I felt the fury of this week's cupcakes two days prior to their big reveal when the production of candied jalapenos resulted in jalapeno juice in my EYE. You will all be glad to know that I made a full recovery after a milk eye wash and frozen pea compress. This weeks cupcake consists of a chocolate chip, chocolate vodka and green chilli cupcake, iced with a cayenne pepper dark chocolate icing, topped with goat cheese crumble and candied jalapenos. Cocoa commented that this was the best sin to cake pairing yet.
Toppings:
Candied Jalapenos
2 jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Slice the chilis julienne style, removing the pith and seeds. In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the water and sugar ensuring that the sugar is fully submerged. Bring this mixture to a boil. Once the sugar has fully dissolved, turn the heat to low, add the pepper sliced and cover, simmering for 20 minutes. Strain the peppers from the liquid which can be reserved as a simple syrup mixture for drinks and desserts). Heat the oven to 190F degrees. Lay the sweet boiled pepper slices across a pan prepared with parchment paper and place it in the oven until they begin to harden, about 45 minutes. Have a little fun here placing the peppers onto the pan in different shapes (I made twists and rings). Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool/harden.
Crumbled Goat Cheese
Reserve the cheese to sprinkle over the final cupcake.
Ground Cayenne Pepper
Lightly sprinkle over the final product to add a hint of colour.
Toppings:
Candied Jalapenos
2 jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Slice the chilis julienne style, removing the pith and seeds. In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the water and sugar ensuring that the sugar is fully submerged. Bring this mixture to a boil. Once the sugar has fully dissolved, turn the heat to low, add the pepper sliced and cover, simmering for 20 minutes. Strain the peppers from the liquid which can be reserved as a simple syrup mixture for drinks and desserts). Heat the oven to 190F degrees. Lay the sweet boiled pepper slices across a pan prepared with parchment paper and place it in the oven until they begin to harden, about 45 minutes. Have a little fun here placing the peppers onto the pan in different shapes (I made twists and rings). Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool/harden.
Crumbled Goat Cheese
Reserve the cheese to sprinkle over the final cupcake.
Ground Cayenne Pepper
Lightly sprinkle over the final product to add a hint of colour.
Taste: ***1/2 | Presentation: ****
Cupcake
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp vodka (I used chocolate flavour)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 tbsp diced green chilies*
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease pan(s).
In a large bowl, stir the butter and sugar together until fluffy (~5 mins). Beat in the eggs, one at a time. In a small dish combine the vodka and milk and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture in 3rds, alternating with the milk/vodka mixture, but beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips and green chilis. Scoop the batter into your prepared pans and bake. This recipe yielded 12 regular size cakes and 12 minis, baked at 17 and 10 minutes respectively.
*The green chilies barely added anything to the batter, it was most definitely not spicy.
Spicy Chocolate Frosting
2/3 cup dark chocolate (I used chips)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp instant coffee
3 tbsp vodka (I used chocolate flavoured)
1/2 cup icing/confectioner sugar*
1 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper*
In a microwave safe bowl melt the butter. Proceed to do the same with the chocolate. Combine the two melted ingredients adding in the instant coffee, milk and vodka, stirring until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and cayenne pepper, mixing thoroughly.
*Adjust the amount of sugar based on target consistency and alter the amount of cayenne pepper in the recipe as you see fit (ie. can tolerate). I had one of my less spice tolerant friends standing next to me while I was preparing the frosting and had her stop me when I had reached a spice level just above her comfort zone. This recipe yielded enough for a 1/4 inch layer over the 24 cakes (12 regular, 12 minis) that I made and then some. Store extra in an airtight container for days.
The Panel
This week's combination of chocolate and spice was a new, and scary to some, concept for the cupcake-ivores. The cupcake itself was a hit as a chocolate chip cake with just the right amount of sweet and crunch, though Kupcake suggested a no chocolate cake give the spicy chocolate frosting the spotlight it deserves. The green chilies however, didn't come through at all. The frosting definitely had split reviews based on individual palate; those with a love of spice very much appreciated it while some were unable to finish the cupcake. An overall gratitude was expressed for the goat cheese as it cut through the spice of the frosting, adding a second creamy element to the product. The candied jalapenos added a fun element to the cakes. J Rock explained it best in saying that the flavour of the pepper came through without the true spice which provided a different savoury experience. One of the non-panel individuals that was privy to one of my extra cakes this week made a really great suggestion to throw in an extra flavour element, mango specifically.
Sugar Princess: "Hot hot hot...my taste buds are still angry with me!"
JRock: "Cheese was clutch!"
Giovanni: "Risk well worth reward."
My comments
This was the best chocolate frosting I've made. Consistency wise, it kept well over night and out of the fridge, not unlike the Betty Crocker frosting one can purchase from the store. The spicy flavour also kept well over time (I've had issues with flavours fading in the past); I will most definitely use this recipe again (with or without the spice). Concerning presentation, I would have to say it was one of my better deliveries. The flavours worked extremely well together.
This week's combination of chocolate and spice was a new, and scary to some, concept for the cupcake-ivores. The cupcake itself was a hit as a chocolate chip cake with just the right amount of sweet and crunch, though Kupcake suggested a no chocolate cake give the spicy chocolate frosting the spotlight it deserves. The green chilies however, didn't come through at all. The frosting definitely had split reviews based on individual palate; those with a love of spice very much appreciated it while some were unable to finish the cupcake. An overall gratitude was expressed for the goat cheese as it cut through the spice of the frosting, adding a second creamy element to the product. The candied jalapenos added a fun element to the cakes. J Rock explained it best in saying that the flavour of the pepper came through without the true spice which provided a different savoury experience. One of the non-panel individuals that was privy to one of my extra cakes this week made a really great suggestion to throw in an extra flavour element, mango specifically.
Sugar Princess: "Hot hot hot...my taste buds are still angry with me!"
JRock: "Cheese was clutch!"
Giovanni: "Risk well worth reward."
My comments
This was the best chocolate frosting I've made. Consistency wise, it kept well over night and out of the fridge, not unlike the Betty Crocker frosting one can purchase from the store. The spicy flavour also kept well over time (I've had issues with flavours fading in the past); I will most definitely use this recipe again (with or without the spice). Concerning presentation, I would have to say it was one of my better deliveries. The flavours worked extremely well together.