The Big Book of Backyard Cooking (35 page)

COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE

ICING

These tender yellow cupcakes, moistened generously with butter and flavored with coconut, are
covered with a cream cheese icing, then sprinkled with toasted coconut flakes. They make
scrumptious partners to bowls of fresh strawberries or raspberries to end a casual meal.

MAKES 12 CUPCAKES

CUPCAKES

6
tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for greasing pan
1
cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour, plus extra for flouring pan

11/8
teaspoon baking powder

¼
teaspoon salt

¾
cup sugar

2
large eggs

½
teaspoon almond extract

⅓
cup whole milk

2/3
cup sweetened flaked coconut

ICING

3
ounces regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) cream cheese

1½
tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

½
cup confectioners’ sugar

¼
cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) sour cream

1
teaspoon grated lemon zest

¾
cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
(see page 15)

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Butter and flour a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Tap out excess flour.

TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES:
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth, 1 minute. Add sugar gradually and beat until mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Stop machine and scrape down sides of bowl if necessary. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add almond extract, reduce speed to low, and add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in coconut by hand.

Spoon batter into molds, filling them about 2/3 full.

Bake until cupcakes are golden brown on top, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven. Use a small knife to loosen cupcakes if necessary. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

TO MAKE THE ICING:
With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the cream cheese and butter until blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar, then lower speed and beat in sour cream and lemon zest.

With an icing spatula or table knife, spread icing over tops of cupcakes. Sprinkle each cupcake generously with toasted coconut flakes. Let cupcakes sit at room temperature until icing is set. Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature or in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature 30

minutes before serving. (Cupcakes can be prepared 1 day ahead.)

The term “cupcakes” appeared in the early 19th-century in the United States. They were
so named either because they were made in cups or because their ingredients were
measured in cups.

MINI CHOCOLATE ALMOND CUPCAKES

These intensely chocolate-flavored cupcakes, baked with a small amount of flour but with a
generous amount of ground nuts, are dense and moist. A silken-smooth, dark chocolate glaze coats
the baked cakes.

MAKES 30 TO 32 MINI-CUPCAKES

CUPCAKES

8
tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for greasing pan
¼
cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring pan

4
ounces semisweet chocolate, broken or cut into small chunks

½
teaspoon instant coffee powder or crystals

2/3
cup sugar

3
large eggs

1
cup slivered or sliced almonds, finely ground

GLAZE

4
ounces semisweet chocolate, broken or cut into small chunks

¼
cup heavy cream

2
tablespoons unsalted butter

2
teaspoons instant coffee powder or crystals

30
slivered or sliced almonds for garnish

Arrange an oven rack at center position, and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour generously 3 mini-muffin tins, each with 12 cups about 1¾ inches in diameter. (If you don’t have 3

pans, butter and flour as many as you have and bake the cupcakes in batches.) Tap out excess flour.

TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES:
Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler (or in a heat-proof bowl) set over but not touching simmering water in a saucepan. Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in coffee powder until dissolved. Remove pan from heat and cool 5 minutes.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter in a medium bowl until smooth, 1

minute. Add sugar gradually, beating until mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl if necessary. Lower speed, and add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate, ground almonds, and flour.

Spoon mixture evenly into prepared cupcake tins. Do not fill tins more than ¾ full. (Mini-cupcake molds vary in size, so depending on your pans, you should get 30 to 32 cupcakes.) Bake cupcakes until a tester inserted into middle comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Run a knife around inside edges of molds to loosen. Cool cupcakes in molds for 10 to 15 minutes, then unmold.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE:
Combine chocolate, cream, butter, and coffee powder in top of a double boiler (or in a heat-proof bowl) set over but not touching simmering water in a saucepan. Stir until melted and smooth. Cool 10 minutes.

With an icing spatula, spread glaze over tops of cupcakes and garnish each with an almond sliver. Cool until glaze is set and firm, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

(Cupcakes can be prepared 2 days ahead. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
NOTE:
If you are using 3 pans and do not have enough batter to fill all of the molds of one of the pans, fill the empty molds with water to prevent the butter and flour from sticking to the pan.

CHOCOLATE MINT BROWNIES

These unusual brownies are composed of three layers—a dense chocolate cake-like layer, a
peppermint-scented white chocolate icing, and a dark chocolate glaze. With their unmistakable,
refreshing mint taste, these brownies are perfect to offer after a filling meal. They take a little
longer to prepare than those whose batters are simply mixed and poured into a pan, but the extra
effort yields special little morsels, which keep well for several days when refrigerated.

MAKES 16 BROWNIES

CAKE

8
tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for greasing pan
½
cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring pan

2
ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1
cup sugar

2
large eggs

1
teaspoon vanilla extract

¼
teaspoon ground cinnamon

ICING

6
ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

3
tablespoons heavy cream

¾
teaspoon peppermint extract

GLAZE

4
ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

¼
cup heavy cream

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan, tapping out excess. Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper, cut so it extends 2 to 3 inches over 2 sides of the pan. Butter and flour the parchment paper, tapping out excess.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler (or in a heat-proof bowl) set over but not touching simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter in a medium bowl until smooth, 1

minute. Add sugar gradually, beating until mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula if necessary. Lower speed and add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add flour and cinnamon and beat just until incorporated, stopping machine to scrape down sides of bowl if necessary.

Pour batter into pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake until a tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

TO MAKE THE ICING:
Melt chocolate and cream in the top of a double boiler (or in a heat-proof bowl) set over but not touching simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in peppermint extract. Spread icing over cake layer. Refrigerate until cool and set, about 30 minutes.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE:
Melt chocolate and cream in top of a double boiler (or in a heat-proof bowl) set over but not touching simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Spread over white chocolate layer. Refrigerate until glaze is set, 30 minutes or longer.

Run a knife around the edges of pan to loosen brownies. Then, using the parchment paper extending over the sides of pan as an aid, lift the brownies from the pan. Cut into 16 squares. Store brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before serving. (Brownies can be made 5 days ahead.)

DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIES WITH

CHERRIES AND ALMONDS

The trio of cherries, almonds, and chocolate is a winning combination in Black Forest cake and
works equally well in brownies. Tart sour cherries and toasted almond slivers are mixed into a
classic brownie batter in the following recipe. These dense, moist brownies would make a fine
addition to a picnic menu or could be served as a tempting garnish to bowls of vanilla ice cream.

½
cup dried sour cherries

8
tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing pan

½
cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring pan

2
ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1
cup sugar

¼
teaspoon almond extract

2
large eggs

Pinch of salt

½
cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
(see page 15)

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Place cherries in a small mixing bowl and cover with ½ cup hot water. Soak until softened, 15

to 20 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Adjust an oven rack at lower third of oven, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan, tapping out excess flour. Line pan with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit bottom of pan, and butter and flour paper, tapping out excess.

Combine butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler (or in a heat-proof bowl) set over but not touching simmering water. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Cool 5 minutes, then stir in sugar and almond extract. Add eggs 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition. Next, add flour and salt, then stir in cherries and almonds.

Spread batter in the prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula. Bake until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. The top of the brownies will be shiny and cracked and the inside moist and somewhat soft. Do not overbake.

Cool brownies to room temperature. With a small knife, loosen edges of brownies from baking pan. Gently invert brownies onto a work surface and peel off parchment paper. Invert again and cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature. (The brownies can be prepared 5 days ahead.)

To serve, arrange brownies in a napkin-lined basket or stack on an attractive platter and dust with a little confectioners’ sugar.

BURNT-SUGAR VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH

WARM CHOCOLATE SAUCE

My friend Tom Johnson, a talented Ohio chef, created this special vanilla ice cream. What
distinguishes it from others is that the sugar is “burnt” or caramelized, before being added to the
other ingredients. Made with heavy cream infused with a vanilla bean and seasoned with a hint of
freshly grated nutmeg, the finished product is incredibly smooth and beautifully balanced in
flavorings. A warm dark chocolate sauce drizzled over icy cold scoops is a further indulgence.

SERVES 4 TO 5 MAKES 1 QUART

1
vanilla bean

4
cups heavy cream

Pinch of salt

¾
cup sugar

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Extra-Rich Chocolate Sauce
(page 333)

Slit vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Combine cream and vanilla bean halves in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring just to the scalding point (small bubbles will form around the edge of the pan). Remove from heat and steep 15 minutes.

Remove vanilla bean halves and with a small, sharp knife, scrape out pulp and seeds from each half. Stir the scrapings into the cream and mix well. Discard the vanilla bean shells. Season cream with salt and reserve.

Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium, heavy skillet and place over medium-high heat. Stir the mixture until sugar dissolves completely and starts to liquefy. Cook, without stirring, until mixture caramelizes, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, pour carefully (because mixture is hot) into cream mixture, and stir. If the caramel solidifies instead of dissolving, place pan over low heat and stir until caramel is completely dissolved in cream, several minutes. Stir in nutmeg. Chill mixture thoroughly.

Place the chilled mixture in an ice-cream machine and process according to manufacturer’s directions. Freeze resulting ice cream until needed. If ice cream is frozen solid, transfer it from freezer to refrigerator for 15 minutes to soften slightly before serving.

Serve scoops of the ice cream in bowls or ramekins drizzled generously with Extra-Rich Chocolate Sauce.

CRÈME FRAÎCHE ICE CREAM

Crème fraîche, a slightly acidic cream with origins in France, can be used to make excellent ice
cream. In the following recipe, homemade crème fraîche, which needs to be started several hours
ahead, is combined with a cooked egg custard mixture, then churned until creamy and smooth.