This evening was our first wine tasting session of the semester, and so, I decided to whip up some of Nigella's banana, cranberry and chocolate chip cupcakes to usher in this final 6 months of spring in Ithaca.
Well, then again, you can just say it's just an excuse for me to satisfy my cuisson cravings.
Nonetheless, the crimson-studded medallions came out rather decent and were a hit with my friends at the wine session. I was initially worried that they would be inedible just because the oven in my apartment didn't seem to be working as efficiently as I hope it would. The original recipe called for a baking time of 20 minutes (till amber golden and springy on the top) at a moderate 350-degree oven, but it took more than double the time to get these miniature sweet sponges to the required texture.
Faulty ovens aside, what I love so much about this cupcake recipe is the fact that I can do it without the use of a mixer - which is awesome since I don't own one in my college apartment. I know - a definite pâtisserie sacrilege! But on the bright side, it brings challenge and sparks creativity in my recipe searching sessions - plus, I'm graduating in 3 months time, so I deem it to be a slightly unworthy investment that I believe I can live without for the time being. Alright, let's move on to the recipe.
BANANA, CHERRY & WHITE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Nigella Lawson, How To Be A Domestic Goddess
The Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ripe bananas
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons dried cherries, chopped
- 2 ounces white chocolate, chopped, or chips
- 12-cup muffin pan with paper baking cups
The Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, then, off the heat, add the sugar, vanilla, and soft bananas, mashing them with a fork in the pan.
- Stir in the sour cream and the eggs and - still using your fork or a wooden spoon if you prefer - beat to mix. Add the baking soda and the baking powder, and stir in as well, then finally stir in the flour, cherries, and chocolate.
- When the mixture's just blended, divide among the 12 muffin cups and cook for 20 minutes or until golden and springy on top.
- Remove the cupcakes in their paper cups to a wire rack and leave till cool.
Max actually recommended that I throw in some walnuts or pecans into the batter, and I actually think he's right on that. Those fruity-chocolatey sponges are actually good the way they are, but embellishing it with some nutty crunchiness may just boost its sugar ratings up a notch.
0 comments:
Post a Comment