The Alzheimer's Idaho (local grass roots organization) is meeting early this month because of the holiday. I volunteer for this wonderful organization and one of the things I do is make the dessert for the monthly support group dinner. They love dessert and they love ice cream so I try and make them happy!
MAPLE-SPICE CUPCAKES
1 Box Spice cake mix, any brand
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/2 cup melted, cooled butter or oil, your preference
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use vanilla paste)
3 eggs, room temp*
1/4 cup real maple syrup
In your mixer mix together the cake mix and the cinnamon, in a bowl mix together all the rest of the ingredients and then gradually add them to the mixer. When mixing the dry ingredients make sure you have your mixer on low to avoid a flour storm in your kitchen! Mix until thoroughly mixed together.
Using a scoop put the mixture into 24 cupcake papers in your cupcake pans.
Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven
*With room temperature eggs, the whites and yolks will combine easier when whisking. This means that the eggs will disperse more evenly into the batter, making for even cooking and a lighter texture (because the eggs trap air). To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, soak them in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes. Always do this when baking for a better end product.
FIRM WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING
I think of this frosting recipe as the "little black dress" of frosting because you can do so many things with the recipe and change it and it is always wonderful. I love whipped cream frosting because it is not as sweet as typical frosting (you know, a cupcake, what is it? A delivery system for frosting, duh). But regular whipped cream frosting has to be in the fridge until ready to serve and this one does not. You can add food color to it and make it pink and add strawberries or raspberries, put a little chocolate in it and frost a cake and add chocolate curls, buy an angel food cake and slice in half and add some raspberry jam and then frost with this frosting that you had added the raspberries to - only limited by your culinary imagination.
1 - 8oz package reduced fat (NOT fat-free) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract*
2 cups heavy cream
*for these cupcakes I substituted the almond with 1/4 teaspoon of maple extract
In your mixer with the paddle attachment whip until creamy the softened cream cheese and the sugar, then replace with the wire beater and add the rest of the ingredients and whip until the frosting holds a stiff peak, stop a couple of times and scrape down the sides a couple of times.
I put the frosting into a piping bag and piped the frosting onto the cupcakes. I promise you this is the easiest frosting ever and you can come out with a beautiful product without not much effort.
Because it is Thanksgiving I splurged and bought a box of Mount Mandsfield pure maple sugar candy and topped each cupcake with the maple leaf candy and a dusting of walnut dust.
MAPLE-WALNUT ICE CREAM
I used my normal vanilla ice cream recipe and made changes as noted below.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1-1/8 cups granulated sugar
3 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract (I use vanilla paste)
1-1/8 cups granulated sugar
3 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract (I use vanilla paste)
Maple Nut: add 2T pure maple syrup & wet walnuts,that have been toasted
In your mixer mix together the milk and the sugar, then add the heavy cream the vanilla and the maple syrup.
Put into your ice cream for about 25-30 minutes until creamy then add the walnuts and let it mix for about 5 minutes and then put into containers and put in the freezer as this will be very soft and creamy and will need to be put into the freezer.
Wet Walnuts - For Maple Walnut Ice Cream
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
- 1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon dark maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and very coarsely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Heat the maple syrup in a small skillet or saucepan until it just begins to come to a full boil. Stir in the walnuts and salt, and cook until the liquid comes to a full boil once more. Stir the nuts for 10 seconds, then remove them from the heat and let cool completely before using. The nuts will still be wet and sticky when cooled.
Roast Nuts 375 degrees 5-10 minutes
Cooks Note: I roasted 2 cups of walnuts and took the additional 1/2 cup and ground in the Ninja to make the walnut dust garni for the cupcakes.
Resource:
Vanilla Paste, grocery and specialty stores
Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine,Cuisinart ICE-20 Automatic 1-1/2-Quart Ice Cream Maker, White
Pure Vermont Maple Sugar Candy,http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Lb-of-Pure-Vermont-Maple-Sugar-Candy-100-Pure-/160462735859?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item255c5309f3
California Walnuts, at your local store
Turkey, Williams Sonoma
Tray, IKEA
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