Apple Muffins

More muffins! I’ve been eating them every morning before taking the T to get to the gym at work so I need something as ‘mini breakfast’, ‘pre breakfast’ or ‘breakfast part 1’ whatever you want to call it, otherwise I’m starving at the gym.

Recipe from here.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar + more for the top
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon + more for the top
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled
• 2 cups apples, grated (I used 3 granny smith apples)

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400F.

2) In a large bowl whisk the sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and flour.

3) In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, milk and butter.

4) Mix the wet into the dry. It will be quite dry now.

5) Add the  apple in and mix.

6) Add the batter to the muffin pan, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top.

7) Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

8) Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Carrot Pumpkin Muffins

I had 1/2 cup of pumpkin left and I wanted to find a way to use it up. I also have tons of carrots, so…

Recipe taken from here, but changed a bit.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 TBSP oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup carrots (1 medium carrot)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F.

2) Beat the pumpkin, brown sugar, oil and egg.

3) Add the carrots and mix.

4) Add the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and mix.

5) Add to a muffin pan (no need to butter).

6) Bake for 15 minutes.

I found them best heated with butter on top.

Brown Butter, Carrot and Orange Muffins

I guess you can say these are amazing, because they disappeared via my new roommates. I guess ‘try one’ means ‘eat all but 2’. I’ll be taking all baked goods to my room now…One helped me, because none of them have baked before. Still. The next day I was asked to spend the night showing them how to bake more. No thanks, I have other plans.

Recipe from here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 4 eggs at room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• the zest of one orange
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup grated carrots
• more sugar and salt

Directions:

1) Melt the butter in a pan over medium high heat. Be careful that it does not burn, but just that the foam rises to the top and the butter is golden brown, about 3 minutes after it melts.

2) Allow to cool.

3) Preheat the oven to 375F/175C.

4) Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger together.

5) In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, orange zest, vanilla and salt until there is a ribbon texture, in that the batter follows the spoon.

6) Add the carrots and then the dry mixture and fold in.

7) Add the brown butter and mix.

8) Butter the muffin pan.

9) Add the batter to the muffin pan.

10) Pinch sugar and salt on top.

11) Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cheesecake Brownies

I wanted chocolate. I still want chocolate. Hmmmm…Recipe taken from here.

Ingredients:

• 10 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup + 2 TBSP flour
• 1/4 cup coca powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F/175C.

2) Rub butter in an 8 inch pan.

3) Line the bottom and 2 sides with baking paper.

4) Rub again with butter.

5) In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

6) Melt and mix the (8 oz) butter and chocolate in a double broiler, or bowl over a pot of boiling water.

7) Remove from the heat.

8) Add 1 cup of the sugar and mix.

9) Add 3 of the eggs and mix.

10) Add the flour mixture and mix until moist.

11) Mix the cream cheese and 2 oz butter until smooth.

12) Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, egg, and flour.

13) Spoon the chocolate mixture and cream cheese mixture alternately into the pan.

14) Swirl with a knife.

15) Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The cream cheese on top should be golden.

16) Cool for 30 minutes in the pan.

Pumpkin Muffins

These tasted like pumpkin bread and were gone quick. I made mini ones so it was 2 or 3 bites and gone.

Recipe taken from here.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups + 3 TBSP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 + 1/8 cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• pinch allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup + 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup + 3 TBSP canola oil
• 3/4 cup + 2 TBSP pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup + 2 1/2 TBSP eggs (2)
• 1/2 cups + 1/2 TBSP golden raisins

Directions:

1) Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and salt together in a large bowl.

2) Mix the sugar and oil until combined.

3) Add the pumpkin and mix until smooth.

4) Add the eggs, in 2 additions.

5) Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 2 additions, scraping the sides.

6) Fold in the raisins.

7) Place in a container that you can cover for 8-26 hours.

8) Preheat the oven to 435F.

9) Spray the muffin pan with cooking oil.

10) Add the batter to the pan.

11) Add the muffins to the oven.

12) Lower the temperature to 325F.

13) Bake for 45 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Blueberry Cheesecake Pancakes

Delicious. I’d double the amount below. Recipe taken from here.

Ingredients:

• Pancakes

1. 4 oz cream cheese, cut into pieces and freeze overnight
2. 1 cup flour
3. 1 tsp baking powder
4. 1/2 tsp baking soda
5. 1/4 tsp salt
6. 2 TBSP sugar
7. 1 cup milk
8. 1 egg, beaten
9. 2 TBSP butter, melted

• Syrup

1. 1 cup blueberries
2. 1/4 cup water
3. 1/2 cup sugar
4. 1 TBSP water
5. 2 tsp cornstarch
6. 1 TBSP lemon juice, or the juice of 1/2 of a lemon

Directions:

1) Cut the cream cheese into small pieces.

2) Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl.

3) Mix the milk, egg and butter in a small bowl.

4) Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

5) Mix in the cream cheese.

6) Heat a pan over medium heat and melt a bit of butter in it.

7) Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture into the pan and cook until it bubbles, then flip it.

8) Cook though, about 2 minutes.

9) Repeat with the rest of the batter.

10) Bring the blueberries, water, sugar to a boil.

11) Reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.

12) Mix the water and cornstarch in a small bowl.

13) Add the cornstarch mixture to the blueberry sauce and cook until it thickens.

14) Pour sauce over pancakes.

Bruleed Bourbon-Maple Pumpkin Pie

When I first arrived back in Boston, I saw a Bon Appetit magazine in my friends apartment with this on the cover. After a year of no pumpkin in the ‘American’ way (Korea does it sweet), I knew I had to make it.

Recipe taken from here.

Ingredients:

• Crust

1. 1/4 cup plus 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
2. 3 1/2 TBSP sugar
3. 1 tsp salt
4. 1 1/4 cup + 1 TBSP flour
5. 6 TBSP chilled unsalted butter
6. 2 TBSP chilled vegetable shortening
7. 1 large egg yolk
8. 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

• Filling

1. flour
2. 4 large eggs
3. 115 oz can of pumpkin puree
4. 1/4 cup sour cream
5. 2 TBSP bourbon
6. 1 tsp cinnamon
7. 1/2 tsp salt
8. 1/4 tsp ginger
9. 1/4 tsp nutmeg
10. 1/8 tsp allspice
11. 3/4 cup maple syrup
12. 1 tsp vanilla
13. 1 cup heavy cream
14. 2 TBSP sugar

Directions:

1) Pulse cocoa powder, sugar, salt and flour in a food processor.

2) Add butter and shortening and pulse until it has only a few pea sized pieces of butter left.

3) Whisk egg yolk, vinegar and 1/4 cup ice water in a small bowl.

4) Drizzle half of the egg mixtures over the flour and mix with a fork.

5) Add the rest of the wet to the dry and mix.

6) Turn the dough onto a floured surface and flatten.

7) Cut into quarters and stack, placing unincorporated dry pieces in dough between the layers.

8) Form dough into a 1 inch thick disk.

9) Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.

10) Roll out the dough inot a 14 inch round.

11) Transfer to a 9 inch pie dish, leaving a 1 inch overhang and crimp.

12) Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

13) Place rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350F/175C.

14) Line pie with parchment paper and put pie weights inside.

15) Bake about 20 minutes, until the crust is dry around the edge.

16) Remove paper and weights and bake for another 5-10 minutes until it looks dry.

17) Brush with 1 beaten egg.

18) Bake for another 3 minutes until the egg is set.

19) Whisk pumpkin puree, sour cream, bourbon, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, mace and 3 eggs in a large bowl.

20) Pour maple syrup and vanilla into a small pan and bring to a boil.

21) Lower to a simmer and stir until it is thickened and steam releases, about 3 minutes.

22) Remove from the heat.

23) Add cream in 3 additions, stirring after each.

24) Add to the pumpkin mixture until smooth.

25) Pour into the pie dish.

26) Bake about 50-60 minutes, rotating halfway though.

27) Before serving, sprinkle sugar on top of the pie, and brulee until it is dark brown, with a kitchen torch. Since I knew it would not be eaten all at once, the pieces were individually bruleed.

Deep Fried Bananas

The best desert I’ve probably ever had or made (even though we didn’t do much of the making in the class).

Ingredients:

• 5 small ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup wheat flour or all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup grated coconut or desiccated coconut
• 3 TBSP white sesame seeds
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions:

1) Peel the bananas and cut into 2 pieces lengthwise.

2) Mix the wheat flour, rice flour, sugar, grated coconut, white sesame seeds, and salt together.

3) Add water if the batter seems dry.

4) Heat the oil over medium heat.

5) Dip the banana into the batter generously.

6) Deep fry the bananas until golden brown.

7) Serve with coconut ice cream.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Rum Frosting

I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus from cooking and baking anything new since I’m saving money for a big trip and can only buy rice and soy sauce in massive amounts and thus only need to buy tofu and a few other things to make my favorite dish. However, now with a week and a bit left I’ve run out of soy sauce! I’ll be making more fries and sandwiches. Also, my mother has sent amazing amounts of food to me in Korea, and I’ve recently been cooking all those boxed meals to get rid of them before I go on my big trip. I’ve also been running around Korea doing everything I’ve been meaning to do and spending more time with friends because after the big trip I’m leaving Korea for good to go back to the United States.

I still have my oven, so this is either the last thing, or the second to last thing I’ve baked. Probably last because I want to make pancakes and then I’ll be out of flour. Cupcakes taken from here, frosting taken from here. I had to add the rum because I’ve also got to use that up too!

Ingredients:

• Cupcakes

1. just over 1/3 cup butter, softened
2. 2 eggs
3. 1 1/4 cup sugar
4. 100g dark chocolate, melted
5. 2 cups + 2 TBSP flour
6. 1 tsp baking soda
7. 2 TBSP cocoa
8. 1 cup buttermlik (1TBSP vinegar/lemon juice mixed with 1 cup – 1 TBSP milk)

• Frosting

1. 3/4 cup butter, softened
2. 1 1/24 cup powdered sugar
3. 1/2 tsp rum
4. 3 oz dark chocolate, melted

Directions:

1) Heat the oven to 375F/180C or toaster oven to 140C.

2) Mix the butter, eggs, sugar and chocolate in a large bowl.

3) Slowly add the flour, baking soda and cocoa and mix.

4) Slowly add the buttermilk and mix.

5) Pour the mixture (it will be very liquid) into baking tins and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

6) Allow to cool completely before adding the frosting.

7) To make the frosting, mix the butter and the sugar.

8) Add the rum and chocolate and mix.

9) Top the cupcakes with the frosting.

Quick and Simple Brownies

After coming back from a 2 day vacation with a 6 hour flight there and back, all I wanted was brownies. I won’t get good ones in Korea without making them myself.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla/rum
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F/170C or toaster oven to 130C.

2) Mix all the ingredients together, in the above order.

3) Pour into baking tins.

4) Bake for 15-20 minutes.

5) Allow to cool a bit before serving.