Burke's Beer Dinner (Love Night)

Thanks to Cassie D. for the photo.
Burke's had it's third successful beer dinner a few weeks ago and I would say that this one went off without a hitch. The beers were micro brews from all over the world; places such as Germany, Shri-Lanka, Scotland, Belgium, Russia, and the US. Of course I was in charge of the seventh course--dessert. Sinfully double molten chocolate cake paired with Rasputin Stout and St. Louis Framboise Raspberry Lambic. It was so awesome that I don't think I needed to make that a complete sentence. I used mostly dark chocolate to make this incredibly rich treat and will now share the secrets with you.


Ingredients:
(6) 1 ounce squares of bittersweet chocolate
(2) 1 ounce squares of semi-sweet chocolate
1 1/4 sticks of unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of orange liquor (or other flavor)
1 1/2 cups confectioner sugar


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in the microwave.
3. Add flour and sugar to the butter and chocolate. Mix well.
4. Next stir in the eggs and egg yolks. Mix well.
5. Add vanilla extract and liquor and mix thouroughly.
6. Pour into small ramekins or regular sized muffin pans. You can either spray with non-stick spray or use a muffin cup.
7. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Check at 10 minutes to be sure that the center is still gooey; if more time is needed cook for the additional 2 minutes. Serve warm.

Side note: You can make this batter ahead of time and pop in the oven just before serving. If you have leftovers you can also microwave them for about 10 seconds to 're-invigorate' the innards.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

I've been away from my kitchen for a little while now. The heat decided to die during the coldest weather that Florida has seen in over 50 years! Luckily, the landlord gods smiled upon us and we now have an entirely new unit to keep us toasty and baking. I recently made some chocolate cupcakes for a dinner party and they were phenomenally good. It's like a Reese's peanut butter cup and is enough to satisfy those chocolate cravings that we all get. I suggest that the next time you have a hankering for the cocoa mistress you try this recipe.

Ingredients:
Cake
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 extra large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
2 tablespoons coffee
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
(Or 3/4 cup creamy and 1/4 cup crunchy)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream


Directions

Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake pans with paper cups.
2. Cream the butter and sugars with mixer until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Next add the vanilla extract and combine.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. And in another bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. On a low speed, add the buttermilk mix and the flour mix to the butter in 1/3 increments switching back and forth between the two until both are mixed in thoroughly.
5. Bake on the middle rack for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Icing
1. Mix sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt until creamy.
2. Add heavy cream and beat on high speed until light and smooth.

The Culmination of Fantastic Treats
Once the cupcakes have finished baking let them rest on a rack in their pan for about 10 minutes. Then turn them out of the pan and allow them to completely cool on the rack. Once they're cool enough you can frost them with the glorious peanut butter concoction. I prefer just to blob it on there and spike it up, but you can put it into a piping bag and make it phansy if you'd like.

Enjoy!