What's Baking: Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake

I've been on a grapefruit kick lately, and then I had the brilliant idea to bake a grapefruit cake.

Clearly my citrus obsession is still going strong. And while I love a half-grapefruit in the morning (plain, no sugar needed!), I knew there was more that I could do with my favorite winter fruit.

And then I had the brilliant idea to make a grapefruit cake. Now, I am not the only one who has ever had this idea. While searching the Internet for a recipe to try, I came across this one from Thomas Keller, the famous chef from The French Laundry, Ad Hoc, Per Se ... the list goes on. So, yeah, that seemed like a good place to start. The original recipe calls for the cake to be baked in a loaf pan, but I went a little fancier and baked it in a bundt cake pan, since I was baking it to share with friends.

The cake gets its delicious citrus flavor from the addition of grapefruit zest to the cake batter, a drenching of grapefruit syrup after the cake comes out of the oven, and a drizzle of grapefruit glaze once the cake has cooled. And oh man, is it delicious.

And, while of course this cake makes for an excellent dessert, its citrusy flavor also makes it a great candidate for breakfast. How else are you going to keep the scurvy at bay?

Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 servings

For the cake:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⅔ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup organic 1% milk, at room temperature
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the syrup:
½ cup grapefruit juice
⅓ cup granulated sugar

For the glaze:
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1-2 tablespoons grapefruit juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch bundt pan with butter and sprinkle with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Add the sugar and grapefruit zest to the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the back of a spoon to rub together the sugar and zest, releasing the citrus oil. (It is going to start smelling really good in your kitchen!)
4. Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and, with the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until the mixture is thick and creamy, about 3 minutes.
5. With the mixer running, stream in the milk, followed by the oil, and then the vanilla. Turn the mixer to low speed, and add in the dry ingredients in several batches, beating until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepped bundt pan. Tap a couple of times on the counter to release any air bubbles.
7. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
8. Set the cake pan on a wire rack and let cool completely before removing the cake from the pan.
9. While the cake is cooling, make the grapefruit syrup: combine the grapefruit juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue simmering for an additional minute, then remove the pan from the heat.
10. After inverting the cake and removing it from the pan, prick the top of the cake all over with a fork. Brush the cake with the grapefruit syrup. (It will seem like a lot, but just go for it.)
11. Make the glaze: stir the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice together in a small bowl. Add more grapefruit juice as necessary to achieve a thick, but pourable consistency. Drizzle or spoon the glaze over top the cake. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

(adapted from a recipe in Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook via The Baker Chick)

What's Baking: Blood Orange Bundt Cake

I think I'm in love with a cake. That's totally normal, right? Yeah, maybe don't answer that question.

But this blood orange bundt cake has it all -- a moist, tender crumb and a bright citrus and rich buttery flavor. The addition of an orange glaze over top, dotted with fresh orange zest, seals the deal on this cake's deliciousness. Oh man, now I really want another slice. Cake for breakfast is totally legit, right? Maybe don't answer that question, too.

This cake is best served the day it is made; wrap any leftovers tightly and store at room temperature for up to three days.

Blood Orange Bundt Cake (printer-friendly version)
makes 10-12 servings

For the cake:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
3 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh blood orange zest
1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed blood orange juice
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice

For the orange glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the oil. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the orange zest and vanilla extract.
4. On low speed, stir in 1/3 of the flour, then 1/3 of the orange juice. Repeat until all the flour and orange juice has been added and no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepped pan, using a rubber spatula to even out the batter.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
7. After the cake has cooled, make the glaze: in a small bowl, stir together the sifted powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth. Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the cake. 

What's Baking: Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Vanilla Bean Frosting

I am still in the midst of my gluten-free odyssey, but couldn't help but post this recipe for chocolate stout cupcakes I baked last year to share with friends at a St. Patrick's Day party. The chocolate and coffee flavors of a stout beer lend additional richness to the chocolate cupcake. And you really can't go wrong with a vanilla bean frosting that features the delicate taste of Irish cream. Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Stout Chocolate Cupcakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 24 cupcakes

1 cup Guinness stout (or other stout beer)
1 stick unsalted butter, sliced
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup 0% plain Chobani Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside.
2. Add the Guinness and sliced butter to a large sauce pot. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted, Stirring occasionally.
3. Whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar. Remove from the heat.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. Pour the yogurt mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until combined.
5. Whisk in the flour and baking soda. Stir until evenly combined. Carefully spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake tin. Fill each liner about 3/4 full.
6. Bake the cupcakes for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
7. Remove the baked cupcakes from the tin and set on a wire rack to cool completely.

Irish Cream Vanilla Bean Frosting
makes enough to frost at least 24 cupcakes

8 oz neufchatel cheese (you could also use cream cheese)
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
4 tablespoons Irish cream (I used Bailey's)

1. Cream together the neufchatel and butter, about 5 minutes.
2. Add in the vanilla extract and Irish cream. Stir at high speed to combine.
3. Add in the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Stir at medium speed between additions.
4. Use immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers in a tightly-closed container.

(adapted from a Nigella Lawson recipe via Shutterbean)

What's Baking: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

It was D's birthday earlier this week, and he requested a pineapple upside down cake for his special day. I searched through a variety of recipes before settling on one from Smitten Kitchen. Since Deb's recipes never let me down, I felt pretty confidant that this cake recipe would be no different from the rest. I have to admit I was kind of hoping to find some fresh pineapple rings in the produce section of one of our grocery stores, but to no avail. I knew that canned pineapple would just not do, so for the first time in my life, I bought a whole pineapple. (Wild and crazy, I know!)

So, step one of baking my cake was searching YouTube for videos instructing how to slice a whole pineapple into rings, since I don't have one of those fancy pineapple coring/slicing tools. The process was actually fairly simple -- cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple, then carefully slice off the eyes. Then cut the pineapple into circles, and either use an apple corer, a (very) small round cookie cutter, or a knife, to cut the core out of each circle to form a ring.

Prepping the pineapple was the most difficult part of making this cake. (And really, cutting the pineapple wasn't really hard at all.) After that, it was just a matter of making a caramel, then making the cake batter. D requested the cake have maraschino cherries, but since only one whole pineapple ring fit on my cake, I just used one in the center pineapple ring. 

Perhaps the most nerve-wracking part of making this cake was flipping it out of the pan at the end. I was quite nervous that it would stick and my hopes for a perfect birthday cake would be ruined. (Let's just say that I have a history of birthday-cake disasters; back in our Laramie days I attempted to make D a carrot cake for his birthday; it ended up a mushy partially-baked mess -- baking at high-altitude is not easy!) Happily, the pineapple upside-down cake slid right out of the skillet without incident. 

Even more importantly, the cake turned out fabulously -- and D thoroughly enjoyed his special homemade birthday cake.  

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (printer-friendly version)

makes one 10-inch cake 

For the topping:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, sliced into 3/8-inch circles, and cored to make rings
1 (or more) maraschino cherries, optional

For the cake batter:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon dark spiced rum
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 - 1 tablespoon dark spiced rum for sprinkling over cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet. Add the brown sugar, and, while stirring constantly, simmer over medium-heat until slightly darkened and bubbly, 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Place a pineapple ring in the center of the skillet, then add halved pineapple rings around the center pineapple ring (arch-side facing out, see photo). If desired, add quartered pineapple pieces around the edges of the skillet (again, see photos). Place a maraschino cherry in the middle of the central pineapple ring, if using.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
5. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the granulated sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla and spiced rum.
6. Add half of the flour mixture to the mixer and stir on slow speed to combine. Stir in the pineapple juice. Then beat in the rest of the flour mixture.
7. Spoon the batter evenly over top the pineapple pieces in the skillet. Bake the cake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the skillet for 5 minutes.
8. Place a plate over top the skillet, then carefully flip the skillet over, inverting the cake onto the plate. Place any pineapple pieces that stuck to the skillet back onto the cake if necessary. Sprinkle the cake with 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of rum, then let cool on the plate set on a wire rack until ready to serve.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature. Any leftover cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

(adapted from this Smitten Kitchen recipe)

What's For Dessert: Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bites

A friend of ours hosted a Halloween party this past weekend (D and I went as Sam Shakusky and Suzy Bishop from Moonrise Kingdom), and I took the invitation as a good excuse to make a few nibbles to share. Since I still have a bit of salted caramel sauce leftover in the fridge, I had the idea to use some in a mini cheesecake bites recipe. And let me tell you, I'm pretty proud of these sweet treats.

Without fail I always sub in neufchâtel cheese for cream cheese, as it has a slightly lower fat content. Feel free to use the real stuff if you prefer; personally, I don't taste much of a difference between the two. The cheesecakes get a dose of salted caramel flavor both within the cake layer and as a generous drizzle on top. If you haven't any made-from-scratch salted caramel sauce on hand, you can use your favorite brand of caramel sauce instead. (But seriously, it is totally worth the effort to make your own caramel sauce from scratch!)

Bite-size mini cheesecakes are perfect for sharing at a party or other gathering; they are easy to eat as a finger food and though small in size, these little bites pack in plenty of satisfying flavor. If you're looking for a dessert to share at upcoming holiday gatherings, I urge you to give this recipe a try!

Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bites (printer-friendly version)
makes 24 servings

For the crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6-7 graham cracker sheets)

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecakes:
1 (8 oz) package neufchâtel cheese (or regular cream cheese), softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup raw sugar
2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce, plus a little extra for drizzling after baking

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, use the steel blade attachment to make crumbs from the graham cracker sheets. Add in the brown sugar and pulse a few times to incorporate into the crumbs. Carefully add in the melted butter and process until incorporated.
3. Spoon the crumb mixture into each lined mini muffin cup, filling each cup about 1/4 full. Use the back of the spoon or your (clean!) fingers to press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of each muffin cup.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the neufchâtel cheese, egg, vanilla, and raw sugar together at high speed. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as necessary. Mix in the caramel sauce and continue stirring at high speed until evenly combined.
5. Spoon the cheese mixture on top of the graham cracker layer, filling each muffin cup almost completely full.
6. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the cheesecake layer has set and appears matte, not glossy. Remove from the oven and let the cheesecake bites cool in the tin on a wire rack. Once cooled to the touch, place the tin in the refrigerator to chill.
7. To serve, remove the cheesecake bites from their paper liners. Drizzle salted caramel sauce over top each cheesecake bite before serving.

What's For Dessert: Whole-Orange Bundt Cake

As soon as I saw this recipe for whole orange cake in the March issue of Sunset magazine, I knew I would have to give it a try. The question was, when? Truth be told, D and I can't (nor shouldn't, really) eat a whole cake between the two of us. I typically send leftovers with him to share with his work colleagues, but I sort of felt like this cake deserved a special occasion. Enter the Fourth of July holiday and my parents' visit, and suddenly I had a good excuse to bake this cake.

What intrigued me most about this recipe was that, as the name clearly implies, it uses whole oranges. Including the peel-and-all (minus the seeds) gives this dense cake a marmalade-like flavor. Though I served this cake as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, I think it would work just as well as a breakfast or brunch treat with a cup of coffee. An orange-enhanced icing gives this cake a sweet boost, but sifting a bit of powdered sugar over top would work just as nicely. 

Whole-Orange Bundt Cake (printer-friendly version)

makes 10-12 servings

2 navel oranges, ends cut off, then cut into large chunks and seeded (do not remove the peel)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups raw granulated sugar 

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 10-inch bundt cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Add the chopped oranges to the bowl of a food processor with the steel blade attached. Pulse a few times, until the oranges are pureed (it should still be slightly chunky, not smooth). 

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attached, cream together the butter and raw sugar until light yellow and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the pureed oranges. 

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the dry mixture to the electric mixer, and mix until evenly combined.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepped bundt pan. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then carefully flip the pan over, removing the cake from the pan, and let cool completely.

6. Once the cake has cooled, prepare the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar and orange juice. Drizzle the icing over the cake with a spoon. Serve with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream, if desired. 

(adapted from this Sunset magazine recipe)

What's For Dessert: No-Bake Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecake

Northwoods update: our lake is free of ice! After the ice first began to break up early last week, all it took was several days of warm weather and it seemed like the remaining ice disappeared right before our eyes on Monday. According to the Old Timers in the neighborhood, this was one of the latest dates for ice breakup on the lake in the last 30 years -- last year the ice was gone by the end of March! (Last spring was unusually warm in these parts, though they later got a large dumping of snow in April.)

All I can say is that it was a long time coming and I cannot wait for the lake to warm up so I can get in a few (dock to dock) laps. D has been working on getting our small boat tuned up for the season, and I need to get a fishing license -- and then we'll be ready to hit the water for some evening boating and fishing.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, I may have made one of the most awesome desserts of my life. (Wow, that's a grand statement!) Seriously, though, I think it was a stroke of genius (if I do say so myself) to meld together a recipe for no-bake mini banana cream cheesecakes that I spied on How Sweet It Is (via The Kitchn) with a recipe for bananas foster. Cheesecake is good. Bananas foster is good. But put them both together -- and you've got a dessert that is sublime.

Since bananas foster is quite rich, I subbed in neufchâtel cheese for cream cheese, which has a slightly lower fat content. These cheeses taste quite similar, so I don't think the overall flavor was affected at all, but if you only have cream cheese on hand, you can of course use that instead. (And, if you're curious, here's a quick explanation of the difference between the two cheeses.)

No-Bake Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecake (printer-friendly version)
makes four servings

For the bananas foster (adapted from this Alton Brown recipe):
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon brandy
3 bananas, sliced in half widthwise, then lengthwise (so you'll end up with 12 slices)
1/4 cup dark rum
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
8 ounces neufchâtel (or cream) cheese, softened

2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

1. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over low heat. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add in the brandy and bring to a simmer. Add the sliced bananas, and cook for about one minute per side, spooning the sauce over the bananas as they cook. Remove the bananas from the skillet and place them in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add the rum to the skillet. If the sauce is hot enough, it will start to flame. If not, use a long lighter to ignite the flame (be careful!). Continue cooking the sauce until the flame dies out, about 2-3 minutes. The sauce should have a syrupy consistency; if it is too thin, continue cooking for a few minutes longer.
3. Stir in the orange zest, and then carefully pour the sauce over the bananas. [It's totally cool if you want to stop at this point and just serve the bananas foster over vanilla ice cream. I may or may not have bogarted a couple bananas to give it a taste -- long story short, it was delish.]
4. Use a fork to mash the bananas into the sauce. Set aside and let cool for a few minutes.
5. Add the neufchatel (or cream) cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and beat to combine. Next, add in the cooled banana mixture and beat until the mixture is smooth.

For the cheesecakes:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 2 full cracker sheets)
1 ripe banana, sliced thinly
bananas foster cheesecake filling [see above]
whipped cream for serving
graham cracker crumbs for topping

1. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs.
2. Spoon and press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of four containers (I used small jam jars; you could use short glasses, ramekins, or other container of your choice).
3. Next, add a layer of sliced bananas (about 3-4 slices in a circle) to each jar.
4. Carefully spoon the cheesecake filling evenly into each of the containers.
5. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours to let the cheesecakes set.
6. When ready to serve, top each cheesecake with whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs, and a banana slice.

(inspired by this How Sweet It Is recipe)

What's Baking: Birthday Cupcakes

Last Monday was D's birthday, and he requested cupcakes (well, a single-serving of cake, anyway) as a birthday treat. We discussed a few potential flavor combinations and came upon the idea of a doing a dark chocolate cupcake with a "Cow Pie" icing. Cow Pie - whuh?

{via}

Yeah, not that kind of cow pie. Instead, the Cow Pie I'm referring to is a (relatively) locally-produced liqueur featuring chocolate, caramel, and vanilla flavors. I have to admit, picking up a bottle was a total impulse buy on a recent stroll through the grocery store liquor section. Of course, the name is what first grabbed me, but then I was further intrigued by the presence of the Missouri Tavern on the label, a place that D and his friends would stop in for a drink on occasion back when he lived in Madison. So clearly, I had to buy a bottle and give it a try.

Served over ice, it makes for quite a good after-dinner drink. (It's very Bailey's-esque.)  I'm sure it would work well mixed into a cocktail as well. (There are a few drink ideas on their website.) Or you know, do as I do and skip all the fancy drinks and just mix it into an icing served atop a dark chocolate cupcake.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 cupcakes

1 cup raw sugar
1/2 + 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (do not use Dutch-process cocoa)
3/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1/2 cup organic skim milk
1/4 cup walnut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add in the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for two minutes.
4. Add in the boiling water and mix until incorporated.
5. Spoon the batter (it will be quite thin!) into the prepared cupcake tin. (Fill each cup about 3/4 full.)
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cupcakes just spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
7. Remove the tin from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the tin for five minutes. Then remove the cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Cow Pie Buttercream Icing (printer-friendly version)
makes enough to ice 12 cupcakes (make a double batch if you like a lot of icing)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
2 tablespoons Cow Pie liqueur (alternately, you could use Bailey's)

1. Use an electric mixer to whip the butter at high speed for about five minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
2. Gradually add in the powdered sugar at low speed, then add in the vanilla extract and vanilla beans and switch to high speed.
3. Add in the liqueur and continue mixing until incorporated and the icing is light and fluffy.
4. Use immediately. Any leftover icing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Re-whip before using.

What's Baking: Vanilla Bean Mini Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Icing

I think my most memorable Valentine's Day was in the first grade, when I received a Superwoman valentine's card from one of my classmates with the message "You stink!" scribbled on the back. I totally don't remember that classmate's name, but I do remember the card he gave me. Ah well ... fast forward (cough, many, cough) years, and luckily the valentine's cards I receive these days have much nicer messages.

For Valentine's Day this year, I opted to make some sweet treats for D to share with his officemates. I borrowed the Joy the Baker Cookbook from the library again (I really ought to purchase my own copy; there are so many good things in there!), and adapted her simple vanilla cupcakes recipe to make a large batch of mini cupcakes. Oh, are these delicious! I have to admit I saved a couple to enjoy with a cup of tea later today as a little Valentine's treat for myself.

Vanilla Bean Mini Cupcakes (printer-friendly version)

 makes 30 mini cupcakes

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean

1/2 cup organic skim milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, use a whisk to sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.

4. Add in the egg and egg white one at a time, beating between additions to incorporate.

5. Beat in the vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds.

6. Add about half the flour mixture and stir on low speed until incorporated. Stir in the milk. Then add in the rest of the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated.

7. Give the batter a quick stir with a spatula, then divide evenly among the cupcake liners.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick entered into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

9. Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the tin. Then remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

(adapted from a recipe in the Joy the Baker Cookbook)

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Icing (printer-friendly version)

makes enough to ice 30 mini cupcakes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean

1 tablespoon organic skim milk

1. Use an electric mixer to whip the butter at high speed for about five minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
2. Gradually add in the powdered sugar at low speed, then add in the vanilla extract and vanilla beans and switch to high speed.
3. Add in the skim milk and continue mixing until incorporated and the icing is light and fluffy.
4. Use immediately. Any leftover icing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Re-whip before using.

What's Baking: Election Night Cupcakes

Since it may be a long night of watching the election returns and I have some red, white, and blue sprinkles on hand, I figured I might as well make a batch or two of mini cupcakes. Whether or not any cupcakes will remain at the end of the night is TBD.

Dark Chocolate Mini Cupcakes (printer-friendly version)
makes ~36 mini cupcakes

1 cup raw sugar
1/2 + 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1/2 cup organic skim milk
1/4 cup walnut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini-cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add in the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for two minutes.
4. Add in the boiling water and mix until incorporated.
5. Spoon the batter (it will be quite thin!) into the prepared cupcake tin. (Fill each cup nearly full.)
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes just spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
7. Remove the tin from the oven and let the mini cupcakes cool in the tin for five minutes. Then remove the cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing 
makes enough to ice 36 mini-cupcakes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon organic skim milk

1. Use an electric mixer to whip the butter at high speed for about five minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
2. Gradually add in the powdered sugar at low speed, then add in the vanilla extract and switch to high speed.
3. Add in the skim milk and continue mixing until incorporated and the icing is light and fluffy.
4. Use immediately. Any leftover icing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Re-whip before using.

(adapted from this recipe)

What's Baking: Homemade Fig Newtons

While I was at the store last week picking up some dried fruit for my granola, I spied a bag of dried black Mission figs and knew exactly what I was going to do with them -- bake up a batch of homemade fig newtons! Packaged fig newtons are my go-to roadtrip "treat," even though some of the ingredients give me the skeevies. A quick search on the Internet led to the discovery of several recipes for homemade newtons; I went with the recipe that sounded the tastiest. Long story short, though mine look clearly homemade, these fig newtons taste like the real deal. Now, if I could only figure out whether these bars should be classified as "cookie" or "cake." : )

Homemade Fig Newtons (printer-friendly version)
makes 15-20 cookies ("cakes"!)
Note: Prep requires that you chill the dough overnight

For the dough:
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup raw (unrefined and unbleached) sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed orange juice

For the fig filling:
3/4 cup chopped dried black Mission figs
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Day One
1. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
4. Stir in the honey and vanilla extract.
5. Pour in the sifted flour mixture all at once. Spoon in the orange juice. Stir until just combined.
6. Spread a large piece of plastic wrap on the countertop. Place the dough (which will be soft and sticky) onto the center of the wrap. Cover it completely and pat into a disk shape.
7. Place in the fridge to chill overnight.
8. To make the filling, add the figs, applesauce, honey, orange zest, and cinnamon to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a smooth paste, using a spatula to scrape down the sides as necessary. Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge overnight. [Alternately, you can make the filling on day two and use immediately.]

Day Two
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Cover your work surface with flour.
3. Roll out the dough to a 1/4" thickness. Use a pastry or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 3 1/4"-wide by 6"-long strips.
4. Spoon the fig spread mixture (spreading it with a spatula to about 1" wide and a 1/4" thickness) down the center of each dough strip. If you find this is too difficult, alternately you can use a pastry bag to pipe the spread down the center of the dough, using a plain basket weave tip.)
5. Fold one side of the dough strip over top the fig spread. Then, flip/roll the dough over so that the seam is on the bottom. (If this direction makes no sense, check out the photos here.) Use a pastry brush to dust off any excess flour.
6. Place the fig bar roll on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the bars have slightly puffed up, are golden brown, and are just firm to the touch. If the dough appears moist or is sticky when touched, bake a few minutes more.
8. Once baked, remove from the oven and immediately cut into 1-2"-long rectangles.
9. While still warm, pack the bars in an airtight container, placing a sheet of parchment paper between layers.
10. Cookies should remain fresh for up to two weeks at room temperature.

(adapted from these recipes)

What's Baking: Blueberry Nutmeg Cake

When I began my bake-fest on Sunday morning, my actual intent was to make this blueberry nutmeg cake, which Sheri posted last week, as an accompaniment to our breakfast. However, upon closer inspection of the recipe, I realized that it required at least a two-hour period of "mellowing" time -- and given my immediate need for a sweet complement to our savory breakfast, that just wouldn't work. So I ended up making a batch of chocolate glazed donuts instead.

However, since I already had all the ingredients on hand, including a large quart of blueberries that had already been sitting in the fridge for a week, I decided to go ahead and bake up this cake later in the afternoon. I figured D's coworkers could reap the rewards of my baking extravaganza. (After taking out one slice in the morning for me to taste, of course. Plus -- doesn't already having one slice out of the cake make it seem more inviting? No one wants to make that first cut.)

Given the cake's name, it should come as no surprise that it has a clear nutmeg-y flavor, which, let's face it, I'm kind of all about given my penchant to top my chai lattes with a healthy shake of nutmeg. I added in a little cinnamon, too, as I just can't help myself when it comes to blueberry cakes.

Interestingly, my cake turned out completely different than how I think it was supposed to look (hmmm, that couldn't be because I messed with the recipe a little bit, could it?) -- but I kind of like that there is a separate layer of blueberries that sits on top of the cake layer. It definitely has a different look than your typical blueberry coffee cake, but remains quite tasty nonetheless.

Blueberry Nutmeg Cake (printer-friendly version)
makes 8 servings

For the berries:
2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

For the cake:
1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

For the topping:

1/2 tablespoon turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9" springform pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the blueberries with the lemon juice and tablespoon of granulated sugar. Toss to coat. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
4. With the use of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
6. At low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Do not overmix.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan. Use a spatula to even out the top.
8. Spread the blueberries (and any juices) evenly over top the batter.
9. In a small bowl, stir together the turbinado sugar, dark brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the blueberries.
10. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
11. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
12. Release the cake from the pan and allow it to cool completely on the wire rack.
13. Use a thin spatula to carefully remove the bottom of the pan (and parchment paper). Shift the cake onto a flat plate.
14. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to sit out at room temperature for at least two hours, or ideally overnight.

(adapted from this recipe)

What's Baking: Angel Food Cake

Given a recent sale on organic strawberries at Golden Harvest, I of course couldn't resist buying a few packages, and found that I suddenly had a large berry supply in my fridge and couldn't eat them fast enough. The solution? Bake an angel food cake! I last baked an angel food cake back in April while still in Philadelphia, so it was time to give it a whirl here in Northern Wisconsin. Our old stove is a bit temperamental (it heats to about 100 degrees over the temperature it's set to), but I think I've figured out it's quirks. (An oven thermometer is key!) I followed the recipe I used last time for the most part, but since I had the hard stuff on hand, I substituted in Amaretto liqueur for the almond extract. I also upped the portions of vanilla and Amaretto to bring out a little more flavor. The resulting cake was light, dare I say, moist, and overall delicious. Now, if only I could master getting it out of the pan without completely destroying the top of the cake! Guess I'll just have to bake another one.

Angel Food Cake (printer-friendly version)
makes eight servings

1 cup cake flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 large egg whites, room temperature (or 2 1/4 cups of pre-packaged egg whites)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Amaretto liqueur

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add the blade attachment to the bowl of a food processor. Pour in the sugar. Process for two minutes, or until the sugar is super-fine. Pour the sugar into a bowl and set aside.
3. Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Pour the room temperature egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip at medium-high speed until the egg whites are frothy.
5. Add in the cream of tarter and beat until soft peaks form. This should take several minutes.
6. Once soft peaks form, gradually beat in the super-fine sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. This should take about three to five minutes.
7. Once stiff peaks form, beat in the vanilla extract and amaretto liqueur.
8. Carefully transfer the whipped egg white mixture into a large shallow bowl.
9. Sift in the flour mixture in several batches. Gently fold in the flour mixture between each addition.
10. Once the flour is incorporated, carefully spoon the batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Use a knife to cut through the batter to remove any air bubbles. Use a spatula to even out the top of the batter.
11. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched.
12. Invert the pan on a wire rack and let cool for one hour.
13. After an hour, use a knife to cut around the edge and center cone of the cake pan. Gently shake the remove the cake. Use a knife to remove the bottom of the pan from the top of the cake.
14. To make a strawberry dessert, top with mashed fresh strawberries and a healthy dollop of freshly whipped cream (see recipe below). Serve immediately.

Amaretto Whipped Cream

makes about 4 healthy servings

1/2 cup organic heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar

1/4 teaspoon Amaretto liqueur

1. Chill your mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

2. Pour the heavy cream into the chilled mixing bowl, and whip at high speed. When cream begins to thicken, add the sugar and amaretto.

3. Continue to whip the cream until stiff peaks form.

4. Use immediately.

What's Baking: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Baking a cake makes me nervous. So many layers, so many steps, so much frosting, so much that could go wrong. I still don't understand how people are able to get their frosting to look so smooth on their cakes. I always end up going for a 'rustic' look. Perhaps I need to invest in an offset spatula? 

Though it took forever to grate the pound of carrots (I read somewhere that it was better to grate the carrots by hand, rather than with a food processor, though I can't quite remember why), the cake itself came together pretty quickly. I had originally planned to make a small cake, but I ended up going all out and made an 8" double-layer round cake. I made the cake the night before D's birthday, and then made the frosting and frosted the cake the next evening. (I covered the cake layers in plastic wrap and refrigerated them overnight.) The end result was delicious, and we may or may not have managed to eat half the cake between the two of us over a span of just two days. No judgement, right?

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (printer-friendly version)

10-12 servings

1 cup raisins

1 cup walnuts, chopped

2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour, divided

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/ teaspoon allspice

2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups canola oil
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound carrots, grated
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter two 8" round cake pans. Cut out a circle of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of each pan. Butter (again) and flour the pans. Set aside.
3. Toss together the raisins and chopped walnuts with the tablespoon of flour. Set aside.
4. Sift together the remaining flour, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. (Catching a pattern here?)
5. Use a mixer to thoroughly stir together the sugar and oil. (It will be light yellow in color.)
6. Add in the three eggs and stir to combine. Add in the vanilla.
7. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix between additions.
8. Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and stir in the walnuts and raisins by hand.
9. Fold in the carrots and pineapple.
10. Divide the batter evenly into the two prepped cake pans.
11. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean. After 30 minutes in the oven, switch the positions of the cake pans to ensure even baking.
12. Place the pans on a wire rack and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
13. While the cakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting (see below).
14. Place the bottom layer of the cake flat-side up onto a flat plate or cake pedestal. Add a large dollop of frosting onto the cake and spread evenly over top the cake.
15. Place the second layer on top of the first layer, round-side up.
16. Use the remainder of the frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. (Or just use as much as you desire; I ended up with about an extra cup of frosting.)
17. Serve the cake as-is, or decorate the sides or top of the cake with crushed walnuts.

Cream Cheese Frosting

0.55 oz unsalted butter, softened (I used a package of Smjör Icelandic butter)

16 oz cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

16 oz powdered sugar

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese until just combined.

2. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.

3. Stir in the powdered sugar and mix on high speed until smooth.

(adapted from this Ina Garten recipe)

What's Baking: Vegan Whoopie Pies

As I promised, here is the recipe I used to bake up a batch of whoopie pies yesterday. Just to be different, I opted to make a vegan version of the classic whoopie pie. You can easily un-veganize this recipe by using eggs and butter in place of their vegan replacements.

Vegan Whoopie Pies (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 pies

1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance vegan butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 Ener-G egg (1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons of warm water)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Dagoba cacao powder
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup lowfat buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a whoopie pie pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and brown sugar. Mix on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Add in the reconstituted "egg" and vanilla. Stir to combine the ingredients. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl if necessary.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients into the mixer. Mix at low speed until just combined.
6. Pour in the buttermilk and mix on low speed until just combined.
7. Add in the remainder of the dry ingredients and stir on low speed until the batter just comes together.
8. Spoon about two tablespoons of batter into each whoopie pie cavity. Use a small spatula to spread the batter evenly into each divot; each cavity should be about 2/3 full.
9. Bake 8-12 minutes, or until the cake bounces back when touched lightly with your finger.
10. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
11. While the cakes are cooling, make the filling. (See recipe below.)
12. To assemble the pies, add a healthy dollop of the filling to the flat side of one cake and sandwich with another to form the pie.

Vegan Whoopie Pie Filling

makes enough to fill 12 whoopie pies

6 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

7 ounces Suzanne's ricemellow creme

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Use an electric mixer to beat the vegan butter until creamy. 

2. Add the sifted sugar and salt. Slowly increase speed as you mix the ingredients together.

3. Add the ricemellow creme and vanilla and beat at high speed until the filling has a whipped consistency.

(adapted from this Wilton recipe)

What's Baking: Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

I'm a big fan of coffee cakes, and this one is no exception. You could easily veganize this recipe by replacing the egg with a flax "egg" and the milk with a non-dairy milk. Serve alongside a cup of pumpkin spice coffee, and you've got yourself an excellent autumn-inspired mid-morning treat.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake (printer-friendly version)
makes 8 servings

For the cake:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 egg (or use a flax "egg" -- 1 tablespoon flaxseed in 3 tablespoons warm water, let sit for 5 minutes to thicken before using)
2/3 cup organic skim milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the streusel topping:

3 tablespoons organic cane sugar
2 tablespoons organic light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger chips [optional]

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medim-sized bowl. Stir together with a fork.
3. In a separate large bowl, stir together the pumpkin and sugar. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla.
4. Slowly add in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
5. Spoon the batter into a greased 8"x8" glass baking dish.
6. Make the streusel topping by combining together the sugars and flour. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter. Stir in the spices, pecans, and ginger chips.
7. Spoon the streusel mixture evenly over top of the batter.
8. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
9. Let cool on a wire rack for several minutes before serving.

What's For Dessert: Individual Cheesecake Cups

My original plan was to re-create the Key lime pie I had while on vacation in Pensacola Beach, but in tart form. However, while searching for possible recipes, I came upon this recipe for cheesecakes served in jars, and I decided to change gears and try my hand at individual portions of cheesecakes instead. Since I didn't need 24 servings, I cut the recipe down and switched a few ingredients as well. The resulting dessert is an indulgence, indeed -- but each slightly tart bite was smooth, creamy, and delicious. 

Individual Cheesecake Cups (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

4 whole graham cracker sheets, ground into crumbs
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon cacao powder [optional]
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 8-ounce package of neufchâtel cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Butter each of your 3 1/2- or 4-oz ramekins or glass dishes. Set aside.
2. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl. If you'd prefer a chocolate graham cracker crust, also mix in the cacao powder.
3. Place about a tablespoon of the crumb mixture into the bottom of each buttered dish. Use the back of a spoon or other object (just as a wine cork) to tamp down the crumbs into an even layer.
4. Add the neufchâtel cheese and granulated sugar into the bowl of a mixer. Mix on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides if necessary.
5. Add in the egg, and stir to combine.
6. Add in the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract, and mix until all ingredients are incorporated together.
7. Scoop the cheese mixture into each of the ramekins. Fill each dish up to about 1/2-1" from the top.
8. Place the dishes into a roasting pan. Add water into the pan until it reaches halfway up each of the ramekins.
9. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
10. Once cooked, remove the roasting pan from the oven, and carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath. Place them on a wire rack to cool.
11. After cool enough to touch, place each of the ramekins into the fridge and allow to chill completely before serving.
12. Serve plain, or top with chocolate chips, caramel sauce, or a fruit syrup.