the middle east. It is slightly tart and sweet from the pomegranate and buttery from the walnuts. Muhammara is great as a dip, but it will also make a fantastic sandwich spread. There are several variations of this dish, but the main ingredients are always walnuts, roasted red peppers and pomegranate molasses. You can get pomegranate molasses in any middle eastern grocery store.

Muhammara - Walnut Pomegranate Dip

Muhammara – Turkish Walnut Pomegranate Dip
makes about 2 cups

1 cup walnuts
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 large roasted red peppers (see below for how to roast peppers)
1 clove garlic
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup dried bread crumbs
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp ketchup
½ tsp salt

Muhammara - Walnut Pomegranate Dip

Toast the walnuts in a skillet on medium heat, till they are slightly browned.

Put the toasted walnuts and all other ingredients in a blender and blend into a smooth dip. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add a few tablespoons of water to the blender. Serve with warm pita bread or vegetables.

How to roast peppers

Muhammara - Walnut Pomegranate Dip
Muhammara - Walnut Pomegranate Dip
Place red peppers over a direct flame – either on your stove or in an outdoor grill. Roast the red peppers on a high flame till they are completely charred on all sides. Place the charred peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the peppers steam this way for atleast 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, wipe off all the charred skin of the red peppers. Chop the peppers, discarding the seeds and membrane inside.

Roasted Parsnip Soup with Fresh Herb and Caper Chimichurri

 

parsnip soup

Raw parsnips are quite carrot like. They smell like carrots and taste a little like carrots. But when you roast parsnips, they take on a completely different character – they get intense and sweet. When I lived in England, roasted parsnips were as common as roasted potatoes in my college cafeteria.

In this soup, I roast the parsnips first and then blend them into a soup with vegetable stock, leeks and celery. This is not the best looking soup in the world, so I add a pinch of turmeric for color; you can leave it out if you dont mind a tasty but grey soup. I picked up some seeded multigrain bread at Trader Joes which goes perfectly with this thick, sweet soup.

I serve the soup with a flavorful fresh herb and caper chimichurri. A popular Argentine sauce, chimichurri is made with parsley and olive oil. I added capers for their yummy saltiness. Spoon the chimichurri over the soup or stir it in.

Roasted Parsnip Soup with Fresh Herb, Caper Chimichurri

Roasted Parsnip Soup
serves about 4

2 parsnips chopped, about 2 cups
2 celery ribs roughly chopped
1 leek stalk cleaned and roughly chopped
½ a bay leaf
3 cloves Garlic
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
A splash of white wine
½ tsp Turmeric for color, optional
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups low fat milk
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Olive oil

Pre heat oven to 400F

Scrub the parsnips clean. Chop off the ends. Chop the parsnips into cubes. Toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven till the parsnips are golden. I cut the parsnips pretty small, and it took me 20 minutes.

Roasted Parsnip Soup with Fresh Herb, Caper Chimichurri

While the parsnips are roasting, heat a large, deep pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped celery, leeks, garlic and bay leaf. Cook on medium-high heat till the celery has softened a little – about 3 minutes. Now add the oregano and wine and cook another 1 minute till the wine bubbles and evaporates. Add the turmeric, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Then lower heat and Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf and discard it.

Add the roasted parsnips and milk to the stock. Place in a blender and puree into a soup – as smooth or chunky as you like.

Return the soup to the pot, and warm through before serving. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper. Remember, the stock has salt and the chimichurri is salty.

Fresh herb and Caper Chimichurri
makes about 1/4 cup

Roasted Parsnip Soup with Fresh Herb, Caper Chimichurri

1 cup fresh Parsley leaves roughly chopped
2 tbsp fresh Oregano
Capers – 1 ½ tbsp plus 1 tbsp of the brine (use pitted green or kalamata olives instead)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp wine (I used white, cooking wine)
1 tbsp stock or water
1 garlic clove
A pinch of Crushed red pepper, more if you like it hot
Salt to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend into a coarse paste.

Roasted Parsnip Soup with Fresh Herb, Caper Chimichurri

Roasted Parsnip Soup with Fresh Herb, Caper Chimichurri

Come into my red kitchen

I have a red kitchen. I love warm colors, I just cant help it. Reds and oranges are my the favorite section of any paint shop color deck. After much vacillation last year, we decided to go with a brickish red paint for the kitchen walls. Its not a crazy, danger sign kind of red. But a rich, warm red. I dont actually have a lot of wall space in the kitchen, so there isnt a lot of red either. The color red increases metabolism, so I think its very apt for the kitchen! Also, the kitchen is my favorite part of the house. Visitors seem to be gravitated to my red kitchen. No matter how many people we have over, everyone seems to congregate in the kitchen.

I took these pictures over the weekend to show you where all the cooking, eating, entertaining and so much more happen..

come into my red kitchen

come into my red kitchen
I would have liked darker cabinets and floors, but I’m not complaining as long as the walls are red.

come into my red kitchen
We have some what of an open plan. This is the view of the living room from the kitchen. I love that we have gas burners, they heat up so much quicker and more evenly than electric.

come into my red kitchen
We eat on the island. The swivelling bar stool type chairs are S’s favorite. I love that the stove is on the island; that frees up a lot of counter space. But see how the microwave is sitting on the counter? And the space meant for the microwave under the cabinets has spices in it? We bought the wrong size microwave, it doesn’t fit in the space meant for it.

come into my red kitchen
See the square green scotch brite sponge cloth by the left side of the sink? My grandmother introduced me to those; they are super absorbant and great for cleaning surfaces. To disinfect them (or any non-metallic sponge), just pop the sponge in the microwave for 1 minute.

come into my red kitchen
The pantry. My friend’s 3 year old walked into this pantry and said “you have a pretty interesting fridge”.

come into my red kitchen
That dent on the wall near the pantry is a long story. Its too embarrassing to explain. But let me just say that it was caused by an air borne sauce pan ;) You are free to guess the rest.
Incase you are wondering why we havent fixed it: a)we arent handy like that. b)we can live with a little dent in the wall. c)we are waiting for some good soul (aka, my father in law) to offer to fix it.

come into my red kitchen
See the trash can on the floor at the end of the counter? Even though I keep a trash can in the kitchen, I prefer to hang a plastic bag near the counter. As I’m prepping and cooking, the trash goes in the plastic bag. When I’m done, I tied up the plastic bag and put it in the kitchen trash can.

A bottle of room freshener is permanently stationed near the trash can. We spray the kitchen trash can. So in my house, vegetable peel smells like apple cinnamon febreze.

come into my red kitchen
Dining area of the kitchen. We are still using folding chairs because I hate shopping and I’m putting off buying dining chairs for as long as I can.

come into my red kitchen
This is the ‘transaction’ area of the dining table. This is the spot where we leave each other money, notes, lists etc. There is a designated area in the house for this stuff, but somehow it lands up on the dining table.

come into my red kitchen
View from the kitchen window.

come into my red kitchen
 

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