Taste: **** | Presentation: *** 1/2
This week's cupcake is a creation I've had in mind for some time now...since October of last year to be exact. The treat was inspired by a macaroon I had while on my trip to Paris, France; I purchased it on the Rue Clare, not far from the Eiffel Tower which I pocketed for my view from the top of the tower. The macaroon was a cassis (black current) cookie filled with a pistachio cream; in much the same sense, I've presented a cassis jam cake filled with pistachio frosting.
Jam Cake
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Cassis liqueur
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup granulate sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup black current jam
blue and red food colouring
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin pan(s).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through salt). Combine the milk, liqueur and vanilla in a small bowl and set it aside. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (~3 mins). Beat in 1 egg at a time. Add the dry and milk mixture to the butter/sugar mixture in thirds, starting and ending with the dry. Fold in the jam. Add the blue and red food colouring to get an acceptable shade of purple (batter looks grey otherwise). Baked for 14 minutes. This batch yielded 17 regular sized cupcakes.
Pistachio Cream Filling
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp almond butter
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups confectioner sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
green food colouring
Place the pistachios, oil and almond butter into a food processor, blending until uniform. In a medium bowl, combine this mixture with the butter until uniform once more. Beat in the sugar until smooth. Proceed with mixing in the vanilla and green colouring until a presentable shade of green is created (otherwise mixture is a yellow/brown/nut butter colour).
Once the cakes have cooled, slice them in half horizontally and fill each cake with the pistachio cream.
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Cassis liqueur
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup granulate sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup black current jam
blue and red food colouring
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin pan(s).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through salt). Combine the milk, liqueur and vanilla in a small bowl and set it aside. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (~3 mins). Beat in 1 egg at a time. Add the dry and milk mixture to the butter/sugar mixture in thirds, starting and ending with the dry. Fold in the jam. Add the blue and red food colouring to get an acceptable shade of purple (batter looks grey otherwise). Baked for 14 minutes. This batch yielded 17 regular sized cupcakes.
Pistachio Cream Filling
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp almond butter
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups confectioner sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
green food colouring
Place the pistachios, oil and almond butter into a food processor, blending until uniform. In a medium bowl, combine this mixture with the butter until uniform once more. Beat in the sugar until smooth. Proceed with mixing in the vanilla and green colouring until a presentable shade of green is created (otherwise mixture is a yellow/brown/nut butter colour).
Once the cakes have cooled, slice them in half horizontally and fill each cake with the pistachio cream.
The Panel:Presentation was the hot topic with this week's cupcake, from intense to artificial and expressing more of a whoopie pie appearance than that of a macaroon. The cake was on the moist side, exhibiting the jam component, complimented by the occasional burst of flavour added by the berries in the spread. Though subtle, the novel combination of aromas seemed to surprise some but was appreciated by all. The pistachio cream was on the sticky side, appearing somewhat oily, reminiscent of it's nut butter base. Cupcake Canine (standing in for Diana this week) commented on the excellent proportions presented in this week's treat.
Sweet Pea: "Overall, definitely interesting and one that I'd try again!"
Eat Freak: "Decadent without being over bearing."
Giovanni: "I was looking for crumbs at the end of this. Bravo."
My comments:
The ultimate frustration this week came down to the exhibited colours. The batter was grey pre-red and blue food colouring and the filling was a shade of nut butter bordering on, pardon the visual, diarrhea. Otherwise, I think the cakes were well executed, though the presentation could have used a little something extra...
Sweet Pea: "Overall, definitely interesting and one that I'd try again!"
Eat Freak: "Decadent without being over bearing."
Giovanni: "I was looking for crumbs at the end of this. Bravo."
My comments:
The ultimate frustration this week came down to the exhibited colours. The batter was grey pre-red and blue food colouring and the filling was a shade of nut butter bordering on, pardon the visual, diarrhea. Otherwise, I think the cakes were well executed, though the presentation could have used a little something extra...