Baking

Chocolate Biscoff Buttercream Cupcakes

5 · Jul 24, 2013 · 19 Comments

This post is brought to you by Biscoff Spread // Have you “Spread the Love” yet? You know, the spread that has taken the nation by storm… Biscoff Spread. I have dipped my toe in the Biscoff pool a couple of times and today I’m sharing my Chocolate Biscoff Cupcakes along with sharing about the Biscoff Spread the Love Challenge. All you have to do is share your photos of how you use Biscoff. You could win a trip to Belgium to the Biscoff factory, cash prizes or a years worth of Biscoff!!

What is Biscoff? Well, if you’ve ever flown on a commercial airline within the last 20 years you may have had a Lotus Biscoff cookie as a in-flight treat. They are a tasty cookie created in Belgium, and in Europe they are called Lotus Speculoos cookies.

Back in 2007 a culinary enthusiast brought their Speculoos creation to a Belgium reality television show, not unlike our Shark Tank here in the U.S. and pitched an idea for turning the Speculoos cookies into a spread. The folks at Lotus LOVED the idea and that is how Biscoff Spread was born. Within 3 hours of it’s first release, the Biscoff spread sold out and it has become an overnight sensation all over the world!! Click here to find out where you can buy Biscoff.

All Biscoff products are made with all-natural ingredients and are preservative-free. They are free of trans fat and cholesterol and made without genetically modified ingredients or artificial colors. They are Vegan and also do not contain nuts.

You can enjoy Biscoff in many ways, on toast, with apple slices, in a sandwich or in all kinds of sweet goodies. About a year ago, I created a Biscoff Crepe Raspberry Cake that was truly a show stopper.

When I was developing that recipe I created my Biscoff buttercream recipe that is perfect for all types of desserts. This week I topped my favorite chocolate cupcakes with that amazing Biscoff buttercream and it was heaven in cupcake form.

Chocolate Biscoff Buttercream Cupcakes

Chocolate Cake:

1 Chocolate Cake Mix (any kind, I've used chocolate fudge, Swiss chocolate, or milk chocolate)

1 C Mini Chocolate Chips

1 cup Sour Cream

1 Pkg. of Chocolate Pudding (small 3.5 oz. box)

Biscoff Buttercream:

2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup Biscoff

1 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of salt

3-4 cups of powder sugar

1-2 tbsp. whole milk

Directions

For the most amazing chocolate cake ever, prepare cake batter as directed on box, and add sour cream, pudding and chocolate chips. Pour into cupcake liners. Bake as directed on box (you might need to add a minute or two to the baking time because of the added ingredients). Place on a wire rack to cool.

For the buttercream I just modified my Simple Vanilla Buttercream recipe a bit by adding the Biscoff and lowering the amount of vanilla extract. It’s a good classic and easy buttercream recipe.

In a bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, place softened butter and Biscoff. Cream the two together and add vanilla extract. Turn mixer off and add half of the powder sugar, carefully turn the mixer on low and mix the sugar in completely. Add the remaining sugar slowly until it creates a dough like consistency. Add 1 tbsp. of milk and mix on high. Check the consistency of the buttercream. If it’s too tight add more milk. Mix on high for 5-7 minutes until light and fluffy.

If needed store in a air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Take out of the fridge for an hour or two before you want to use it to make sure that it is at room temperature when you need it.

Using a jumbo closed star decorating tip with a pastry bag from Sweet Baking Supply, I iced the cupcakes with a simple swirl and then drizzled a little melted Biscoff on top. For some added flair you can break-off a piece of a Lotus Biscoff cookie and place it on top of the frosting. These cupcakes will hold up quite well as long as the temperatures aren't too hot. Refrigerate if don't plan on eating them for a bit, but make sure to bring them back up to room temperature before serving.

Don't forget to visit the Biscoff challenge for a chance to win a fun trip or a years worth of Biscoff. You can also find fun ideas on their Pinterest Boards along with their Facebook page.

Triple Chocolate Deep Dish Brownies

3 · Jul 2, 2013 · 8 Comments

Hello Whipperberry friends, it's me Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs!

I'm so happy to be over here at Whipperberry again (I'm still pinching myself)! I hope you enjoyed my last recipe, and I'm hoping you're going to love this one too! I know we did.

Today I'm sharing a recipe for Triple Chocolate Deep Dish Brownies with Ice Cream. Now just take a moment to absorb that…say it out loud…Triple Chocolate Deep Dish Brownies. Mmmmmm! Oh yes, I went there. You should too.

And I won't even tell you that these brownies are gluten free. They're so good you won't even realize there's no flour in them. But don't let the gluten free thing scare you either…this recipe is versatile…just use all purpose flour instead if you wish.

These are seriously delicious. Gooey, warm, chocolatey and rich.

You must, I repeat you must, eat these brownies warm with ice cream. A treat of epic proportions! 😉 And perfect for guests, special occasions or just the occasion of every day. I mean really, do we need a reason to eat brownies?!

4 oz of dark chocolate 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup almond flour (or all purpose flour if you don't wish to use almond flour) 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp baking powder 2 eggs 1 cup brown sugar 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet) vanilla ice cream

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the dark chocolate and butter over indirect heat. To do this, I put a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and stir it constantly until it is melted and smooth. Then remove from heat, and cool slightly. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Set aside.
Once the melted chocolate mix is cooled slightly, add the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
Then stir in flour mix. Mix well.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour the brownie batter, evenly between 6 – 125 mL Mason Jars.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Let them cool slightly before serving, then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Tips!

If you make these brownies ahead of time, just reheat them in the oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes, or stick them in the microwave for a few seconds to heat them up.

Seriously. Look at that bite.

Dig in friends, dig in.

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Come on by and check out some of my other Summer Inspired Posts! I'd love to have you over!

Mason Jar Lanterns | Chocolate Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches | Shirley Temple Popsicles

Or connect with me here: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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Thank you so much for reading, and have a delicious day!

Raspberry and Vanilla Bean Cream Tarts

5 · Jun 12, 2013 · 9 Comments

Raspberry & Vanilla Bean Cream Tarts // I'm thrilled to share with you another member of the WhipperBerry Creative Team today! Jo-Anna has been a long time Friday Flair contributor and I've always been in love with her work. She has fabulous taste and I can't wait to show off all of her amazing talents!

Hello Whipperberry readers!

I'm Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs, my little corner of the internet, where I share my passion for the home. Everything from recipes to crafts to decorating for the holidays to gardening. I just really love to share ways to make our lives a little more simple and a lot more pretty!

I'm beyond thrilled to be contributing over here today at Whipperberry! I have been reading Heather's blog ever since I discovered this amazing world of blogging. I've always loved her work, so to be able to be a part of the Whipperberry journey, makes me very very happy!

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I wanted to kick things off by sharing an amazing dessert with you! These Raspberry & Vanilla Bean Cream Tarts are perfect for Father's Day or any summer gathering. There's nothing more summery than fresh berries!

You can make this recipe as 6 mini tarts or one large tart…either way it's a fantastic dessert! There's just something so elegant and charming about tarts, isn't there? And while they may seem daunting to make they're really not.

Don't be afraid of the length of this recipe. They are not hard to make at all, and trust me, they are well worth the effort! Your friends & family will love them. And if raspberries aren't your thing, you can use any kind of fruit you like: blueberries, strawberries, bananas. So simple. So versatile. So delicious.

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Let's get baking!

Raspberry Tarts with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

Please note: It's best to make the tarts in this order: Crust first, then the cream.

Tart Crust:

1 1/4 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks

1 egg yolk

6 mini 3 inch tart pans, or 1 large tart pan

Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream:

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

4 egg yolks

1 1/3 cups whole milk

1/2 vanilla bean, split down the centre to expose the seeds

1/4 – 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Start with the crust. In a food processor, process the flour, sugar and salt for about 10 seconds.

T hen add the chunks of butter and process until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

Add the egg yolk and process again until the egg is thoroughly combined.

If you are making mini tarts (tartlets), separate the mixture into 6 – 3 inch tart pans, and press the dough into the molds, making the sides slightly higher than the centre. Bake for 12-15 minutes, making sure to prick them with a fork several times, as the dough tends to puff up. Watch them carefully, as they go from not done to overcooked very quickly!

If you are making one large tart, press the mixture into a 10 inch tart pan (making the sides slightly higher than the centre) and bake for about 15-18 minutes. Again make sure to prick the tart with a fork several times while baking, and watch it carefully.

Next, make your pastry cream. Using a mixer, beat together the sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks until the mixture is thick and pale yellow.

In a small saucepan combine the milk and the vanilla bean, bring to a simmer. Then remove the vanilla bean.

Pour about half of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, and stir.

Then return this milk/egg mixture to the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan, and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the custard is thick and slightly bubbly. Make sure to whisk constantly so that the mixture doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Cover the custard with a sheet of parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming, then it set aside to cool.

Fruit Topping raspberries icing sugar

Putting the Tarts Together

Once the tart shells and custard have cooled, add about a 1/4 cup of the custard to each shell.

Top with fresh raspberries, and a dusting of icing sugar.

Enjoy!

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Thank you so much for reading today! I do hope you'll try these tarts…you won't be disappointed!

And feel free to come on by and say Hi sometime at A Pretty Life in the Suburbs, or stop in for some Cheesy Quinoa Bites, or Fudge Ice Pops, or come learn how to make a Fresh Herb Wreath! I'd love to have you!

Have a delicious day!

The New WhipperBerry Creative Team AND Mini Berry Cobblers

8 · Jun 5, 2013 · 14 Comments

Mini Berry Cobblers // I am over the moon excited to share with you my big announcement… WhipperBerry has a new CREATIVE TEAM!!

jenn from clean & scentsible // shannon & jen from eat.sleep.make // haley from life is sweet // jenn from my fabuless life // jo-anna from a pretty life // jesseca from one pretty appetite

These are seven of the most talented ladies out there and they are going to blow your mind with their creativity! They have all been long time participants in my friday flair link party and I can't wait to show them off even more! We will start the show with Jesseca from One Sweet Appetite. She is one talented food blogger with some mad photography skills!

Hi everyone! My name is Jesseca, and I am honored to be here as one of the amazing contributors to Whipperberry! You can find me over at One Sweet Appetite where I’m whipping up special dishes every week. Speaking of great dishes… It’s almost summer and that means our produce selection in Utah is going crazy. There are so many fun and fresh things to chose from. I could hardly control myself at our farmers market and had to pick up some delicious looking berries. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach, and I worried that the beautiful fruit was going to go to waste before we got to it! I couldn’t let this happen… So I rolled up my sleeves, put on my apron, and got cooking!

Mini Berry Cobblers

2-1/2 Cups fresh chopped berries (I used blackberries and strawberries)

3/4 + 2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup buttermilk Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray six ramekins with baking spray and set aside. Divide your fruit between the four ramekins. You can toss them in sugar if you’d like. Our produce happened to be sweet enough already, so I didn’t feel the need to add any extra sugar. This time. In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 cup of sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and buttermilk. Whisk until combined. Divide the batter between your dishes, pouring directly over your berries. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and bake fro 30-35 minutes, or until the top of your cobbler is golden brown. Serve your cobbler alone or topped with vanilla ice cream. Either way this is sure to be a crowd pleaser. It happens to be the most requested dessert from my four year old. This recipe is also very user friendly. You can swap the berries for almost anything. Get creative and toss in some fresh mango or peaches. You can’t go wrong! If you liked this recipe you should check out one of these other great desserts: Blackberry Lemonade Cupcakes Cherry Lime Lollipops Apple Crumb Bars