Black Forest Cupcakes

Makes 12 | Prep Time: 20 mins | Bake Time: 25 mins
Adapted from Pooi Sam
Contributor: CP Choong

Ingredients:

40g (1.5 oz) Corn oil
10g (0.4 oz) Cocoa powder
70g (2.5 oz) Chocolate
45ml Water
40g (1.5 oz) cake flour (preferred) or all-purpose flour
3 Egg yolks
3 Egg whites
30g (1 oz) sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 can Cherry Pie Filling
Fresh cherries
Whipping cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C (356F) and lined muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Heat up corn oil, remove from heat and add in cocoa powder and chocolate, stir until chocolate melted.

Add in water, flour and egg yolks, well mixed and set aside.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and sugar in a large mixing bowl till peak form, fold the meringue into the egg yolk mixture in 3 batches till fully incorporated.

Pour the batter into the lined muffin pan and bake in preheated oven for 25 mins. Remove the cupcakes from oven once it is cooked and cool completely on a wire rack.

From the top of the cupcake, make a small hole in the center of each cupcake, and brush the canned cherry syrup in the hole, then stuff a canned cherry inside it.

Squeeze whipped cream on top of the cupcake and garnish with fresh cherry and shredded chocolate.

Cook’s Notes:

Use baking chocolate for this recipe, or chocolate with 32%, 55%, 64% and 72% cocoa in the chocolate. The taste will be richer with higher percentage of cocoa.

This cupcake recipe is not very sweet. If you like it sweeter, please add more sugar.

Cooking Tips : 

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Cooking

Do you enjoy all different types of food? Do you have a giant appetite for sweet foods? Do you like food from different ethnic foods? Have you ever caught yourself wondering how exactly to make these meals in your home. It's time to stop wishing and pick up a saucepan! Use the following tips in this article to learn about creating delicious meals.

If using skewers made of steel or metal, the square or twisted kind are much better than round ones for holding food in place.

Bake pie crusts a longer time than you think they should be baked. They need to be a light golden caramel color rather than pale in color. The golden color results when the sugar from the crust has started to caramelize and will give a much sweeter and crisper flavor.

Being organized is a key step when planning to prepare a meal for your family and friends.Gather all of your ingredients beforehand.This process will allay some of your stress level and help manifest a more positive outcome.

You do not want to cook the whole dish after seasoning it. Cook a tiny portion of it in the shape of a pan and taste it first.

If you want crispier and crunchier French fries, then you should soak the potatoes in cool water for 30 minutes and then fry them.

Use whatever seasonal ingredients are available to create tasty dishes, because they add better flavor to your dish and tend to be a lot cheaper.

Make enough so that you can freeze it and use it later. Good chicken stock that you make at home makes a great starter for soups, stews, casseroles and more.

When cooking a whole pumpkin, first set the pumpkin upright; then slice it down the center, then cut directly down its middle to create two halves. Place the two halves on a baking sheet.

Always make sure you measure your cooking oils! This will help you reduce how much fat in your foods while cooking. This should enable you to carefully watch how much oil you want to use.

If serving salad, and you are including a salad with the meal, keep it on the side. Let people put on their salad. Offer many different types of dressing.

Many popular veggies and herbs have a scent that remains on cutting boards well after they are washed. Use permanent ink to mark the cutting board so that you know which side to use for each purpose.

Save about one quarter cup of water and put it aside. When your sauce is also ready, pour in a bit of the water. The addition of the sauce via amalgamation.

This will add some flavor and keeps the herbs will stay on the board. Do not add too much salt to the dish you are making to prevent over-salting. The salt will stick to the herbs some extra flavor because it sticks to them.

It is important to properly care of wood cutting board if you want it to last a long time. A cutting board made from wood can crack and warp if it is exposed to excessive moisture, heat or dryness. Do not immerse the cutting board in water, instead, wipe it off with a sponge using warm water and soap. You can do some restoration to a damaged board by regularly oiling it with a product specifically for cutting boards to maintain yours. Be sure to dry completely before using.

Learn about any vegetables or fruits you haven't worked with before. You may find that your research leads to many great new ways to use the possibilities you will learn about for food.

Don't try out new recipe on important guests or a special occasion. Whether it is a love interest, family or employer, you still want to give off a good impression with your cooking. Impress these people with a meal you already know you are good at making.

Red potatoes contain skins that are too thin of a skin to hold very much filling.

Cooking food for a party or large get-together can be stressful and overwhelming. Instead of leaving things for the eleventh hour, take the time to do some prep work the day before the event. For example, do so; for all others, prep the ingredients in advance.

Shake things up if your family is tired of the same old frozen corn on the table every night. Add coconut to sweet corn for a Thai cuisine flavor that grown-ups and children will both enjoy.

Microwave your citrus fruits before juicing it to get their maximum yield. Heat your fruits in the microwave for about ten seconds or so. After the fruit is done microwaving, you will want to roll it back and forth on the counter before you cut and start juicing.

When it's time to mash the potatoes for that good ole home-cooked taste, stir in hot (not boiling) milk to mix them. This will make your potatoes much airier and airy texture that you desire. Nobody wants lumps in their mashed potatoes!

Make sure you use the right type of potato for your recipes.Potatoes are grouped into three different textures: mealy, waxy or mealy. Russet potatoes are popular mealy potato. Waxy potatoes are great for steaming or boiling because their shape well when heated. The most common types of the waxy potatoes are red and white potatoes.

You can make cinnamon rolls very easily. It can be hard to cut cinnamon rolls. You can make this simpler by placing a heavy thread right under the spot where you want. This will let you get the perfect slices for your cinnamon rolls!

Using the information that is provided above will help you to create divine meals that are sure to be crowd pleasers. It always pays off to try new things in the kitchen. While you are experimenting, you might just stumble across a new favorite dish! Summon forth the chef inside you by getting into the kitchen and letting your taste buds (with a little help from the preceding tips) take charge!

Fill Thier Bellies With Really Great Food

Cooking is an essential skill no matter what stage of life you are cooking for yourself or a large family! The following article will provide you with a whole lot of valuable cooking information.

Being properly prepared is key step when planning to prepare a meal for family and friends. Gather all of your ingredients beforehand.This can seriously reduce your stress level and anxiety levels.

Your spices should be stored in a cool place that is dark and cool. Using fresher spices can make your food taste better.

There is a trick to save your weak sauce. Mix 2 tablespoons water with one tablespoon cornstarch in a bowl. Stir the mixture into your simmering thin sauce until it thickens. The mixture should be added slowly so that it doesn't get too thick.

Sharp knives are an essential in any kitchen. Dull knives can actually be dangerous to use and they are also dangerous.

Many use a good number of apples for baking and cooking throughout fall and winter, but if stored improperly, they will no longer be usable. Apples tend to rot in warm dry air, so store them in loosely tied plastic bags in the refrigerator or a cool basement. One rotten apple can actually spoil the whole bag so make sure you keep a close eye on them while stored.

Quickly cooking vegetables makes them to retain much of their nutritional value. Vegetables that are cooked slowly can lose their taste and valuable nutrients. These speed-cooking techniques usually produce vegetables that are much healthier. Cooking better vegetables is all about cooking them for only a short amount of time possible.

Look at your recipes and determine whether or not certain steps can be completed beforehand. You can simplify the cooking process by doing your preparations a day or more in advance. This takes a lot of the stress out of even easier to cook complicated dishes and make them more enjoyable.

Ice trays can be a great tool for freezing and storing leftover sauce. This makes it easy to prepare a quick meal which you can reheat at a saute pan. The sauce is still good after being in an ice tray.

Always use an airtight container to store sugar or flour in the kitchen. Keeping your food in airtight containers will stop them from spoiling or being infected with bugs. These containers can be purchased at almost any store and definitely make a wise investment.

Read nutrition labels when shopping for recipe ingredients. A lot of ingredients could be unhealthy. You want to produce a product that is not high in sugar or salt because both can cause major health problems if eaten too much.

Always use fresh garlic for your dishes. A rule of thumb is that fresh garlic will have a sweet taste to it. Fresh garlic usually has a firm and lacks bruises.

If you are serving a salad with a meal where you have guests, and you are including a salad with the meal, keep it on the side. Some people prefer more dressing when eating salads so it is important that each person add their own dressing. Offer many different types of dressing.

Many popular veggies and herbs give off a strong residual odor which tends to leave your cutting boards well after use. Use a permanent ink to mark one end of the cutting board to identify which side you are using.

Always begin your cooking with utensils very well before you use them. Any leftover food matter missed during washing can spoil the dish you plan on cooking next. This can also spread harmful bacteria to spread.

You can make remarkably flavorful dishes by making your stock ahead of time to add to other dishes.You will have access to stock when you are cooking other things. Creating your own stock allows you cook.

Add lots of salt to the water when you are cooking pasta. This process will allow the most effective time to season your pasta while it cooks. Salting cooked pasta will not have the same effect of absorption.

Impress family and friends when you make a simple sandwich just by placing the mayonnaise evenly across the bread. An even spread helps keep the taste consistent from bite tastes as it should.

Onions that are raw have plenty of sulfurous gas in them. Your salsa will be ruined by this gas. Rinsing the raw onions in cold water will get rid of the gas.

The concentrated heat in the microwave causes oil to leave the food. Baking slowly and consistently can reheat your whole dish and keep the ingredients more cohesive.

Always ensure that butter is soft and not melted when making cookies. If you do melt the butter on accident, you should place the bowl in the freezer for several minutes in order to get it hard, or refrigerate the dough after mixing the ingredients. Your cookies will not spread as much if the dough is cooler.

Add some spices to meals after they are cooked. Pepper, cayenne, cayenne seasoning, and salt are excellent spices. Many people like different tastes when it comes to spice. Each person can personalize their own special version of your meal that they will love.

You can reduce the stress of preparing for family meal. Instead of succumbing to panic, do all the preparatory work a night or two before the big event is to occur. For example, do so; for all others, chop veggies or start on marinades.

Try using ketchup as a batter ingredient for your fried foods. Ketchup isn't simply a condiment! Use it to dip your food into, try dipping them in ketchup before rolling them in flour or breadcrumbs.

It's so beneficial to know how to make meals for yourself. As you probably know, good cooking can enhance your life whether you lean towards hearty down-home meals, haute cuisine or comforting soul food. Fast food can be convenient sometimes, but there's nothing better than a good meal made from your own kitchen.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

ingredients

Pumpkin Cake:

1 box yellow or white cake mix (you can use Spice mix and omit spices)

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. cinnamon

15 oz. pumpkin puree

3 eggs

1/2 C. applesauce or oil

1/3 C. milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/4 C. sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 C. butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 1/2 - 4 1/2 C. powdered sugar

Extra cinnamon and sugar for decoration

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.

2. Sift cake mix, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon into a bowl an set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, milk and vanilla extract.

4. Stir in cake mix and spices.

5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 17-22 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

6. Place your melted butter in a small bowl.

7. Combine sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl.

8. Use a pastry brush to brush melted butter on the tops of your cupcakes (they can be cooled or nearly cooled), then roll the tops of the cupcakes into your cinnamon-sugar to get that "snickerdoodle" look.

9. Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese. Add cinnamon and vanilla extract and slowly add in powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Add 1 Tbsp. milk if it becomes too thick.

10. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkles extra cinnamon-sugar on top!

Copyright © YourCupofCake

Cooking Tips : 

Tips And Secrets To Be A Better Cook Today!

There are some things that all good cooks need to know. This article is here to help you learn more about how to cook like a pro. Read them in their entirety to ensure you learn exactly what it takes to get cooking prowess.

If you would like to start cooking more food on your own, go to the bookstore or library and get a cookbook of simple and basic recipes that appeal to you. Try different recipes and be patient as you come up with something that works for you.

Preparation is key when cooking for your friends or friends. Make sure you have all the ingredients available. This process will limit the amount of stress you experience when cooking the meal and help manifest a more positive outcome.

Slice your meat thinly for stir-fry dishes. This can be a very time and be tricky.

You don't ever want to try new ingredients or recipes and food you don't have experience with. This will allow for an easier cooking more enjoyable and less stressful.

Try adding cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to cut some calories and fat. The taste of cauliflower will blend nicely with your potatoes while picking up the potatoes. Cauliflower is also the same texture and color of potatoes when mashed so it's a great way to add more veggies, offering you a perfect way to add another vegetable to your dish while cutting calories.

Ice cube trays can be a great tool for freezing and storing leftover sauce. This makes it easier for you to make a quick meal which you can reheat at a saute pan. The sauce will keep extremely well until the next time you need it!

Always use an airtight container to store sugar or flour.Keeping your ingredients in airtight containers will stop them fresher longer as the air can't reach them. These containers can be purchased at almost any store and are definitely worth the money.

Read labels when you buy foods. Many of the most common ingredients can contain items that are considered unhealthy. You want to produce a product that anything you buy is not high in sugar or sodium.

If the recipe calls for water, you could easily use chicken broth, beef broth, or juice when suitable. If a recipe calls for milk, try substituting with buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. Using different liquids can add a bit of zest to a favorite recipe and improve their flavor.

Always make certain to measure any cooking oil you are cooking. This will help you lower the fat is present in your foods while cooking. This should enable you keep an eye on just how much oil you use.

Prepare things the night before if you cannot handle doing everything in one night. Cut up vegetables and make the sauce the night before so you can save time. This will help reduce your stress at suppertime since you have already done part of the work.

Make sure that you do not dispose of your Thanksgiving dinner. Cut the leftover meat and put it away in an airtight container. Turkey remains fresh up to three weeks and you can use it in sandwiches or a salad.

You can make remarkably flavorful dishes by making your stock ahead of time to add to other dishes.You should always have access to stock on hand for soup and other dishes. Creating your own stock can reduce preservatives in the concoction that you to avoid preservatives.

Use a paper towels to blot the moisture from the surface of ground meat before cooking it. It's never a good plan to blot away wetness that is on ground meat. Any moisture that remains there will be released when it's cooked. The moisture will start to sizzle and steam away. This means you meat is being steamed instead of seared as it should be.

One of the best cooking tip is just be flexible and creative; do your imagination. You do not follow a recipe to the "T". That is a creative cook!

Save around 1/4 cup of this water. When you mix the pasta with this sauce, pour in some of the water. The pasta water's starch adds a "creaminess" to the starchy water will bulk up your sauce and make it creamier.

Impress family and friends when you make a simple sandwich with mayo that is evenly spread from corner to corner on the entire slice of bread. An even spread will ensure that every single bite to bite.

A meat thermometer can let you know if your meat is being cooked properly.All kinds of meat have a minimum internal temperature that is recommended for it to be safe to eat. Bacteria can easily survive in meat, and unless the meat is properly and thoroughly cooked, these bacteria can remain and cause you sickness if consumed.

Trussing is when you tie your turkey up with string for baking. Trussing helps to keep the legs and wings next to the bird closely. If the legs and wings aren't tied down, the tips of them will likely burn before the body of the turkey is done.

Try to make sure you cook your cake to the proper temperature and do not over or undercook a cake. The recommendations on the package are only guidelines, but these suggestions can be misleading; other factors, including oven variations, can have an effect on the actual time needed. A good way to judge whether a toothpick into the center of the cake. If batter sticks to the toothpick when it comes out, the cake is done; if batter comes out with it, it needs longer to bake.

Stacking cooling racks are a lifesaver in the kitchen. Stackable cooling racks mean far more efficient ways to use your space. Stacking cooling goodies up the space you have plenty of room.

As said preciously, there are some easy tricks you can learn to cook well. Some people naturally have it, and others just need a little help and information. If you follow the advice in this article, you will be that much closer to becoming that great cook that was always hiding inside.



Tastier, Cheaper, Healthier Food In Just A Few Simple Steps

Good food has a reputation for being many different things. The tips we give in this article will help you how to raise your culinary skills to a higher level.

If you want to start cooking more, try looking at basic cookbooks in your local library or bookstore. Try some recipes until you develop your skills.

Partially freezing meat so it becomes easier to cut into thin strips. This is ideal for Chinese or Thai meals. For the most even cooking, let the strips of meat thaw completely before you start to cook.

Boiling and nutrients in vegetables. If you want them to be healthier, try cooking them quickly by steaming or sauteing, sautéing or even roasting your vegetables to protect their vitamin and nutrient content.

You don't ever want to try new ingredients or recipes that you enjoy. You will feel less stressed while cooking if you have greater peace of mind.

Look through your recipe and determine whether or not certain steps you can be completed beforehand. You can simplify the day prior to actually cooking. This can make even the most difficult recipes fun and fast.

The downside of garlic can transfer to your hands easily. Try rubbing your hands on the inside of a steel when they smell from an odoriferous cooking ingredientThis will clean your hands and prevent the smells from transferring to the food you have to handle next.

Ice trays can be a great tool for freezing and storing leftover sauce. This makes it easier for you to make a quick meal by reheating the sauce using a later time. The frozen sauce will be very edible after it comes out of the trays.

Always use airtight container to store baking ingredients such as sugar or flour in the kitchen. Keeping your food in airtight containers will keep them from spoiling or being infected with bugs. These containers can be purchased at almost any store and definitely worth the money.

Plan on preparing a big pot of stock so that the excess can freeze and used later. Good homemade chicken stock is a wonderful base in soups, casseroles, stews and other dishes.

There is a lot of fat in butter and oil. Try using nonstick cooking sprays that will help your food not contain anything unhealthy and works just like oil.

If the recipe calls for water, you could easily use chicken broth, beef broth, or juice when suitable. Instead of using milk, you can substitute yogurt, yogurt or buttermilk. Using a variety of liquids can add a bit of zest to a favorite recipe and improve their flavor.

You should discard your spices about twice a year. The flavor of spices fade just a few months after opening the container.If you buy too much of a spice, give some to a family member or friend to keep from wasting it.

You need to stay organized when you are cooking, which could be costly.Having an organized will ensure that you turn out a good meal.If you are unorganized, you will start to forget what you buy and that will make you spend too much money that could have been spent on something you would have eaten.

Allow your food to sit for a bit before serving it. Many do not realize how important it is to let the importance of letting their cooked food rest. Many are tempted to quickly serve food to the grill or stovetop. If you serve immediately off the grill, you'll miss out on the meat's full flavor. Always let the meal cool and sit for about 5 minutes before eating.

Use a substantial amount of salt in the water when making pasta. This is the seasoning will set into the pasta. Salting after boiling your pasta will not give the same effect.

Save around 1/4 cup of this water. When you are getting ready to mix the pasta and sauce together, add this water as well. The pasta water's starch adds a "creaminess" to the sauce and make it creamier.

A meat thermometer can let you know if your meat is being cooked properly.All kinds of the different meats require a certain internal temperature that is recommended for safe to eat. If meat is under cooked, bacteria that exists on meat will not be eliminated, which could result in illness.

Try to make sure you cook your cake to the proper temperature and do not to overcook or undercook a cake. The time recommended on the box or in a recipe is a guide to be used with caution, but these suggestions can be misleading; other factors, including oven variations, can impact the finished product. A better idea is to insert a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, more baking is needed; when the toothpick stays clean after insertion, the cake needs to be baked longer.

There is not just one kind of potato, but they are not created equal.

Red potatoes have too thin a dense filling.

Cooking dinner for a large number of people might mean added stress on your plate. Rather than allowing yourself to panic at the last minute, start preparing your feast in advance. Set out your ingredients, utensils and spices the night before, utensils and sauces.

Rub your hands on stainless steel prior to washing them to eliminate odors of onions, fish, or onions to get the smell out.You can do this on the side of a sink or use a stainless steel soap bar and it will lift the odors from your hands, or even a special steel "soap" in order to remove these smells.

Those who enjoy cooking fish should consider trying to catch your own.

Microwave citrus fruits before juicing to get every last drop of juice. Heat up your citrus fruits in the microwave for about ten seconds or so. After the fruit is done microwaving, roll it across your counter before cutting it open and beginning the juicing process.

Food can have great power and is the basis of life. The people you share your dishes with will truly enjoy your efforts and you will benefit yourself from following these tips.